The Adoption Process in Missouri
Before you can welcome a child to your family through adoption, it’s important to understand the adoption process in Missouri.
While each adoption journey is a unique experience, there are several steps that all adoptive families need to take.
Keep reading to learn more about the adoption process in Missouri, or call 1-800-ADOPTION now to speak with an American Adoptions team member about how you can begin your adoption journey.
What is Adoption?
When a birth mother makes the loving decision to place a child for adoption, they sign away their legal rights to parenting. This means that the child’s adoptive parents will become their only legal parents. Birth mothers who choose adoption make a loving choice that offers their child a chance to grow up in a loving family with parents who are ready and excited for parenting.
The Adoption Process in Missouri: 5 Steps
If you’re ready to begin the adoption process in Missouri, there are several important steps you’ll need to take. Each adoptive family needs to consider how to start the adoption process in Missouri in a way that makes sense for them. Whether you’re planning to adopt one child or multiple children, here’s what you need to do to get started.
Step 1: Choose Your Adoption Agency
If you’ve been considering how to start the adoption process in Missouri, your first step should be to connect with an adoption agency that can help you begin the adoption process in Missouri.
Even if you’ve adopted a child, it's vital that you start the adoption process in Missouri by reaching out to an adoption agency that can help you get the process started.
Your adoption specialist at your agency will help you:
- Complete your APQ so that your agency knows what you’re hoping for in a child
- Prepare for and complete your home study process so that you’ll be able to legally adopt a child
- Understand the different types of adoption and what your options are
- How long your adoption wait will be, and what steps you can take to speed up the process
- Understand your rights and obligations during the adoption process
Your adoption agency wants to ensure that you have a great adoption experience, so they’ll help you every step of the way when you start the adoption process in Missouri.
Step 2: Complete Your Home Study
One of the most important parts of the adoption process in Missouri is your home study.
This portion of the adoption process in Missouri ensures that you’re emotionally, financially and physically ready for parenting.
Your home study consists of three steps:
- Your background check
- Your personal interview
- Your home inspection
When you’re starting the adoption process in Missouri, you’ll need to complete your home study as one of your first steps. Your adoption agency can help you prepare for and complete this step.
Step 3: Create Your Waiting Family Profile
Have you been wondering, “how long is the adoption process in Missouri?” If you have, you aren’t alone. Most hopeful adoptive families are curious about how long they can expect to wait.
When you choose to adopt with American Adoptions, you can plan for a wait of 9 to 12 months.
Our team does a lot to help market you to potential birth mothers, including creating a waiting family profile.
Your waiting family profile offers birth mothers the chance to see who you are and what’s important to you. When they view your waiting family profile, they’ll be able to envision what their child’s life will be like if they choose you as their baby’s adoptive family.
Step 4: Match With a Birth Mother
One of the most exciting steps in the adoption process in Missouri is matching with a birth mother. When you and a birth mother match, you’ll generally have the chance to get to know them before your baby is born. In some cases, you and the potential birth mother might talk over the phone or meet in person. With an open adoption, some adoptive families also have the unique opportunity to be present when their baby is born.
Keep in mind that the amount of contact that takes place prior to the baby being born is completely up to the birth mother and what they’re comfortable with.
Steps 5 and 6: Placement and Finalization
Of course, once you welcome your child into your family, you’ll be at the placement and finalization steps of the adoption process in Missouri.
During these steps, you’ll welcome your child into your home and wrap up the legal side of becoming your baby’s parents.
This part of the adoption process may include waiting for ICPC approval to bring your baby home, welcoming your child into your home, completing post-placement visits with a social worker and meeting with a judge to become your baby’s legal parents.
How to Start the Adoption Process in Missouri
When you’re ready to begin the process of adoption in Missouri, it’s time to reach out to an adoption professional that can help you.
Here at American Adoptions, we’d love the chance to assist you with building your family through adoption.
Our team consists of experienced birth mothers, adoptees and adoptive families who know exactly what you’re going through.
You can call our team at 1-800-ADOPTION to begin the adoption process in Missouri.
Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.