|
|
|
|
 |
 |
COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT BETHANY’S DOMESTIC ADOPTION PROGRAM IN
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
*please note that some of these requirements do not apply for the International adoption program. Please call for further clarification.
Adoption Process
Q. If we adopt through Bethany, how long will it take before we’re parents?
A. Typically, our families adopt within one to two years from the time the Family Assessment is completed. (Much of the waiting time depends on what you’re open to and birth parent selection.)
Q. What is involved in a “Family Assessment?”
A. What is commonly referred to as a “home study”, we call the Preparation/Assessment process, or “Family Assessment”. The “Preparation” part is attending an Informational meeting, an all day Educational Seminar on Adoption Issues, and we’ll ask you to read materials to help get you ready to adopt.
For the “Assessment” part, we will need to get to know you as a couple and individually. We’ll have several interviews with you, make sure your home is safe, secure fingerprint clearances, gather references and verify the documents you’ll be asked to submit. We’ll want to make sure you are both in good health and both committed to parenting by adoption.
Motivated couples can complete the whole process within 3-5 months. Once this process is finished, we’ll help you prepare your “Adoptive Family Profile” for birth parents to review.
Transracial Adoption
Q. Do you need families to adopt children of minority and/or mixed races?
A. YES!!!! Bethany is always looking for Christian families who would welcome the opportunity to adopt children from various racial and ethnic backgrounds. Today’s most pressing need is to find adoptive families for infants of Hispanic, Latino and African-American descent. Caucasian couples will not be excluded from adopting children of a race different from their own.
Designated Adoptions:
Q. We have made contact with a birth mother who wants us to adopt her child. Can Bethany work with us?
A. Yes. You and the birth mother can participate in a “Designated Adoption” in which Bethany can be involved in a variety of ways. Some of the requirements for this service vary from our traditional adoption program. The cost and fee structure is also different. Please contact coordinator Rhonda Frazier, at the Modesto office (209) 522-5121 to find out more information.
Fees:
Q. What is the cost? How are adoption fees determined?
A. Our current total agency fee is $19,300. This covers covers all expenses that are typically incurred for a domestic infant adoption through our agency. Bethany’s income is from two primary sources – donations and adoption service fees. About half of Bethany’s yearly budget is subsidized by donor sources;the other half is covered through fees adoptive families pay. Birthparents receive their services free of charge. Please don’t let the fee discourage you from proceeding with adoption. There are many excellent options to finance adoption. Please refer to the Adoption Services Fee Schedule, “Understanding Adoption Fees” and “Adoption has never been so affordable” enclosed. The Adoption Tax credit is making adoption more affordable for most families. In addition, Bethany offers an excellent, low interest loan program for eligible families. There are many grants, programs and other fundraising ideas available too.
Birth parents:
Q. If we adopt through Bethany, will the birth mother receive counseling before and after placement?
A. YES!
Q. Do the birth parents have six months to change their mind and request the return of their child?
A. NO! Voluntary relinquishment adoption is the most secure adoption in California. The rights of the birth parents are terminated shortly after delivery and become binding when these documents are acknowledged by the State Department of Social Services. Every attempt is made to clarify the rights of the birth parents and to terminate them appropriately. Adopting through a reputable agency is the safest type of adoption in California.
Open Adoption:
Q. Does Bethany do open adoptions?
A. Yes, the majority of our domestic adoptions are open. Traditional closed adoptions have become quite rare. It is common for birth parents to be actively involved in selecting and meeting their child’s adoptive parents, and having on-going communication through the years.
We understand that at this point, you may have many fears about open adoption and may be hesitant to consider this type of arrangement. However, over the years, we have found that adoptive families who are involved in open adoption come to be its strongest advocates. Open adoption is not the same as co-parenting. The relationships that develop between birth parents and adoptive parents are based on mutual trust and respect - with clear boundaries as to roles and legalities.
Currently there is more research underway exploring this and other adoption questions than at any time in history. All significant published studies are indicating that open adoption is a healthier form of adoption. There is no such research indicating otherwise. There is a wide range of options in open adoption. We believe that education, counseling and mediation for all parties are vital in creating a successful adoption.
Faith:
Q. We know you place children in Christian homes. What does that mean?
A. Through our traditional domestic adoption program, Bethany will only place children with families who acknowledge and confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and who give clear evidence in their living experience of this confession, including active participation in a church which shares their confession and builds them up in their faith. Bethany Christian Services is primarily an evangelical, interdenominational ministry, which includes fellow believers who worship across many different Christian denominations and fellowships.
Age:
Q. Does Bethany have age requirements?
A. Bethany does not have specific age limitations. However, the majority of the birth parents we serve are seeking adoptive couples under the age of 45.
Children/Infertility:
Q. Do you have any requirements regarding infertility?
A. Most of the families that apply to adopt through Bethany have struggled with infertility treatments for a long time before moving to a place where being parents is more important than how that becomes possible. While the pain of infertility may linger, we hope that families can get excited about providing a Christian, two-parent home to a birth mother who is seeking this for her child. Most birth parents that come to us have a preference for adoptive couples with impaired fertility, usually selecting families with no children (or with one child). (However, if you are interested in adopting a child with special needs, the number of children in your home may not be an issue.)
Q. Can we state a preference for our child’s gender?
A. No. Most of our birth parents select an adoptive family before the birth of the child. At this time the gender is usually unknown. Stating a particular gender would prohibit you from being considered by our clients through the domestic adoption program. (International Adoption applicants can specify gender.)
Financial Requirements:
Q. Do we need a certain level of income or to own a home to adopt?
A. You do not need to be financially wealthy or to own a home to adopt. We are looking to see that you have an adequate level of income in order to provide for your needs and the needs of a child. Medical insurance, which will include the adopted child, is required. Marriage Requirements:
Q. Does Bethany only accept married couples?
A. The birth parents who come to us for adoption planning are seeking married couples for their child. They recognize the importance and stability of a two-parent family. Bethany requires that adoptive couples be married for at least three years at the time of formal application.
Older Children:
Q. We are interested in an older child. What age range of children does Bethany place?
A. Because Bethany’s ministry is to women with unplanned pregnancies, the majority of children we place are newborns. Occasionally, there is a need for families for older infants. If you are interested in pursuing an adoption for an older child, we suggest that you consider Bethany’s International Adoption Program. You can also contact your local county adoption agency. They have a book with photo listings of children available in California. It is called “California’s Waiting Children”.
International Adoption Services:
Q. Is Bethany involved in International Adoptions?
A. YES. A list of countries we currently have programs with is included in this packet. If you are interested in further information please contact Lesley Bois-Deming at our office: 209-522-5121.
Q. I’ve heard children from foreign countries often have special medical needs and/or developmental delays. Is this true?
A. There are many different children available for adoption. Some are quite healthy and normal given the circumstances and norms of their country and culture. Developmental delays are quite typical due to crowded orphanages and subsequently lack of stimulation necessary for healthy development. However, these children may “catch up” quickly once they are in a family setting. Other children may have minor, correctable medical problems or more severe special needs. If interested in sibling groups, older, or special needs children, please ask to view Bethany’s Children of Promise book.
Q. How are international adoption costs determined?
A. Fees are based on both U.S. and overseas expenses. On a national level you are paying for the home study, post-placement services, and the program and administrative fees which includes all administrative work in the U.S. and assistance with immigration processing, court processing and the preparation of legal documents for the foreign country. Overseas expenses include direct contact with the overseas agency, complete support of out-of-country staff, out-of-country program expenses, orphanage support, assistance with travel and translators, and management of the adoption program. Some families may be eligible for financial assistance when adopting special needs children internationally.
Other Services:
Q. What other services does Bethany provide?
A. Northern California Bethany provides “home study only” services for families who may be adopting through a different organization, including embryo adoption. We also offer counseling services around the emotional aspects of infertility, adoptive parenting, and on-going adoption issues for adoptive families and adopted persons. Fees generally run $100 per counseling session.
Rev. 2008
|
|
|