If you are hoping to grow your family through adoption in Idaho, there are probably quite a few questions running through your head. It’s understandable. Adopting a baby is a big event, and one that will change your life forever. If you’re thinking about pursuing adoption for your family, it’s important that you begin the process understanding how it works.

While that process will vary slightly for everyone, this article will outline what you can typically expect to happen in the course of an Idaho adoption.

If you're ready to start the adoption process, reach out to us through our free online form.

Step 1: Decide to grow your family by adopting a child in Idaho.

It may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s vital that a family ensures that everyone is equally committed and desires to adopt a baby before they start the process. When couples ultimately decide to choose adoption in Idaho, it’s fairly common for them to have first struggled with infertility and grief, many times for years. This is completely normal, but it’s important that this grieving process is over before deciding to begin the Idaho domestic adoption process. When adopting a newborn baby, your adopted child deserves your commitment just as a biological child would.

Step 2: Choose which type of Idaho adoption is best for your family.

Once your family has decided that adoption is the right path, there are going to be many additional decisions to make. One of the most predominant ones will be choosing which type of adoption to pursue, as there are many different kinds. Do you wish to adopt a newborn baby or an older child? Do you wish to adopt from another country, or would you prefer to complete a local Idaho adoption? Once you and your partner have settled on an adoption path, you’ll be ready to choose someone to help you begin.

Step 3: Select an adoption agency to help you on your adoption journey.

There are multiple adoption agencies in Idaho to help you grow your family, no matter which type of adoption you ultimately settle on. If your family is going the route of private domestic adoption, or adopting a newborn baby born within the United States, American Adoptions provides every service you’ll need along the way. If you do choose to research other agencies, though, you’ll want to ask a few important questions:

• What are the average wait times to adopt a baby?

• Does the agency provide support and education to pregnant women as well as waiting families to help through the adoption process? If so, what kind of support and education?

• What is the total estimated cost to complete an adoption through the agency? Are there any hidden fees?

• In the event of an adoption disruption, what does the agency do with the finances already invested into that adoption situation?

You deserve to receive clear answers to each and every one of the above questions. To learn more about the services provided by American Adoptions, please contact us at 1-800-ADOPTION to speak with an adoption specialist for free, noncommittal information.

Step 4: Become active with the adoption agency you’ve chosen.

No matter which adoption agency you choose, you’ll have to meet a set of legal requirements to complete an adoption in Idaho. Like all other states, Idaho requires that a prospective adoptive family complete an adoption home study, which evaluates their readiness to adopt a baby. A home study includes a documentation stage with background checks, a home inspection and one-on-one interviews with each family member living in the home.

While different adoption agencies in Idaho will have their own requirements, American Adoptions requires families to complete both an Adoption Planning Questionnaire and an Adoptive Family Profile in addition to an adoption home study. An Adoption Planning Questionnaire will ask questions that help an adoption specialist to understand what you’re open to in terms of an adoption situation, and an Adoptive Family Profile will allow you to show a pregnant woman considering adoption what her child’s life might look like if placed with you.

Step 5: Find an adoption opportunity.

After you’ve met the requirements your adoption agency has, it’ll be time to connect with a woman considering adoption for her baby. Your American Adoptions adoption specialist will help you to find a prospective birth mother to adopt from as well as begin to develop a relationship with her. As an agency, we recommend that all Idaho adoptions have some degree of communication, or openness. The benefits of openness in an adoption are numerous, particularly for the child being adopted. No matter how you choose to connect with the pregnant woman you are chosen by — phone calls, emails, in-person visits or more — it’s important that you build the foundation for a relationship that will last for the rest of your lives, not just in the beginning when you’re hoping to adopt a baby.

Step 6: Finalize your child’s adoption.

Some families assume that the adoption process is over as soon as they bring their child home from the hospital, but this isn’t quite the case. After adopting a baby in Idaho, you’ll still have to receive your final decree of adoption by attending a finalization hearing. At this hearing, a judge will ensure that an adoption has been completed legally and ethically, and if so, will grant you permanent custody of your child.

After the judge has granted your final decree of adoption, congratulations! The legal side of your adoption is complete, and your child will be a legal and permanent part of your family forever. This does not, however, mean that adoption is really over. In fact, keeping the lines of communication open and ensuring that your child understands that their adoption story is something to be proud of is a lifelong process.

To learn more about adopting a baby in Idaho with our agency or to begin the process today, please contact American Adoptions at 1-800-ADOPTION.

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