Adoption Paperwork - How to get through it?
Hello everyone,
YES!! There is a lot of paperwork that is involved in an adoption process, This can, at times, be a cause for abandoning the process. It is very demanding and very intrusive, but it is part of the journey and I just want to give you an accurate picture of the documents that you will need to prepare together with documents you will need to obtain.
The main documents that you will need are:
1) Adoption album that will be presented to the birthparents:
- Personal statements
- Stories from each spouse or partner
- Pictures (make sure they are nice)
2) History: family, medical, school, job, criminal
3) If you have children, you will need CPS reports
4) Employment letters
5) References from close family members and friends
6) Physical evaluations ( these need to be done close to when you will have your home study)
7) Fingerprinting - both State and National
8) Bank statements, tax returns, any financial documents evidencing loans, mortgages or any investments
9) Questionnaire on type of adoption you are seeking: open\closed, type of medical conditions you are comfortable with, age, race
10) contracts between you and the firm or agency
11) Legal court documents to finalize both the custody release and the adoption decree
Most of these you can easily obtain online, but when it comes to your personal statements or your biographies, this the part that can cause the most stress. It feels like they are stripping you naked and want to look at all your flaws. It is very intimidating and requires time to think of and write out. The good thing is that it is all done online, and so, if you need to take a break, WHICH WE DID, it can help a bit.
I do recommend doing things in batches and then planning something fun after, because it is very draining and so we want to reward yourself after that. We would watch a movie, have a drink, go out for a walk or read...anything to get our minds off that paperwork.
On the bright side, with future adoptions, the paperwork is no longer as overwhelming because the bulk of it has already been done. So, it does get better. It also helps to focus on the end goal which is that you will become a parent to a beautiful child and will get to share many wonderful memories.
I can't say that we look forward to doing another adoption process, with regards to the paperwork involved, but knowing that another child will come and bless our family makes it easier to endure.
How did you handle all the paperwork? Are you about to start an adoption process and are worried? Let me know! Share your positive and negative experiences.
SM
YES!! There is a lot of paperwork that is involved in an adoption process, This can, at times, be a cause for abandoning the process. It is very demanding and very intrusive, but it is part of the journey and I just want to give you an accurate picture of the documents that you will need to prepare together with documents you will need to obtain.
The main documents that you will need are:
1) Adoption album that will be presented to the birthparents:
- Personal statements
- Stories from each spouse or partner
- Pictures (make sure they are nice)
2) History: family, medical, school, job, criminal
3) If you have children, you will need CPS reports
4) Employment letters
5) References from close family members and friends
6) Physical evaluations ( these need to be done close to when you will have your home study)
7) Fingerprinting - both State and National
8) Bank statements, tax returns, any financial documents evidencing loans, mortgages or any investments
9) Questionnaire on type of adoption you are seeking: open\closed, type of medical conditions you are comfortable with, age, race
10) contracts between you and the firm or agency
11) Legal court documents to finalize both the custody release and the adoption decree
Most of these you can easily obtain online, but when it comes to your personal statements or your biographies, this the part that can cause the most stress. It feels like they are stripping you naked and want to look at all your flaws. It is very intimidating and requires time to think of and write out. The good thing is that it is all done online, and so, if you need to take a break, WHICH WE DID, it can help a bit.
I do recommend doing things in batches and then planning something fun after, because it is very draining and so we want to reward yourself after that. We would watch a movie, have a drink, go out for a walk or read...anything to get our minds off that paperwork.
On the bright side, with future adoptions, the paperwork is no longer as overwhelming because the bulk of it has already been done. So, it does get better. It also helps to focus on the end goal which is that you will become a parent to a beautiful child and will get to share many wonderful memories.
I can't say that we look forward to doing another adoption process, with regards to the paperwork involved, but knowing that another child will come and bless our family makes it easier to endure.
How did you handle all the paperwork? Are you about to start an adoption process and are worried? Let me know! Share your positive and negative experiences.
SM
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