Frequently Asked Questions
What is a home study? The adoption home study is a detailed written report of your family compiled and prepared by a social worker. This can take three to six months to finish. The adoption home study requires the prospective adoptive family to gather different documents, answer several questions, and explore their reasons for adopting. Through a series of visits and interviews the social worker can get a complete picture of who you are and what life is like in your family. The adoption home study is a part of the decision making process for both the prospective family and the workers. Not only can the adoption home study help the worker place a child into your home who would best fit into your family, but help the family and the worker decide if now is a good time for your family to adopt.
Do I need a home study to adopt? Yes! If you are considering adopting a child, you will first need a homestudy. Contact us to find out more information about how to start. We would love to talk with you!
How long do we need to be married in order to adopt? This can vary from agency to agency. If you are hoping to work with a particular agency and/or attorney, please contact them in order to see what their current requirements state.
Do I have to be infertile to adopt? No. While infertility does bring many families to adoption, it is not the sole reason that parents choose to adopt. Adoption, and the journey to adoption are personal decisions to each family.
Are there different types of adoption? YES! International adoption, domestic adoption (within the United States), foster parent adoption and step-parent adoption are several types of adoption. BFTF assist families to complete home studies for domestic adoption, both through agency and private adoption.
Will I be able to meet the birth mother? This depends on a variety of factors. There are several types of openess when it comes to first family relationships. Open: Identifying information is shared between all parties. Contact such as phone calls/text and social media is common as well as possible visits. Semi-Open: No identifying information shared. Continued contact is usually in the form of photos and letters and send through a 3rd party (agency/attorney) at an agreed upon time schedule. Closed: No identifiying information shared, no continuing contact. Closed adoptions are not very common.
Are you a placing agency? No. We are not a child placing agency. BFTF assists families through completing homestudies for domestic adoption as well as on-going case management throughout your journey. We complete post-placement reports, education for families and deisign adoption profiles.
What is ICPC? Good question! If you are adopting from another state your case will go through Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC). ICPC is a uniform law enacted by all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands.
The Purpose of ICPC is to ensure that children placed out of their home state receive the same protections and services that would be provided, if they remained in their home state.