[mckiddles]

I'm new to Adoption.com and am just beginning to look into domestic adoption after a long and disappointing futile attempt to adopt from Vietnam. Now I don't want to end up waiting again for nothing. I'd appreciate suggestions or information on domestic adoption agencies and attorneys that have been successful for older parents (we're 50 and 54) seeking to adopt newborns, either Caucasian, Asian, or Hispanic.

Also, any information about the Adoption Network Law Center and adoption attorney Durand Cook would be really appreciated. Thank you!

[bajj]

Please remember to PM the original poster with any agency information! Thanks!

[wannachild]

If anyone PM'd this poster with the information they were looking for, please PM me the same information. We are interested in a few agencies and looking for information on them (Gadney, adoption network law center)

[sak9645]

It is generally very difficult to get domestic adoption agencies to accept you if you are over 45. The reason is that most birthmothers want the parents of their children to be young. And even when the birthmother has no preference, most domestic agencies won't place a newborn with a person over 50.

In general, older parents have the best luck with domestic adoption if they find a birthmother on their own, and then use a social worker and attorney for the legal requirements.

Adoptions through foster care are feasible for older parents, but very, very few of the available children are healthy infants. In most cases, they are older children and/or children with special needs.

It is for these reasons that most older parents turn to international adoption. I, for example, adopted from China when I was 51.

I am sorry that you had a bad experience with Vietnam. International adoption can be a wonderful way to form a family. You just have to be extremely careful in choosing an agency.

Sharon

[WizardofOz]

I have adopted domestically as an "older" parent - I was 46 when I adopted my daughter in Hawaii, in May.

I was unable to adopt internationally because I am permanent resident and the some miserable U.S. immigration policies forbid that (sak9645, I know that you think that the current laws are just great and permanent residents should not be allowed to adopt - I disagree with you completely since the United States violates the Hague agreements. I cannot accept that ).

International adoption has become more restrictive recently due to foreign country laws which can change on a whim and due to issues like child trafficking, kidnapping etc.

Domestic seems a better choice, however, domestic agencies are often judgmental, they have "requirements" according to the personal opinions are the agency director or the assumed marketability of the adoptive parents. Many of them want their clients to be the happily married Christian couple in their mid-thirties - which excludes so many great prospective adoptive parents.

I would not even bother with those guys, just ignore them. There are many alternatives out there!

In my opinion, the answer for older parents, divorced/single parents, minority religions etc is attorneys. They will work with you if you are homestudy approved and not pony up all kind of "requirements" and pass judgments on you.

I signed up with my Hawaiian attorney in January and had my daughter in my arms in May. Her finalization is tomorrow. Done!

Please PM me if you would like to know the name of the Hawaiian attorney. She does not practice discrimination, she is ethical and candid and she finds babies in very reasonable times!