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Hello! My husband and I are an African American couple who live in the Philadelphia area and we would LOVE to adopt. I've begun researching a few agencies. We will go to an informational meeting at Bethany and at Adoptions from the Heart over the next 2 weeks.
Have you heard anything about these 2 agencies? Are there any others that I should consider? Money is a factor for us. Is there a way to adopt and spend less money than going through an agency?
Thanks ahead of time!:)
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Thanks for recommending ARC, Erin. My husband and I received a packet and weren't that impressed. They sent us faint copies of a long application. It didn't look that professional. Also, don't they only do open adoptions? We don't feel comfortable with that. We will do semi-open or closed.
I have an info meeting with Adoptions from the Heart on this Tuesday. I have one with Catholic Social Services the following Tuesday. Anyone know anything about CSS?
Last Tuesday, I went to Bethany Christian Services. It was only one other couple there. There was an international meeting in the other room that was packed. At our domestic meeting, she went through the 20 steps of adoption. (We were at step 3.) Then she told us that the prices went up. Now it's @ $18,000. I asked her a few questions.
There were 17 adoptions done by her office last year. There were 2 others that failed. The longest waiting person was 17 months and she was the one with the failed adoption. They only had 2 AA adoptions last year.
I am just about to finalize my adoption...I used Adoptions from the Heart..I also checked out Bethany...but I was more impressed with AFTH...I adopted an AA baby boy..I was put in the books in Jan...and my son was born in April....The cost is also a lot less...I spent about 10,000-11,000 when it was all said and done..I also LOVED the lawyer that AFTH used...He was the best
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Thanks so much, Mommy of 2! That was an encouraging post. Your adoption took 8 months to finalize? That's very scary for me. Did you have any fears that something would happen in those months before finalization? Were you able to use the $10,000 given by the government? Do they encourage open adoptions or semi-open adoptions?
Yes, 8 months is a little unusual...They had a problem with terminating bdad's rights...but it all worked out in the end..I was nervous, but I know the agency and the lawyer covered all their basis...so I just had to wait it out...I will be able to use the 10,000 tax credit...They have all levels of open adoptions...You have to commit to meeting the birthparents at least once a year at the annual picnic..You also have to send a letter and pictures to the agency every month for the first 6th months, then once a year after that...I don't think you will have to wait long to be matched...AFTH places quite a few AA babies...Which branch will you be going to for the meeting? Good luck..if you have any other questions, please let me know..I would love to help
We are going to the AFTH meeting in Wynnewood. Which office did you use? Do you think it would matter? They share the information, right?
I would commit to a yearly letter but is the yearly picnic mandatory? What if the Birth parents didn't show? ARGH!
I know whichever agency we use will need Criminal Checks and Child Abuse Checks so I'm getting started on those.
The yearly picnics are celebrations...they have music, a balloonist and a lot of people come...Not all birth parents come...It is an agecny wide picnic...I think they mandate it...From what Ive heard, it is a positive thing...some birthparents may not want visits...it just depends...but at the picnic, the SWs are there..so you do have support...I have a 6 year old adopted daughter..and I did visits with her birthparents..trust me, it isnt as bad as you think...I used the Wynnewood office, too..
Yes, you do need clearances..you will have to get fingerprinted as well...Don't let the yearly picnic stress you....Good luck...keep me updated
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