Adoption services for Adoptive Parents
A Bond of Love Adoption Agency, provides adoption services for adoptive couples throughout the United States. We are a domestic adoption agency based in Florida. The adoption process varies depending on whether you’re based in Florida or another state. Regardless of where you are, we will assist the adoptive couple in locating and communicating with a birth parent. In addition, A Bond of Love Adoption Agency staff can assist in the preparation of “Dear Birth Mother Letters” which will be shown to potential birth mothers.
Adoption Services for Adoptive Parents and Families Residing in Florida
- Home study
- Social assessments
- Counseling and education
- Matching with Birth mothers for newborn adoption placement
- Post-placement visits
Adoptive Parents Residing Outside of Florida and Adopting a Child or Infant From the State of Florida
A Bond of Love Adoption Agency handles the Interstate Compact (ICPC) and coordinates legal services to ensure continuity through-out an interstate adoption. This option is also available to Florida families that are adopting a child in a state other than where they reside. We find that this occurs in situations where there’s an identified placement*, intervention*, or newborn placements.
Services for families that reside outside the state of Florida Include:
- Counseling and education
- Matching with Birth mothers for newborn adoption placement
- ICPC and Legal Services
Families outside the state of Florida will need to have their Home Study and Post Placement visits completed by a licensed agency within their state.
* Identified Placement refers to adoption situations in which there’s a known child for available for adoption. Many times a friend, family member, or someone known to you discusses the situation. Every case varies, it could be that a there’s an unplanned pregnancy, and the birth mother is considering adoption. Other times there’s an older children whose parents have either abandoned them or their rights have been terminated or other reasons. This type of adoption is known as an identified placement.
*Interventions refer to adoption placements that occur after a child is in the care of the state through child welfare organizations. Parents have case plans to complete to restore their parental rights and sometimes they are unable to complete these plans. Parents may decide to place their child or children for adoption and choose the adoptive family. These adoption placements are interventions and can occur in every state.
* A Bond of Love can place children with any state except New York. Families in New York must use an adoption agency licensed in their home state of New York.
The Home Study Process
The Home Study is the process that qualifies you as adoptive parents. It will seem that the pile of paper is never-ending, but this process is important to make sure that all of our precious children receive a safe and loving home. It is a tremendous responsibility that we take very seriously.
The Home Study process which qualifies you as adoptive parents includes the following: criminal background checks, reference letters, adoption education, character verification, and a home visit with an adoption counselor.
Once you have returned your application and application fee, we work with you in completing the Home Study. Do you already have a Home Study from another agency? If so, a case manager will review your Home Study and verify that it meets the legal requirements and standards of the State of Florida.
Because a Home Study is valid for only one year, it is important to submit your paperwork in a timely manner. After your Home Study has expired, it can be updated for a small fee.
Adoption Openness
Many adoptive families are curious about options in the openness of adoption. Typically adoptions are at least semi-open with the birthmother.
Open Adoption
There are some birthparents request a fully open adoption, which includes the exchange of identifying information, as well as visitation over the years. This type of adoption is optional for A Bond of Love’s adoptive families, and only families who are fully comfortable with this have their profiles shown to a birthmother who is asking for a completely open adoption.
Semi-Open Adoption
Most adoptions at A Bond of Love Adoption Agency are semi-open adoptions. A semi-open adoption includes an in-person meeting, but no identifying information is exchanged. The meeting is often at the office and an agency staff member is present. Communication between the birthparent and adoptive family occurs by using a non-identifying phone number or e-mail address. There is also an agreement to exchange photographs and letters, often for up to eighteen years of age. These pictures and letters are sent to the agency and we act as an mediator to send the photographs and letters on to the birth parents. Birthparents may also send photographs and letters to the adoptive family in the same way. A written agreement is developed by the agency which will outline the birthmother’s and adoptive family’s wishes so that everyone knows what the expectations are.
Closed Adoptions
Rarely, a birthparent will ask for a totally closed adoption. Usually this is because of confidentiality issues, and the agency will honor her request. In this situation, she can still be matched with an adoptive family of her choosing, but there will be no in-person meeting and no agreement to send photographs and letters over the years.
Of course, please feel free to contact us if you need further assistance. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you in the adoption process and in adding to your family!
