Decisions, decisions, decisions. The path to adopt a child is saturated with decision points. Each decision has the potential to determine the next step, shape the process, or influence the outcome. Sometimes I hate decisions.
When people ask us about our adoption plans they often want to know if we’re adopting from a particular country. It’s a very valid question, and I don’t have an answer…yet. But we really need to make a choice soon between a domestic adoption or an international adoption.
The first reason we need to decide is that it will influence our choice of an agency to to work with. Adoption agencies tend to specialize. Some agencies focus on adoption from China, or Russia, or Kazakhstan; some work to place children in foster care, or work with CPS to place foster children in adoptive homes, others work with organizations like Crisis Pregnancy Centers to match birth mothers with prospective adoptive parents.
Another reason we need to make a decision on domestic or international is that each path comes with additional decisions. If international: what country and how will we finance it? If domestic: will we go with a private adoption, an agency, or foster to adopt?
Right now we’re leaning towards a domestic adoption and the momentum is going that direction. When we made the decision to adopt, Stacie was leaning towards international but not any particular country. I leaned slightly towards domestic adoption at that time. Since then I’ve come to lean about 90% in favor of a domestic adoption and Stacie is about 75% in favor of a domestic adoption.
The most difficult thing about deciding on one path is leaving the other path behind.
JPM
Here are some Pros and Cons to each choice that I found on About.com.
Deciding Between Domestic Adoption and International Adoption
The Pros and Cons
What are the differences of an international adoption in comparison with a domestic adoption? Some include:
Cost
- International adoption can be very costly, but you know up front the fees you will be facing.
- Domestic adoption can cost very little, especially if you go through your state and adopt from the foster care system.
- The cost of a private adoption depends on agency fees, attorney fees, the race of the child (unfortunately), and whether or not you have to pay for an expectant mother’s care.
Travel
- International adoptions often require you and/or your spouse to travel to the country that you’re adopting from for an extended stay that usually ranges from one to 3 weeks.
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- With some international adoptions more than one trip is required.
- When adopting domestically, or with foster care adoptions, there is usually very little travel involved.
Training/Classes
- International adoptions and some other private adoptions do not require classes, but may come in handy for parenting and other adoption information.
- When adopting domestically through the state’s foster care system, classes are often required.
- Some adoption classes take as many as 25 or more hours to complete.
For example, the state of Kansas requires that prospective parents attend Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting(MAPP) classes.
Ages of Children Available
- A family will never receive a newborn through an international adoption. This is not only due to the time it takes to complete paperwork and receive a referral, but the fact that some countries hold onto children hoping for an adoption to take place within their own country. Once the child reaches a certain age, he/she is okayed for international adoption.
- With domestic adoptions, whether public or private, you have an opportunity of being placed with an infant.
The last stop on the journey to adoption is the actual beginning of the adoption itself. It’s about just getting started!
source: http://adoption.about.com/od/adopting/a/domint.htm
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