If you want to learn how to adopt a child in Oregon, the information below is a great place to start. The process of adoption in Oregon has six basic steps, which we’ve outlined here. Learning more about these steps can help you decide if adopting a child is the right family-building method for you.

If you have any questions about adoption in Oregon with American Adoptions, you can call our agency at 1-800-ADOPTION anytime.

Step 1: Choose Adoption

The first, and sometimes most difficult, step in the Oregon child adoption process is determining whether or not adoption in Oregon is right for you and your family. Adoption is a wonderful way to welcome children into your family, but it’s not the right family-building option for everyone.

There are both pros and cons to the Oregon newborn adoption process that may influence your decision. As a couple, you would both need to be equally sure about adopting a child in Oregon before moving forward towards your adoption goals. Many people must first address grief regarding infertility struggles, or release their dreams of having a child through biological means before they can truly move on to their new dream of the OR child adoption process.

Step 2: Choose Your Oregon Adoption Professional

If you’ve decided that adoption is the right path for you to grow your family, then you’ll next need to decide which type of Oregon adoption you want to pursue. There are different adoption requirements for every type of child adoption in Oregon, and the differences between the types of adoption may influence your decision.

Domestic adoption

For families who wish to adopt an infant within the U.S. a domestic adoption is usually the way to go. Domestic adoption agencies like American Adoptions provide national coverage, whereas smaller local agencies are only able to work within the immediate area of Oregon. 

Foster care adoption

Foster care adoption is ideal for families who are open to adopting Oregon children of different ages and needs. Of the estimated 200 Oregon children who are eligible for adoption from foster care, many of those children are older, part of a sibling group, or have additional needs.

Learn more about foster care adoption in Oregon here and here.

International adoption

Families who are willing to adopt a child with little to no background information can bring a child into their life through an international adoption in Oregon. Depending on the country you adopt from and the agency you work with, the requirements, restrictions and costs of adopting a child internationally will vary.

Learn more about international adoption in Oregon here.

Step 3: Begin the Process for Adoption in OR

After you’ve decided which type of Oregon adoption professional you want to work with, and which agency you want to complete you adoption in OR, you can begin your adoption process.

This early stage of the adoption process is where adoptive families who are working with American Adoptions will complete their Adoption Planning Questionnaire (APQ), create their adoption profile, complete their Oregon adoption home study and more.

All this paperwork and the tasks you’ll need to complete can feel tedious, but they lead to your approval to adopt in Oregon on a state, federal and agency level. After this has all been completed, your adoption profile can be shown to expectant mothers who are hoping to find adoptive parents like you for their child.

Step 4: Enter into an OR Adoption Opportunity with Expectant Parents

From the time your adoption profile goes active and is shown to expectant parents who are considering adoption, it can be anywhere from a few weeks to a few months before you’ll receive an adoption opportunity with one of those expectant parents who hopes you’ll be their child’s family.

Your adoption wait time can vary for many reasons, but primarily due to your openness to potential birth mothers, your openness to post-adoption contact with the prospective birth family and the personal preferences of each expectant mother searching for an adoptive family.

But for 75 percent of families who adopt a child through American Adoptions, placement happens on an average of 12 months, so the wait is shorter than with other agencies.

Step 5: Finalize Your Adoption in Oregon

The last step of adoption in OR is adoption finalization.

First, the biological parents of a baby must execute their consent to the adoption in writing and have that consent attested to by the court or an authorized person. The prospective birth parent(s) executing their consent must be notified in writing via an attorney or agency of their right to receive three prepaid adoption-related counseling sessions prior to placing their child for adoption, and three sessions after placement.

American Adoptions offers free counseling to prospective birth parents before and after placement any time they request it.

You must also observe the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) clearance requirements before returning home with your baby to Oregon if you are adopting a child from outside of Oregon, as is often the case when you’re working with a national adoption agency like American Adoptions. But for families who reside and adopt a child in Oregon, ICPC processes aren’t required. Any time a child is adopted across state lines, the ICPC process will need to be completed before returning home, including for families who live outside of OR and adopt a child who was born in Oregon.

After you’ve been placed with your child and you’re cleared to return home to Oregon, you’ll complete the post-placement requirements with your home study professional. Your adoption finalization hearing will be scheduled at least six months after this.

Your finalization hearings for adoptions in OR will take place in your local county court. At this hearing, you’ll be granted legal parental rights and the final decree of adoption, which legally completes the Oregon adoption process.

Step 6: Post-Placement Life in Oregon

Although adoption finalization is the last legal step in the adoption process, adoptions in Oregon are a lifelong process for everyone involved.

Relationships created through adoption typically evolve naturally over time. These relationships can continue to grow through open adoptions, which have been shown to benefit adoptees as well as birth and adoptive parents. American Adoptions encourages open adoption in Oregon whenever possible for this reason and more.

You can learn more about how to adopt a baby in Oregon with our agency by calling 1-800-ADOPTION, or by requesting free Oregon adoption information online.

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.