Can People from a Different State Adopt My Baby?
When it comes to finding a family, you want to find one you have a real connection with that can give your child the life you always dreamed of. But, if you’ve been looking through family profiles in Florida for what feels like forever, you might start to ask:
“Can people from a different state adopt my baby?”
The answer to that is yes, and it’s easier than you might think. In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know when it comes to looking for adoptive parents in another state. If you’re ready to start looking for the right match, you can give us a call at 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out our free information form to learn more.
In the meantime, here’s what you should know about what it’s like to find adoptive parents for an interstate adoption in Florida.
“I want to give my child up for adoption someplace out of state. Is that possible?”
Yes! Because American Adoptions is a national adoption agency, we work with families from across the country. This means that, for you, adoption doesn’t have to be constrained by state lines. If you see a family adoptive family profile that you really like, but they don’t live in Florida, there is nothing stopping you from choosing them. You may even discover that there are a lot of benefits when it comes to Florida interstate adoptions.
When you contact an adoption agency, the first thing you’ll do is create your very own adoption plan. In this plan, you’ll go over:
- What you want your hospital stay to look like
- What you want in the perfect adoptive family
- And more
As a woman considering adoption, you’re in charge of all the little details. And as your specialist helps you find the perfect family, you can ask them to open the range of families you’re interested in to those outside of your state. If there’s a particular state you’re interested in, like Kansas for example, you can narrow it down to families who live there.
When you broaden your search to families outside of your state, you can really get specific about what you’re looking for in a family. When you’re not restricted to a particular state or region, you’ll have a better shot at finding the perfect family for your baby.
Like you would when it comes to finding a family in your own state, you’ll start by thinking of a list of preferences that are right for you. Below, we’ll go into a little more detail about what that looks like for an out-of-state adoption in Florida.
How Can People from Another State Adopt My Baby?
The process of finding an adoptive family from a different state is simple, and it’s not too different from an in-state adoption. Below, we’ve outlined the steps to finding a family for an out-of-state adoption in Florida.
Step 1: Decide What You’re Looking for in Adoptive Parents
Before you can do anything else, you’ll of course need to find adoptive parents for an interstate adoption.
Earlier, we mentioned that one of the first things you’ll do is create an adoption plan. This is where you’ll determine what you’re looking for in an adoptive family with the help of your specialist. A few things that you might decide to include are:
- How old they are
- If they have children already or if they’re first-time parents
- If they have pets
- If they live near or far from where you are
- Their religion
- And more
No matter what you’re looking for, your specialist can help you find them. After you’ve decided what you’re looking for, your specialist will start sending you adoptive family profiles to look through that matches your preferences. When you find one you like, it’s time to start getting to know them!
Because of our personal connection to adoption, we know how important it is to find the perfect family. If you have any questions about what to look for, you can talk to your adoption specialist for advice. But if you’re like many birth parents, when you find a family for your interstate adoption, you’ll know:
“Rachel [her adoption specialist] said, ‘Frances, you’ll know when you have picked the perfect family,’” Frances said. “When we talked to Chris and Courtney, in the middle of the conversation, I knew Chris and Courtney were the ones.”
Step 2: Get to Know the Adoptive Parents
Now that you’ve chosen adoptive parents for your interstate adoption in Florida, you can start getting to know them. Typically, the first time you interact with one another will be through a mediated phone call with your adoption specialist. But after that, you have the freedom to get to know each other through phone calls, emails, text messages. You can even make a plan to visit them in person if you’re comfortable with the idea.
Many adoptive parents will go the extra mile and visit you in your home state before the family is born. This is a great way to get to know each other a build your relationship before the baby is born. This is exactly what adoptive parents Sammi and Korby did when they met the birth mother, Sara:
“We stayed with some family down there and we actually hung out with her. And her mom drove over from California and we met one of her [Sara’s] sons who lived in Arizona and just spent that time getting to know her and her family and it was great.”
Step 3: Prepare for Your Hospital Stay
Once the big day arrives, the adoptive family will travel to meet you. No matter where you live, or what time it is, the adoptive family will be ready to depart at a moment’s notice. And because the adoptive family is the one doing all the traveling, you can focus on having a safe and healthy delivery during your interstate adoption.
Step 4: Wait for Legal Requirements to Be Met
The legal requirements are the biggest difference when it comes to choosing a family from another state. While you won’t have to do anything on your end, the adoptive family will need to stay in town while the adoption is being completed. The reason for this is to make sure that all rules and regulations for the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children have been met.
This process makes sure that the requirements from both states have all been met and the adoption can be finalized. The time this step during a Florida interstate adoption takes varies. But while you’re waiting, you can spend some more time getting to know one another before they head home.
Step 5: Post-Placement Contact
Even though your adoption is over, it doesn’t mean that your relationship has to end. Even if you’re gone through an out-of-state adoption in Florida.
Early in the adoption process, you’ll decide the amount of post-placement contact you’re open to. Many women decide that they’re fully open to all contact, while others are still looking for some privacy within their relationship. Whatever works for you, your adoption specialist can help you find a plan that meets your needs.
I Want to Give My Child Up for Adoption Some Place Out of State. How Do I Start?
Contacting a national adoption agency is the best place to start. Because of our personal adoption experience, we know just what makes a great family. And since much of our staff is made up of birth parents, adoptive parents and adoptees, any advice you receive for your interstate adoption is coming from someone who knows exactly what you’re going through.
To learn more about this process, you can give us a call at 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out our online form to get more information.
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