Adoption is not something to enter into lightly.
Every person involved in the Pre Adopt Family should
sit down and ask open questions.

Questions Like:

1). Why do we want to adopt?
2). What type of child boy or girl and what age
or heritage would we like to explore before
we make a decision to adopt?
3). Is our home large enough to accommodate another
child into our family?
4). Where will this new child sleep?
Will this child share a space or have their own
room.
5). Should we Foster a child before we adopt?

Simple questions like these are so important. Especially if there are other children in the home.
You want everyone to be comfortable with a decision to add a new child in your home.

By doing simple things like discussing your reasons for adoption you are in fact preparing your life and family home to make a new child feel welcome.

When you have talked about it and you have decided it is an over all "Yes" we want to adopt. Where do you begin?

Each state is a little different. However they usually have an office of child and family services.
One phone call there can put you in the right direction. They can send you information about Foster Care and all the state rules and regulations.
They may have a list of Adoption Agencies that they
can send you. Any information you get is a great place to start.

Before you choose an agency make an appointment with them to come out and walk through the center.
Ask tons of questions about how and why they help place children with pre adopt families.

Going through some Foster/Adopt agencies is a lot less expensive for families who want to adopt but do not have the family funds to do private adoptions.

Each state has a book of children that are available for adoption. An adoption Agency can do the paper work and the home studies necessary to get you ready for adoption. They can put you in touch with children who are already in the system and up for adoption. Children who need a stable family life. Some place to call home. Someone to call mom and dad.

In todays world we find that older children are often left on the side lines and experience less of a chance for adoption than the infants and toddlers that come into Foster Care.

As children grow up they reflect their environment and most children who have gone through Foster Care and taken away from the biological family will in fact have some emotional issues. For this reason alone they are often looked over and not adopted.
After all if you had lived their life would you not have emotional issues also? That is an important question to ask yourself when meeting and greeting an older child up for adoption.

So get out your pens and paper and do some research.
Find out what Agencies are in your area. Be sure to let them know you are interested in adoption when calling. Do interviews with a few agencies before you choose the right one to work with you.
Then jot down some questions to ask. All this will help you make good decisions. Knowledge is power in all aspects of life. Even in adoption.

For those of you reading and who have already experienced your first adoption. Feel free to leave feedback and let us know how you decided that adoption was right for your family and what great ideas you have as to pointing new families in the right direction on the highway to adoption.

Sincerely,

Shar