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Adoption

Process & Requirements

The process of adoption is wonderful and trying, exciting and frustrating. It is begun by contacting the agency nearest you to be put on our Inquiry List. As soon as we can begin a home study, an adoption worker will contact you and schedule the first joint interview. This may be immediately or it may be several months depending on the number of approved families to whom we have already committed. There will then be a series of interviews, joint and individual, as well as in office and in your home. With each new interview you will be given paperwork to complete and return to your worker. Once the study has been completed and approved by our joint staffs, you will be notified and will then be considered for any available and appropriate infant based on your preferences and the infants available. Although the time varies to complete a home study, it normally takes three to four months. It is a major commitment by the applicants and the agency social worker.

General Requirements for Adoptive Applicants

• Residency:
  The adoptive family requesting to adopt through CFS must be residents of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama.
  
  
• Marriage:
  Couples who have been married at least (3) years and singles applicants are accepted for consideration of a home study.
  
  
• Religion:
  The applicants must be of a Christian faith, either Catholic or Protestant. We will also need a reference from your priest or minister attesting that you are a member of a church and that you will raise the child in a Christian home.
  
  
• Childlessness:
  Priority for healthy, white infant placements is given to childless couples who, for medical reasons, have been unable to have children. If the wife becomes pregnant during or after the approval procedure but before placement, the application will be placed on hold and closed once the child is born. In the case of miscarriage, the application will be returned to its former position and continued according to usual procedure,
  
  Adoptive applicants who already have a child or children living in their home may only be considered for placement of a hard-to-place infant. In cases where one spouse has a child from a previous marriage, but that child does not live in the home with the prospective adoptive applicants, an application to adopt a healthy white infant can be given. However, if both spouses have children from previous marriages, an application to adopt a healthy white infant can not be taken, even if none of the children live in the home of the prospective adoptive couple.
  
  
  
• Health:
  During the home study process, reports of medical examinations are required on the applicant(s) and on other members of the household, if any, to indicate that they are in good health. If two (2) years elapse between the time of the original examination and placement, a medical update is required. If health problems arise, additional medical reports may be required.
  
  
• Financial Stability:
  There is no minimum income level for applicants. The family should have sufficient income and savings to meet its needs and provide for the child or children without difficulty. An adequate income as well as good money management is considered important.
  
  
• Duplicate Application:
  You may be on several waiting lists awaiting a home study. However, an application will not be accepted if the applicant has an active application on file with another agency. Applications are usually not accepted if the applicant has been rejected by another agency, but consideration may be given on an individual basis.
  
  
• Childcare Plan:
  Adoptive applicants are required to submit a childcare plan during the home study process. In order to facilitate adjustment and bonding, the agency strongly encourages one parent to remain in the home with the child for at least sixty (60) days or longer after placement.
  
  
• Fees:The agency adoption fee is 10% of the adoptive parent(s) annual gross income. The minimum fee is $2,000 and maximum is $10,000. This minimum fee can be waived or adjusted for special circumstances (e.g. special needs child, hard to place child or financial considerations).
  
  An hourly fee of $80.00 is assessed for all adoption services leading up to placement. This fee is deducted from the total fee you have agreed to pay.
  
  Separate fees are:
  
  Alabama Bureau of Investigation and FBI background check of $49 per person.
  Medical exams
  Attorney fees incurred by applicants to finalize the adoption
  
  At the time of placement, the balance of the adoption fee is due.