If you are considering adoption in North Dakota, it’s likely that you have a lot of questions. Understanding how the process works can be invaluable, both in deciding if it’s something you want to do and in learning more about it if you do decide to proceed. Of course, the adoption process looks different for everyone, but here’s a general outline of what you can expect in a North Dakota adoption:

Step 1: Decide to adopt a child in North Dakota.

While it may seem obvious, the first step in adopting a baby in North Dakota is determining that a private domestic adoption is truly the right choice for you and your family. Adopting a child is not for everyone, and that’s okay. If your family has struggled with infertility, it’s vital to complete the grieving process and accept this fact before you commit to adopting an infant in North Dakota. It’s not an easy process, but an adopted child deserves your love and commitment just like a biological child would, and it’s important that you are ready to give those things.

Step 2: Choose which kind of North Dakota adoption you wish to pursue.

Once you have confirmed that you — as well as everyone else in your family — are ready to pursue adoption, it’ll be time to determine exactly which type of adoption. Do you want to adopt a baby in North Dakota? Or, more specifically, do you want to adopt a newborn born in the United States? This would be a private domestic adoption. It’s also an option to pursue an older child adoption from foster care or to adopt from a different country in an international adoption.

Once you have selected the type of adoption that’s right for your family, it’ll be time to begin the adoption process.

Step 3: Select an adoption agency.

Depending on which type of adoption you and your family decide to pursue to grow your family, there are multiple North Dakota adoption agencies you’ll get to choose from. If you choose to adopt a newborn in a private domestic adoption, we’re partial to our own services here at American Adoptions. However, with any agency you talk to, you should ask about their policies on the following topics:

• Hidden fees
• Financial protection
• What happens to the finances in the event of an adoption disruption
• Counseling offered to pregnant women and/or adoptive families
• Wait times
• Total cost estimates

To learn more about the services provided by American Adoptions, please contact us anytime at 1-800-ADOPTION.

Step 4: Become an active family with American Adoptions.

Before we begin showing your information to prospective birth mothers, you’ll need to meet certain requirements to complete a North Dakota adoption with American Adoptions. These include but are not limited to:

• Undergoing an adoption home study, which is comprised of three phases and includes a documentation stage, interviews with each family member, and a home inspection
• Completing an APQ, or Adoption Planning Questionnaire, which will indicate to your social worker what you’re hoping for in an adoption match and help her to identify pregnant women who may have similar interests
• Completing an adoptive family profile, which will give pregnant women considering adoption insight into your life, your family and what their child’s life might be like if placed with you

Step 5: Get to know the prospective birth parents.

After you have completed all the necessary steps, you’ll go “active” with American Adoptions. This means that social workers will be showing your adoptive family profile to pregnant women who are considering adoption, and eventually one will choose you. When this happens, you’ll get to begin your relationship with her!

American Adoptions (along with all other modern-day adoption professionals) recommends some degree of openness in an adoption. Not only do you benefit from having access to your child’s biological family and their medical history, but your child’s birth mother will benefit from being able to see how her child is thriving, and your son or daughter will grow up understanding that their adoption story is one of love. You can begin this communication via emails, phone calls, in-person visits and more, and like all other relationships, it can evolve over time.

Step 6: Finalize your child’s North Dakota adoption.

After adopting a baby in North Dakota and bringing them home, you’ll need to go to court for your final decree of adoption. At this finalization hearing, a judge will review your case and verify that adoption is in the child’s best interest. As long as everything has been completed legally and ethically, this will be the last official step in the adoption process!

---

That does not, however, mean that your child’s adoption story is at an end. Adoption is a lifelong process, and it will be your responsibility to keep the lines of communication open with him or her to make sure adoption is always a point of pride.

To learn more about adopting a baby in North Dakota with our agency, please contact American Adoptions at 1-800-ADOPTION.

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.