Adoption Process

Child-Centered Adoption Process

Fully Licensed Child Placement Agency | Locally Owned | 18 Years of Experience

Fully Licensed Child Placement Agency
Locally Owned
18 Years of Experience

A Non-Traditional, Non-Denominational Agency

At Adoption Connection, we are a non-traditional and non-denominational adoption agency! Our services are offered without regard to age, ethnic origin, religion, marital status, physical characteristics, disabilities, or the number of children already in the home. In Iowa, both single and married adults may adopt. There are no age or income limitations under the law. We work with clients who share our philosophy of child-centered adoptions!

An Overview of Our Adoption Process

Here are the basics of how the overall adoption process works:

By law, all prospective adoptive families are carefully screened in a pre-placement home study and must be approved by a licensed provider like Adoption Connection before a child can be placed with them.
At Adoption Connection, prospective adoptive families take an adoption preparation class to learn about developmental milestones for adopted children, talking to their child about their adoption story, creating positive self-esteem about birth families, and more.
Prospective adoptive families create their family profile for viewing by expectant and birth parents.
Expectant and birth parents typically choose the family for their child as part of their adoption plan before or after the child is born. Adoption plans may be closed, open, or semi-open adoption plans, depending on the wishes of the placing parents.
After the child is born, the parental rights of the birth parents are voluntarily terminated in court so the child can later be adopted. Adoption Connection provides ongoing support for birth parents as long as needed after this process is completed. Ongoing updates about the child are also available to all birth parents if desired.
Once a child begins living with their new family, Adoption Connection supervises for at least 6 months. Older children may require more time to adjust, so not all adoptions are finalized after exactly 6 months.
When all post-placement requirements are met, Adoption Connection provides a consent for the family to adopt the child legally through a court process.
In Iowa, court records of termination and adoption are confidential and sealed after each step is completed. Adoption Connection services are also confidential and no identifying information about you can be shared without your consent.
Adoptive families placed through Adoption Connection have an agreed communication plan to provide pictures and updates on their child after adoption for a specified period, to help birth parents know their child is healthy and loved by the family they chose!