Adoption is the legal transfer of parental rights for a child from a birth parent or guardian to an adoptive parent or guardian. There are many reasons why someone may consider placing or adopting a child. Commonly, unplanned pregnancy presents the opportunity to consider adoption as an alternative to parenting. Likewise, those who are struggling with fertility or just want to open their homes to more children consider adoption as an option to build a forever family.

Placing a Child for Adoption in North Dakota

  1. Familiarize yourself with adoption and the process. Adoption is an option you may want to discuss with someone who has already experienced it. You can speak with an options counselor or birth mother by calling 1-800-236-7898.
  2. If you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, determine what type of support you will need throughout your pregnancy. A trusted adoption agency can help you find financial assistance, medical support, legal help, and more.
  3. Start building a support system of birth mothers who know what you are going through. Placing a child for adoption is a unique experience. You can hear about the stories of other birth moms at Adoption.org.
  4. Choosing how much contact you want to maintain with your child after adoption is one of the choices you will make as you create an adoption plan. While open adoption is more common and allows for communication between adoptive and birth families, closed adoption is also an option for birth parents who prefer to have more privacy post-placement.
  5. Choosing a family is another big step in the adoption process. Parent Profiles is a great resource for finding families in and around your area who are ready to adopt and have already passed a home study.
  6. Depending on where you’re at in the process, you will start preparing for doctor’s visits, meetings with your case worker, and more. Mark your calendar with important dates and keep a record along the way.
  7. Along with a support system of birth mothers, you’ll also start building a support system of trusted friends and family members. You may also consider counseling before, during, and after the adoption is completed.
  8. Determine the birth father’s involvement in the adoption process. Some fathers are very active in creating an adoption plan and others are not. Be open and honest with your case worker about how you’d wish to involve the birth father or not. Different states have different laws about relinquishment, so check with your agency’s lawyers to understand your state’s laws.
  9. Choose an adoption agency with resources that can help you. The Gladney Center for Adoption is a national agency that can help you throughout the adoption process and beyond.

Adopting a Child in North Dakota

Domestic Infant Adoption

Domestic infant adoption in North Dakota is a more common route in the US for adoption. This form of adoption simple means you are using an adoption agency or attorney to facilitate a match between yourself and a parent considering placing a child for adoption. This match is usually determined by the birth parent who will choose a family from a collection of Parent Profiles.

International Adoption

International adoption is the adoption of a child or infant from another country. Not all countries are open to adoption. Typically, you will work with a US agency that has a relationship with the country’s adoption service providers. They will help facilitate a match and coordinate visits to the country.

Foster Care Adoption

Foster care adoption is a less conventional form of adoption. Not every child who enters the foster care system is eligible for adoption in North Carolina. Only when a judge officially terminates the rights of the biological parents is a child considered adoptable. This typically doesn’t happen until the biological parents have a chance to prove they are fit to provide a healthy environment for the child by attending classes, workshops, or whatever else the judge determines is necessary. Some hopeful adoptive parents spend years with several different foster care children while others adopt after one placement. There is no way of knowing when and how a placement will be possible. That being said, the need for good foster parents in the US is huge right now. Any eligible, available home that can house a foster child should consider applying.