[Elephtluvr0322]

Hi, I am new to the whole adoption community and have done LOTS of research, but I still have LOTS of questions. For someone who is just beginning, how does one go about deciding on a agency, international vs. domestic, foster-adopt, how much finanaces should we plan on spending and are there any grants or financial support I could apply for. (Finances is the biggest concern)
I know I need to have a homestudy completed first. Is there a general place a homestudy could be done, that will be accepted by any agency chosen at a later time
I would hate to have numerous homestudies done if one will do.
I would love to receive any helpful tips or bits of information from you all. Thanks in advance for your help.

Stationed in Kentucky-
J

[cxk04d]

Hello. I just have a few thoughts. I live in Texas and some of the agencies I have looked into cost about $15,000. I have heard that you can foster to adopt for little or no money (you do have to take special classes). Steven Curtis Chapman (a christian singer) has a website that you might want to look at. He has grants available if you adopt from one of the agencies on his website. He and his wife adopted 3 children from China. I would wait on the home study until you decide on an agency. Many agencies have their own social workers who do the home sudies. Best of luck on your decisions.

[stepforone]

All I can add is foster/adopt is by far the least expensive there is. At the most it will cost you $1,500 for the lawyer to finalize (assuming things don't get messy and you have to hire an attorney of your own to get best interest for the child). But you pay with your heart every time a child goes back to it's parents or a family member. To avoid the heartache you can do straight adoption through the state (they wait until the child is legally free before placing them with you) but odds are you will get an older child or one with more problems. Most infants/toddlers are adopted by their foster placements in our area. It all depends on what you are looking for. If you want an infant and don't mind the chance of LOTS of heartache then foster/adopt through the state is the best route (you can make sure the child is a good fit before you agree to adopt and you can pick sex, race, issues). Much of what I have heard regarding private agencies that foster/adopt involve older children or health issues. The state will place the easier ones with their own foster homes before sending a child into the private agency route. If you don't want as much chance of heartache I would say go the private or international route. Private can still backfire (see the case in Florida right now where the adoptive parents are loosing the child they have had for 3 years - the adoption was still working on being finalized) and international is pretty expensive from what I have heard depending on where you adopt from. Some countries require a few visits from you before the agree to the adoption. Look deep and decide first what you are willing to give up (heart, money, control, choice of health/issues problems). Good luck.

[Corgar2004]

We are fostering (and hoping to adopt) through the state rather than an agency. We chose this route because we like the idea of working directly with the state and being on the first "tier" so to speak of homes available. We paid nothing for our training, fire inspection, health inspection, or homestudy. And as another reader posted, it only costs about $1500 to adopt through the state. I've met a few attorneys in our area that enjoy doing adoptions so much they wait for you to get reimbursed by the state for their payment. So legal out of pocket expenses have been nothing at all for one family I met that has gone this route. We are certified now but still waiting for our first placement. Going the state foster-to-adopt route is very time consuming and requires much patience because you're dealing with a beauracracy. But it doesn't seem to be financially taxing. Good luck on your decision!

[bjhv]

Hope you dont mind me jumping in. We just went to our first MAPP class today! I am so excited!!!! We are working on some of the paper work .
We are doing the room in NEMO it will look like under the sea.
The worker said they are in desperate need of homes for babies here.I feel as if I just found out I was pg.We should have our first home visit done soon.
I can not wait!!!

Thanks for letting me share!
Deb
bio mom to B-16,JJ12(passed away 8/15/03)H-12,V-12

[Elephtluvr0322]

Hi thanks for the info. I love Steven Curtis Chapman. I enjoyed the site. Could you help me once again, I've forgotten how to post a message. I've been searching the website and can't seem to find the directions. If you could help once again, I would greatly appreciate it.
Signed, Feel so silly!

[cxk04d]

You can go to Steven Curtis Chapman's website and click on adoption. Then go to shaohannahshope.org and click on this. Go to the bottom of the page on this site and click on grants. I hope this helps.
Ranee