Domestic Adoption

For the prospective adoptive family we offer a complete range of professional services related to adopting a child.  This includes education regarding domestic adoption, an assigned family advocate that will be your contact person throughout your adoption journey, a social worker (or referral to a social worker for out of state clients) for completion of the home study, education and support regarding your portfolio preparation, and post adoption assistance. 

AN OVERVIEW OF DOMESTIC ADOPTION

Step One: APPLICATION PROCESS

To start the process of adopting, you must complete A Helping Hand Application and Desired Child Form.  This lets us know that you are ready to proceed.  The Desired Child Form outlines the characteristics of the child you are requesting. 

Once received, the application will be reviewed by the staff of AHH. You will be given notification of application status by email or via letter.

Step Two: HOME STUDY REPORT

You will start the home study process after your application has been approved by AHH. Your home study is the most important document of all! A Helping Hand will complete your home study unless you live in a state other than Kentucky. In that case, we will help you contract with a competent home study provider in your home state.

The home study evaluation process includes three to four visits with a social worker, at least one of which will occur in your home. The purpose of these visits is to gather the needed information to enable the social worker to write his or her report and to further educate you about adopting a child.  The visit to your home is to verify that it meets state requirements for an adopted child.  This also allows your social worker to get to know your family in a more personal way.  No one is looking under your bed for dust!

Several documents are needed to support the home study.  Your family will collect letters of reference, medical and financial information, background checks, and other documents of a similar nature that will be utilized by the social worker to write the report. The social worker is required by law in all states to insure that the child will be placed in a safe environment.

Step Three: PORTFOLIO PREPARATION

Preparing the portfolio can be one of the most enjoyable parts of the process.  A portfolio is the initial contact between the adoptive parents and birth parents.  The birth mother, and sometimes birth father, looks through portfolios to select a family for the baby.  A portfolio provides information about your family, your activities, hobbies, why adoptions is a choice you made, friends, and pets, as well as other personal facts, and includes photographs of your family.  Every portfolio is unique depending on the openness of the adoption and the information the adoptive family wants to provide. 

Included in the portfolio is a one page “Dear Birth Parent(s)” letter that shares why you have chosen adoption, what their sacrifice will mean to you, what kind of adoption you want (open/closed) and how you feel about birth parent(s).  This is your best chance to express your feelings about the birth parents decision. 

Step Four: MATCHING PROCESS

A Helping Hand does not keep a chronological list of applicants as birth mothers and fathers may select an adoptive family for their child by viewing profiles of all of our families with approved home studies.  The matching process varies based on the wishes of the birth parents and the adoptive parents.  In some cases, adoptive families may meet with the birth parents.  This meeting allows the birth parent(s) a chance to get to know the adoptive parents well enough to feel comfortable about the placement decision.  It may also be an opportunity for the adoptive parents to learn of  the birth parents' wishes for the child and the reasons they chose adoption, as well as a chance for both parties to discuss the type of adoption they want (open, semi-open, or closed).  After the meeting, both the adoptive parents and the birth parent(s) can decide if they want to pursue the adoption plan together.  Other times, birth parents are not interested in meeting the adoptive family and may make their decision after viewing profiles, or even ask that A Helping Hand make the match.  

Step Five: PLACEMENT PROCESS

Once matched with a child, you will retain an attorney to assist you with the legal processes involved with the placement, transfer of physical custody, and adoption finalization.  In most cases, your child will be placed with you before the adoption is finalized.  If the child is born in a state other than where the adoptive parents reside, officials in each state must approve the placement.  Interstate compact regulations of each state must be followed and procedures for placement will vary in each case.

Step Six: POST PLACEMENT PERIOD