How Do Families Go Through Adoption Screening?
When you think about finding adoptive families, you want to make sure that you’ve found one that’s safe and ready to adopt. But, how can you be sure of that just by looking at adoptive family profiles?
To protect both yourself and your child, all adoptive families must go through a thorough adoption screening process before they are eligible. Additionally, when you work with American Adoptions, you’re working with an agency that has a personal connection to adoption. Our staff is made up of adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents, so we know what makes a family great. With our thorough adoption screening and our personal experience, we can help you find the perfect fit.
If you’re ready to look for adoptive parents today, who have gone through adoption screening in Florida, we can help. You can start by giving us a call at 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out our free online form today to get started.
How are Adoptive Parents Screened?
Adoptive parents are screened in a couple of different ways. Typically, they’ll go through their home study and background checks. This is one of the most important steps that a family will go through when they decide to adopt. It must be completed no matter which state they live in or type of adoption they’re pursuing. Below is some information on what this step looks like during their Florida adoption screening:
- Gathering a collection of documents, like their marriage license and birth certificates
- In-home visits with their social worker
- Criminal and child abuse background checks
- Interviews by the social worker for everyone living in their home
If the adoptive parents pass their initial adoptive screening in Florida, then they’ll be eligible to move on to the next steps. On top of the requirements for their home study, the adoptive family will also need to meet the adoptive agency’s requirements. The family will complete a series of questions and complete a variety of documents to make sure that they’re a good fit for the agency. This is also done to ensure that they’re a good fit for any birth parents the adoption agency is working with.
Are All Adoptive Parents Screened?
Yes! Any adoptive family that works with an adoption agency goes through a thorough screening process. This means that, whenever you look through adoptive family profiles, you can be sure that any family you choose is safe and ready to adopt. On top of this, any family that you see through American Adoptions of Florida is guaranteed to be open to at least some form of communication. So, no matter what amount of contact you’re interested in, you can find a family that meets those standards.
How Can I Do My Own Adoption Screening in Florida?
While American Adoptions will be the one screening the adoptive family, you’ll be able to do your own adoption screening, too. This way, you can make sure that the family you’re thinking about has everything you’re looking for.
Once you’ve had a chance to look through adoptive family profiles, and you’ve found a few that match what you’re looking for, you can get in contact with them through your adoption specialist.
After you’ve chosen a family, you’ll have a chance to get to know them through phone calls, emails, and text messages. If you choose too, you can even meet the family in person. All of these things on top of talking to a family who has gone through their adoption screening in Florida will ensure that the family you’ve chosen is the perfect match.
But, screening isn’t the only thing you’ll thing you’ll probably be looking for. Many birth parents also ask us, “How will I know that I’ve found the perfect family?”
When Randi, a birth mother, talked to the adoptive parents, she felt an instant connection:
“When we got matched with them, it was like an instant connection,” she said. Matthew and Katheryn made themselves available to Randi throughout her pregnancy with weekly phone calls.
“If I wanted to talk one week, they would talk to me. If I didn’t, if my emotions were just too strong, they were like, ‘Ok, let’s talk next week,’” she said.
As you’ll hear from your adoption specialist and other birth parents, when you know you just know. If you think you’ve found a great family that’s gone through Florida adoption screening, don’t be afraid to go with your gut!
What Type of Family Adopts?
Adoptive parents come from all walks of life. Although every family goes through adoption screening in Florida, they are all so unique. They can be single or married, have other children or be first-time parents. For some of them, they could have experienced infertility prior to their journey to adoption. Like many other adoptive parents, Adrian and Vicki, experienced their own struggles when they tried to have a child:
“We were thinking there were so many children that need good homes, so let’s just adopt,” Vicki remembered. “The whole infertility stuff was just very overwhelming. We just thought that adoption would be the best choice.”
They could even be parents who have gone through a transracial adoption. For families like Jeannine and Ryan, an interracial couple, opening up to a transracial adoption during their adoption screening was easier than they expected:
“That opportunity to have experienced other cultures — we’ve found that there are so many really amazing and unique things that you find when you open your heart and your mind to people of different races and different cultures,” Ryan said. “It was a natural acceptance.”
The one thing they all have in common is their dream to become parents. And as you can see, there are many reasons behind why they would choose to adopt and go through adoption screening in Florida. No matter where they come from or their reasons for adoption, their biggest desire is to have and cherish a child.
How Can I Find Families who have Done Adoption Screening in Florida?
You can find adoptive families who have been screened by going to our website. There, you can find a list of available adoptive families who have been screened and are ready for you to look at. But if you’d like, you can start making your adoption plan today by calling 1-800-ADOPTION or filling out our free information form.
Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.
