03/ The Adoption Process

Now that you know the who's and what's about adoption, let's look at the Kansas adoption process. Practically speaking, being mentally prepared for what can seem like a very long slog with no end in sight will help you be ready to go step by step through the process. Adoption is not easy, but going in with the right state of mind can make it less daunting. So keep these three things in mind as you begin:

Have a clear understanding of the responsibilities of parenthood: Have you taken the time to read, listen and learn about all of the challenges of parenting? It's one of life's greatest joys, but it's hard!

Have a plan for the financial costs associated with the adoption process: It's important to be financially prepared because each type of adoption has a different price. You don't need to be wealthy — just responsible.

Have the appropriate health for the physical demands of parenting: Parenthood is a marathon, not a sprint. Parenting can be physically demanding, and a commitment to good health is recommended.

Once you have chosen a type of adoption and a professional to work with, here are the steps to adopting a child in Kansas.

The home study is required for nearly every type of adoption, the only exceptions being stepparent and relative adoptions. A home study is one of the first things you will do when starting the adoption process in Kansas. Before a hopeful parent can find an adoption opportunity with a prospective birth mother or be matched with a waiting child, the family must have a satisfactory home study report written by a court-approved, licensed professional that ends with a recommendation by the writer for the adoption. This process ensures that an adoptive parent is ready to become a family. It will include background checks, criminal clearances, financial information, family histories, medical documentation, and documentation of in-home visits.

Simultaneous with the home study, it is an excellent time to begin working on an adoption profile. Whether you have hard copy books printed, electronic copies produced, or even creating a short website is up to you. Some tips were previously discussed on what should be included in your profile, so here we will look at what to do with it once it is finished. Adoptive families have many options for getting their adoption profile into the world. Several online services will host your electronic profile, and some attorneys have waiting families' listings; you can create a Facebook page to help to get the word out or many other social media options. This profile is your key to finding the ideal adoption situation for your family.

1. Complete the Home Study and Create an Adoption Profile

Once your profile is finished, and your adoption home study is well underway, the waiting begins. Nobody likes waiting, but everyone adopting a child in Kansas, or anywhere else, needs patience. There are far more waiting families than available children to be adopted at any given time. This is especially true for those hoping to adopt a newborn. Wait times vary from professional to professional, but you can do a few things to minimize the wait.

1. Be flexible about different adoption situations. This means considering what situations you are open to, such as race, gender, substance abuse history of the mother, mental health status of the mother, open vs. closed adoption, and your budget.

2. Have an engaging adoption profile. Ultimately if you are matched with a birth mother, the choice will be hers, but the quality of your adoption profile can play a much more significant role in influencing her decision than you might think. You want the birth mother to be able to envision her baby growing up with you, so this is your time to shine. Your profile should show your personality, excitement, and gratitude and be a window to your family.

Possibly the most exciting moment on your adoption journey will be the call from your adoption professional. You will be told that a birth mother has selected you to parent her child, and a match has been made. Your adoption opportunity will look different depending on the type of adoption you choose, but no matter how the opportunity occurs, it is, without a doubt, a life-changing call.

3. Accept an Adoption Opportunity

After an opportunity is accepted by both the birth mother and the adoptive parent(s), the opportunity to get to know the prospective birth mother before birth and placement happens. This step of the Kansas Adoption process is exclusive to domestic infant adoption because, in every other type of adoption, there is at least some pre-knowledge between the birth parents and the adoptive parents. One major upside to this way of adopting a child in Kansas is the possibility of open and semi-open adoption. If one of these is chosen, during the remainder of the pregnancy, you will build a relationship with the birth mother, birth father, and possibly their families and friends. This relationship is wholly dependent upon the level of trust you all have in one another; therefore, be open and honest in your communications. Doing so increases everyone’s commitment to seeing the placement through to the end.

4. Pre-Placement Contact

When you dream of adopting a child in Kansas, you can picture the first time you get to hold your baby, and it is a moment like no other. It is the moment you dreamt of. But, before you get there, a few things to know. Until the birth mother signs the consent, in Kansas it must be at least 12 hours following the birth of the child, you are strictly following the birth mother's adoption and hospital birth plan. In some instances, the birth mother will want very little to no contact with the baby, and in others, she will want the baby to remain with her until she has signed all her consent documents. In truth, the hospital time is somewhere in between. One thing that generally always happens is that the hospital will be aware that there is an adoption planned and will provide you with a hospital room, provided there is availability. The hospital will also collect your insurance information, as you will be responsible for charges related to the baby following the birth. If your insurance carrier covers the birth of a natural child, they will cover the costs associated with the delivery of an adopted child. However and wherever placement occurs, it is a vital moment in the life of a family.

5. Placement & Temporary Custody

After placement, a hopeful parent still needs to finalize the adoption. In Kansas, if both consents from the birth parents have been signed, the timing of the finalization hearing can come quite quickly, it will all depend upon the court's calendar. In between placement and finalization, a social worker may conduct post-placement visits to observe how everyone is adjusting to the placement.

There are at least two scenarios if the birth father's consent is not signed, either because he has refused or is unknown. One, if the birth father is unknown, the adoption attorney will request permission from the court to serve notice via publication. The idea is that the birth father will see the notice of the pending adoption in the paper and then have an opportunity to either consent or contest the adoption. The other scenario is much more involved and could be a chapter of its own. If the birth father refuses to consent, the court will schedule a trial to determine whether or not the birth father's consent is necessary to proceed. After the hearing, if it is found that his consent is necessary, the adoption cannot be granted, but on the other hand, if his consent is found unnecessary, the adoption moves forward to finalization.

At the finalization hearing, a judge will review post-placement reports and all other required legal documents. The Kansas adoption process ends when the judge issues a final adoption decree, changing the baby's name if necessary and ordering a new birth certificate. This family is legally, finally, forever.

6. Finalization & The Journey Begins