How much time does it all take?
How much does domestic adoption cost?
What is a homestudy?
Is the birthfather's consent required?
Can the birthparent(s) change their
minds?
Do birthparent(s) provide their medical
histories?
What type of relationship will
we/I have with the birthparent(s)?
Do we/I need an attorney?
Do
we/I have to be Catholic?
No. Members of any faith or denomination are welcome to adopt through
Catholic Charities. We require only that prospective parent(s) have a
sense of spirituality and be active participants in some organized religion.
Catholic Charities believes that the healthy development of children
requires attention to their physical, psychological, intellectual, emotional
and spiritual growth.
Back to top
Is it
possible to adopt a baby domestically?
Yes, it is possible to adopt domestically, but the process now requires
a high level of involvement and commitment on the part of the adoptive
family working collaboratively with the agency.
Back to top
Are both
infants and older children available for adoption?
Yes, but because older children (3+ years) are usually in the legal custody
of other agencies, our staff work collaboratively with these agencies
to facilitate the placement of older children.
Back to top
How much time does it
all take?
Although no agency can guarantee placement, on average adoptive parents
can expect to wait two years before a child is placed in their home through
domestic adoption. Following the placement, they can expect to then wait
approximately six months before the legal process of adoption is finalized.
Back to top
How much does domestic
adoption cost?
Catholic Charities offers a sliding scale fee that is based on a family’s
income and assets. This fee generally ranges from $7,000 to $20,000.
The homestudy is a separate fee of $1,800. These fees allow Catholic
Charities to provide intensive case-management outreach and counseling
to birthparents and adoptive families.
Back to top
What is a homestudy?
A homestudy is an important first step in the adoption process, and it
is required by law. The homestudy is a report on the adoptive parent(s)/family
and is compiled after a series of interviews both in the offices of
Catholic Charities and in the home of the adoptive family. The homestudy
process is generally completed within a few months. Many topics are
discussed during the homestudy, including your family history, education,
parenting skills, and relationships. Your social worker also addresses
your thoughts about adopting a child, as well your questions, concerns
and expectations.
Back to top
Is the
birthfather’s consent required?
It is always desirable to have the consent of both birthparents in the
adoption process, and Catholic Charities works hard to secure the consent
of the birthfather. In those instances where a birthfather is not involved,
a Probate Judge must decide the direction of the adoption.
Back to top
Can the birthparent(s)
change their minds?
There is a period of several weeks after the birth of the child during
which the birthparent(s) may change their mind(s). It is the social worker’s
responsibility to keep the adoptive couple fully informed of the legal
status of the placement. The homestudy will provide you with complete
information about the legal process of adoption.
Back to top
Do birthparent(s)
provide their medical histories?
Yes, we require that medical histories be as complete as possible and
we accept as our responsibility that all information be shared with prospective
adoptive parents.
Back to top
What
type of relationship will we/I have with the birthparent(s)?
The extent of contact between birthparent(s) and adoptive parent(s) varies.
Your social worker will work with both parties to establish a comfortable
level of contact. Most often it includes the exchange of letters and
photos on a predetermined basis.
Back to top
Do we/I need
an attorney?
Within the State of Connecticut the adoption process does not require
the assistance of an attorney. Catholic Charities is a licensed child-placing
agency and as such is able to properly attend to the details of all necessary
legal documents with the Probate Court regarding the adoption process.
Back to top
Adoption Program Offices
Step-by-Step
Guide to Domestic Adoption
