Is There More Than One Type of Adoption?

No matter what you have heard, adopting a child boils down to two basic approaches:

  • You can get someone to help you. There are hundreds of adoption agencies through out the U.S. that help people adopt a child. Agencies may be either public (run by the state's local human services agency), or private (non-profit or for profit organizations). Adoption agencies help you with all the necessary paperwork, and find a child for you based on your interests.
  • You can do it yourself. Birth parents and adoptive parents can choose to work out and adoption without using an agency. These kinds of adoptions may be referred to as a private adoption, independent adoption or non-agency adoption.

Note: The degree of openness in an adoption can range from an exchange of non-identifying information to actual contact between birthparent and adoptive parent.

 This varies with every adoption and is not dependent on whether it is an independent or agency process.

These days, more than 50% of infant adoptions in the U.S. are fulfilled independently. Some international adoptions are also being done privately. One must be prepared to learn a great deal and assume a greater degree of risk when working independently. You will need an attorney to help finalize the adoption in private.

Table of Contents
1. Adoption FAQs
2. Do it yourself adoptions
 
 
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