Domestic Adoption

Domestic adoption means adopting in the United States, as opposed to adopting internationally.

There are several types of domestic adoption, all falling within the two major categories of "agency" and "non-agency."

Agency Adoptions

In the U.S., there are two types of agencies: public and private. Public agencies are state agencies handling the adoptions of children in the U.S. foster care system; private agencies may also contract to handle adoptions of children in foster care, and they also handle infant and perhaps older child adoptions as well.

When selecting your agency, the first step will be to make sure the agency handles they type of adoption you're interested in pursuing.

Non-Agency Adoptions

Commonly known as "private" or "independent" adoptions, non-agency adoptions are allowed in most states, but not all. Adoption attorneys are involved - either throughout the entire process or simply for the legal necessities. Adoption facilitators may participate in assisting with the matching process, but they are not allowed to complete adoptions without the participation of an attorney.

When deciding on the adoption process that's right for your family, including:

• newborn/infant
• older child
• relative/kinship adoption
• adult adoption
• stepparent adoption
• waiting child adoption

1. learn what is legal and what isn't in your state
2. learn the pros and cons of agency vs non-agency adoption
3. evaluate adoption professionals before making a decision