the adoption PROCESS

There are many different ways to grow your family, and there are many different ways to adopt, but this is what the adoption process looks like when you adopt a baby with LifeLong Adoptions.

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  Step 1: Complete our free adoption application.

  If you’d like to work with us, the first step is to complete our free adoption application. We’ll review your application — we review every application we receive! — and will reach out to you within a few days. You’ll be asked to set up an informational meeting with one of our admissions advisors in which you’ll learn more about our process and adoption in general and have the chance to ask any questions you have.

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  Step 2: Start the home study process.

  In order to legally adopt a baby in the United States, you must have a home study completed by a licensed home study agency or social worker. If you’ve already started or finished this step, you’re off to a great start! If you haven’t begun yet, we’ll be happy to provide you with referrals for home study providers in your area. This process usually takes three to four months, but you can start working with us at any point during that process.

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  Step 3: Create your adoptive family profile.

  Our profile coordinator and designer will work with you to create your custom adoptive parent profile using photos and content provided by you. Your profile is what we present to prospective birthmothers to help them find the adoptive family that is best for them and their baby. We’ll create a physical paper version we send through the mail and a digital online version that will be listed on our Waiting Families page.

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  Step 4: Wait to be chosen by an expectant mother.

  Once your profile is completed, you’ll let us know your adoption preferences, including the level of post-placement communication you’re open to. We will only present your profile to expectant mothers whose situations align with your adoption preferences. While you’re waiting to be chosen, you’ll take our Adoptive Parent Education Course and start regular education calls with your dedicated adoptive parent coordinator. When an expectant mother chooses you, we’ll contact you immediately so you can begin communicating with her as soon as possible.

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  Step 5: Connect with the expectant mother.

  If the expectant mother you’re communicating with decides she’d like to move forward with your family exclusively, as the prospective adoptive parents, you will begin supporting her financially. We’ll refer you to an adoption attorney in your state who you will retain in order to start that process. Depending on the expectant mother’s situation and state laws, you may need to hire services in her state as well.

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  Step 6: Travel to the baby’s birth state.

  When the expectant mother you’re working with goes into labor, you’ll need to get to her hospital as soon as possible. Our coordinators will make sure you have all the information you need and will keep everyone else informed so you can focus on traveling. What happens at the hospital, including before, during, and after the baby is born, depends entirely on the expectant mother’s birth plan. Ideally, she will have worked with her social worker or attorney to outline that beforehand.

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  Step 7: Complete the necessary legal requirements.

  At this point, if the birthmother still wishes to move forward with her adoption plan, you’ll proceed to this step. The laws surrounding the finalization process vary significantly from state to state. Your attorney will make sure you’re aware of the laws applicable to your situation. Many states require a certain amount of time to pass before a birthmother can sign the termination paperwork. Most states also have a defined revocation period, which is the amount of time after signing the termination paperwork during which a birthmother can legally change her mind about the placement. Furthermore, some states do not consider an adoption final until specific court proceedings are held. Lastly, if your baby was born in a different state, you will need to remain in that state until the paperwork is processed that will allow the baby to legally leave the state. That process is referred to as ICPC and usually takes seven to ten business days.

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  Step 8: Celebrate your adoption.

  If the adoption plan moves forward and is legally finalized, we’ll happily celebrate with you! We’ll ask you to share photos with us so we can create and publish your adoption announcement on our website and in our newsletter. With respect to your baby’s birthmother, you’ll be expected to honor the post-placement communication plan you all agreed to during the connection phase. As a birthmother-centered company, this is incredibly important to us and to future expectant mothers and birthmothers who work with us.