Over the years, adoption has become something to be celebrated because of the amazing ways it changes lives. That’s true if you are a woman experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and considering adoption for her baby, and it’s true if you are hopeful parents thinking about starting the adoption process. It’s also true, of course, for the children who are welcomed into safe, loving homes through this beautiful journey.

“Even though adoption was the hardest decision I will ever make in my life, American Adoptions also made it the best decision I’ve ever made in my life,” said Erika, a birth mother who placed her baby for adoption through American Adoptions.

Along with being life-changing, adoption can also be confusing. There’s a lot happening, and it’s not exactly common knowledge how all this works. This guide to adoption in Kansas City will give you the foundational information you need. Below, find the local adoption agencies, attorneys, and other resources you need to complete your Kansas City adoption from start to finish.

Kansas City Adoption Agencies

One of the first steps in the process is choosing an agency. These are the people who will guide you to a successful placement, so you want to make sure you choose the most experienced, excellent agency.

You may not know that American Adoptions is actually headquartered in a suburb of Kansas City. We work with prospective birth mothers and hopeful adoptive families from across the nation, but we’re pretty partial to our hometown. As a full-service domestic infant adoption agency, we offer:

• 24/7 counseling and guidance for the expectant birth parent. Even if you know adoption is what is best for you and your baby, it doesn’t mean it’s not a difficult decision. Our adoption counselors are here to help 24/7.

• Matching services. As the expectant birth parent, your adoption specialist will provide you with adoptive family profiles you will be able to choose from. You will be able to find a family who can give your child all the love and opportunity in the world because, as a national agency, we work with more families than most other agencies.

• More adoption opportunities for prospective adoptive parents. As a national adoption agency, we work with a lot of expectant birth parents. This means you will likely have a shorter wait time in being matched with an expectant birth mother.

• Financial assistance. As the birth parent, adoption is completely free to you. We will cover whatever living costs and pregnancy expenses we can to take as much financial stress off of you as possible.

And that’s just to name a few of the services we offer! Our adoption specialists have provided these services for over 30 years and have been a part of more than 5,000 families coming together. We were founded by an adoptee, and we care deeply about seeing your dreams of adoption come true. We would be honored to serve as your Kansas City adoption agency. 

Many of the staff at American Adoptions are birth parents, adoptive parents, or adoptees themselves. This firsthand experience has made them familiar enough with the adoption experience to know what goes into making sure everyone involved feels comfortable and supported. 

When you work with American Adoptions, you’re getting the best of both worlds — the lower wait times, financial protection, and 24/7 support for prospective birth mothers that can only be found with a national adoption agency, plus the convenience and local expertise you’d expect from a local agency. We can handle every step of your adoption from start to finish, whether you’re considering placing a child for adoption or hoping to adopt a baby in Kansas City.

Kansas City Adoption Home Study Providers

American Adoptions is a licensed full-service adoption agency that provides efficient home study services for families throughout the entire state of Missouri. As a national domestic adoption agency with over 30 years of experience, American Adoptions ensures you do not face unnecessary delays while you receive the personal attention, support, and expertise you deserve.

Follow this link to learn more about our home study services in Missouri.

Kansas City Adoption Attorneys

Along with an agency, every adoption will require an attorney at some point to navigate the legalities of the process. At American Adoptions, we frequently work with the best Kansas City adoption attorneys — as well as trusted lawyers across the country. When you choose American Adoptions, you also gain access to this adoption legal network. So, no matter where in the U.S. your adoption takes place, you can rest assured that it is being completed to the highest legal and ethical standards.

If you are pursuing an independent adoption or working with another adoption professional for placement and need to find a KC adoption attorney on your own, you might consider reaching out to these local lawyers:

• Michael Belfonte

• James A. Waits

• Krigel & Krigel

Remember, if you work with American Adoptions to complete your adoption in Kansas City, Mo., the necessary legal representation will be coordinated for you by your adoption specialist, so you won’t need to worry about retaining an attorney on your own. If you’re an expectant birth mother, all attorney fees will be covered through adoption financial assistance, and your adoption specialist will handle any court appearances on your behalf.

When you choose agency adoption over independent adoption, prospective adoptive parents will have peace of mind knowing we have proper screening processes in place to prevent adoption fraud, and expectant birth mothers will have access to our many beneficial, free, unplanned pregnancy services.

Foster Care Adoption in Kansas City

While American Adoptions can provide all of the services you need to complete your infant adoption, there are also other ways of growing a family in KC.

Many hopeful parents who consider infant adoption also contemplate becoming foster parents or adopting from foster care. If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent in Kansas City, any of these departments and agencies should be able to help you reach that goal:

• Missouri Department of Social Services

• Cornerstones of Care

• KVC Kansas

Kansas City International Adoption Agencies

While the majority of adoptive families choose foster care or domestic infant adoption, others look to international adoption to grow their families. This type of adoption is not as common as it once was, and the process can be long and complicated. Working with a good agency is key to a successful international adoption in Kansas City.

Unfortunately, American Adoptions is not able to provide international adoption services. But, while Kansas City is right in the center of the Midwest, that doesn’t mean its residents don’t have other international adoption professionals around:

• Holt International

• Love Basket

Kansas City Hospitals

When a prospective birth mother chooses adoption in Missouri, one of the most important things she does is make a hospital plan. This includes choosing the area hospital where she wants to go for care. If you’re placing a baby for adoption in Kansas City, or if you plan on adopting a baby that will be born in Kansas City, you’ll probably be meeting your child at one of these local hospitals:

• North Kansas City Hospital

• Liberty Hospital

• St. Joseph Medical Center

• The  University of Kansas Hospital

• Children’s Mercy

• Research Medical Center

• KU Med Center

• Truman Medical Center

As the birth parent, you will have full control over your hospital plan, and you will be able to make changes to that plan at any time. While you get to be in the driver’s seat when it comes to your hospital plan, your adoption specialist will make sure everything is in place for the big day so that you can focus on taking care of yourself and your baby during your pregnancy.

Kansas City Adoption Court System

A Kansas City adoption, like all adoptions, must be finalized by a judge. This is the big day! You will be able to officially welcome a new little member to your family.

A social worker will conduct a home visit to observe how everyone is adjusting and create a report. At your finalization hearing, a judge will review this report and other legal documents. Then, the judge will issue your final decree of adoption. Once this has been done, your baby is now legally yours!

This will likely take place in one of the following circuit courts:

• Jackson County

• Johnson County

• Clay County

• Platte County

• Cass County

• Bates County

Only the prospective adoptive parents will be required to appear in court for the finalization.

Kansas City Tourist Attractions

Many families who are traveling to complete an adoption in Kansas City, Mo., take advantage of the area’s tourist attractions. A few you might consider visiting are:

• The Nelson-Atkins

• Kansas City Zoo

• Country Club Plaza

• Worlds of Fun

• Liberty Memorial

• Arabia Steamboat Museum

• Negro League Baseball Museum

• Union Station

• Kauffman Stadium

• Arrowhead Stadium

You can successfully complete the adoption process and create a better future for yourself and your child by working with a full-service adoption agency with offices in Kansas City, like American Adoptions. We can provide all of the services you need to complete your Kansas City adoption. Whether you are pursuing adoption as a prospective birth mother or a hopeful adoptive family, you can contact American Adoptions at any time to begin the process.

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.