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Step 11 - Placement

For the purpose of this article, the term "waiting child" refers to children currently available for adoption through U.S. public welfare and foster care programs.

More of this Feature •  1. Educate yourself • 2. Examine your capabilities • 3. Adoption expenses • 4. Select an agency • 5. Complete an application • 6. The homestudy • 7. Take classes • 8. Locating a child • 9. Matching • 10. Prepare to welcome your child • 11. Placement • 12. Petition to adopt • 13. Finalization

Children placed for adoption through public agencies may move in with an adoptive family as soon as the required pre-placement visits have been held and approval to adopt has been given. At that time, you assume temporary legal custody.

During a period of time when your family undergoes the initial adjustment (ranging from a few months to a year or more), your agency will monitor how well the placement is proceeding. If all goes well during this period, the agency will recommend to the court that the adoption be approved.

A reminder about Legal Risk Placement

If you accept a child whose birth parents' rights have not been voluntarily surrendered or involuntarily terminated, you must accept the chance that the child could be returned to his/her birth parents. The child cannot be adopted before parental rights are terminated, and he/she will remain in your home as a foster child.

Best Resources

• "Adopting and Advocating for the Special Needs Child" - a terrifc book by L. Anne Babb and Rita Laws
• Best Books for Talking to Kids About Adoption
• Not Just Like Me - the importance of acknowledging and celebrating diversity

Next page > File a Petition to Adopt

Sources for this article include:
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
National Adoption Information Clearinghouse
North American Council on Adoptable Children
The Learning Center

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