Adoption is defined as the legal and social process by which a child born
to one set of parents becomes the child of another parent or parents. The
decision to adopt is a very important one and should be based on clear and
accurate information. The Department of Human Resources has the responsibility
of securing adoptive homes for children in foster care who become available
for adoption through termination of parental rights.
We want to make your adoption as smooth and efficient as possible. That is why
we are providing this "Adoption Checklist" for you to keep handy while your
family goes through the adoption process. It will help you plan ahead, know
what steps will be next and offer helpful hints on making your transition from
applicant to adoptive parent less complicated and rewarding.
STEP 1 - Meeting Adoption Requirements
Your willingness and commitment to being a parent, as well as your ability
to love and rear a child who needs you are always the main requirements to
successfully adopt a child. However, there are specific basic requirements
that every adoptive parent MUST meet:
- You must be over 19 years of age.
- If married, marriage must be of at least 3 years duration.
- If a married couple, one must be a U.S. citizen
- You must have adequate housing & personal space for the child or
children adopted.
- You must be healthy enough to meet a child's needs.
- You must be willing to undergo a thorough background check, including
criminal history
STEP 2 - Application Submittal
After you have read the information regarding adoption and feel that
adoption is something to which you and your family are deeply committed, you
should complete the online inquiry form or call 1-866-4AL-KIDS. At your request, an Application toAdopt will be mailed to you. After completion, you will return the application to the county Department of Human Resources at the address that is provided to you.
STEP 3 - Group Preparation & Selection
After your Application to Adopt is received you will be contacted about
attending Group Preparation and Selection (GPS) meetings. GPS is a program
designed specifically to educate potential adoptive and foster parent families
on a variety of pertinent topics on their upcoming adoption experience. Topics
covered in GPS meetings include discussion of the children available, the
impact adoption may have on your family, behavior management techniques,
separation and loss issues and more. This preparation program will consist of
10 meetings totaling 30 classroom hours. In addition, the social worker will
schedule a time to interview you and other family members in your home.
Throughout the GPS meetings, a mutual selection process will help you and your
family decide: if adoption is right for you; what type of child will fit best
in your family, and assist you in assessing your families strengths and needs.
STEP 4 - Your Approval as An Adoptive Resource
Once you complete your family profile and home study, this information will
be assessed and evaluated and a determination made on your application as an
adoptive resource. You will receive correspondence from your County Department
of Human Resources confirming your approval.
The time between approval and placement can vary significantly, depending on
the child/children who are available and the characteristics of the
child/children you are willing to consider. You will receive a copy of the
Waiting Children Newsletter, which features some of the children in need of
adoptive parents.
STEP 5 - Background Information & Pre-Placement Visits
Adoptive placements are made by the State Office of Adoption. Once you are
selected as a potential resource for a child or children, you will be given
the opportunity to review background information. Questions and concerns you
have about the information will be addressed. If you decide that you may be
able to parent the child or children offered, you will meet the children in
pre-placement visits. After pre-placement visits, the decision to move forward
will allow the child or children to be placed in your home upon the signing of
a placement agreement.
STEP 6 - Legal Action
After a child has been placed successfully in your home for at least three
months, the next step in the adoption process is the sanction by the court
system that the child is legally your own. The social worker will give you the
Department’s Consent to Adopt so that you may began the legal process in the
Probate Court. An attorney is not always required and this is at the County
Probate Court’s discretion.
STEP 7 - Adoption: A Life Long Process
The legal confirmation of your adoption is not the end, but rather the
beginning of an experience that is unique. There will be exciting times and
there may be challenges. Alabama Post Adoption Connections (APAC) is available
to you and your family on your journey. Libraries (offering books, videos and
other resource material), adoptive family groups, Buddy Family mentors,
trained therapists network, a toll-free warm line for information and referral
and camperships are but a few of the ways APAC provides support, education and
empowerment to the adoption community. Contact APAC at 1-866-803-2722 and
www.casapac.org.
