There are 1.5 million adopted children in the United States.
More than 2 percent of children in the United States are adopted, according to The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute. In Georgia, over 7,000 children reside in foster care. Nearly 2,000 of these children await adoption. The Georgia Department of Human Services provides training and support to prospective adoptive parents during the adoption process, which can take up to a year. The prospective adoptive parents complete required forms during this process.
Request for Information
The adoption process begins with the Request for Information form. This is the initial contact with the Georgia Department of Human Services, or DHS. Prospective adoptive parents provide basic contact information on this form and request an information packet. An interview, and the subsequent orientation session, is scheduled by a DHS adoption case manager. The orientation meeting is required and provides additional information about the adoption process. Potential adoptive parents will view photos of children awaiting adoption in Georgia.
Application for Adoption
Once prospective parents decide to continue with the adoption process, they file the Application for Adoption form. Applicants provide detailed information about employment, education, religious affiliation and current children in the home. References from relatives and non-family members are also required. Applicants then attend an adoption preparation program and meet again with the DHS case manager. The case manager may request medical records and financial statements. These records are added to the Application for Adoption form.
Placement Agreement
The Placement Agreement form is signed when a child is placed in the adoptive parents' home. Prior to placement, adoptive parents have an opportunity to review the child's detailed information. Parents work closely with the case manager, who schedules a series of pre-placement visits. An adopted child who is designated in the Special Needs category is eligible for financial assistance through the Georgia Adoption Assistance program. The DHS case manager assists the adoptive parents with financial aid applications.
Adoption Petition
The Adoption Petition is filed by the family's attorney in the county of residence. The Adoption Petition form is filed with the court when the DHS case manager has released the adoption case. A court hearing with a Superior Court judge is scheduled. Once the adoption is finalized, DHS visits are no longer required. The agency provides continued support and resources to the legal parents.
Tags: adoptive parents, case manager, adoption process, Adoption Petition, Application Adoption, adoption case, Adoption form