Your Questions, Answered

What are the steps involved in an adoption?

Research adoption
Attend informational meetings/talk to adoption professionals in Rhode Island to choose an agency for your home study
Complete the home study
Choose a placement agency or a country if adopting internationally
Wait for a placement
Placement of a child in your home (Hooray!)
Post-placement visits/reports
Finalization

What are the general requirements for someone to adopt?

The following are not specific to Rhode Island, and may not be requirements of every placement or home study agency, but based on our experience working with many placements agencies across the country, here are typical requirements you can expect to see from many agencies:

Ages 25-55 (this varies by agency)
If married, should be for more than 2 years
At least one parent needs to be a U.S. citizen
High school diploma
No serious crimes
No history or allegations of child abuse/neglect
Financially stable enough to support your own family & additional child

This list is a general guideline and not all agencies have the same requirements. Please reach out to us with any questions on specifics!

How do I know if I'm ready to adopt?

Adopting a child is a lifelong commitment. The process to getting there is a big financial commitment as well. Here are some things to consider in asking yourself if you are ready to adopt:

Emotional Readiness
- The adoption process and raising a child who has been adopted can be emotionally and psychologically challenging at times. It's important to consider how you and your family feel about this and if you are prepared for these challenges.
Financial Readiness
- Adoption can be very costly. You will want to carefully consider your finances and research the costs associated.
Support Network
- A strong support system is vital in this process and can help you navigate the many emotions and worries that come with adoption. Your supports may include family, friends, mental health professionals, and your adoption workers.

We recommend doing a lot of research, speaking to anyone in your life who has adopted (or been adopted!), and attending informational sessions or consultations with different agencies.

What is a home study and why is it required?

The home study is required as part of the adoption process. Click here for a comprehensive look at what it entails and why it's required.

What training is required in order to complete my home study?

Most agencies require a minimum of 10 hours of training. Adoption training is crucial to prepare prospective adoptive parents for the challenges and rewards of adoption.

Common training topics include:

Attachment and bonding
Grief and loss
Trauma-informed parenting
Cultural competency
Open adoption
Child development
Birth order/parenting siblings
Parenting strategies
Adoption identity and self-esteem
Special needs adoption
Legal and ethical issues

Rhode to Adoption will provide prospective adoptive parents with options for online trainings. Rhode to Adoption is the only private adoption agency in Rhode Island to offer in-person trainings and workshops.

What is the difference between a home study agency and a placement agency?

A home study agency is an adoption agency that completes home studies and typically post-placement services for adoptive families. The home study agency must be located and licensed in the state where you reside. Currently there are only a few licensed home study agencies in the state (including Rhode to Adoption.) While we would love to work with you, we encourage prospective adoptive applicants to speak with the other agencies in the state to determine the best fit for you. For more about what we offer at Rhode to Adoption, click here.

A placement agency is the agency which will facilitate matching families to birth parents. Some agencies provide both home study and placement.

How do I choose a placement agency?

If you work with Rhode to Adoption, you may choose any licensed adoption agency in the United States. We understand this can feel overwhelming! Over the years, we have built connections and relationships with several agencies across the country and we are happy to provide guidance and some options to get you started.

What are the different types of adoption?

Domestic adoption: Adopting a child in the U.S.
- Open adoption: An adoption where there is contact between the birth family and the adoptive family. This could include phone calls, letters, emails, texts, or even visits.
- Semi-open adoption: An adoption where there is some contact between the birth family and the adoptive family. This typically looks like photos and letters being sent to the placement agency and the agency forwards them to the birth family.
- Closed adoption: An adoption where there is no contact between the birth family and the adoptive family.
International adoption: Adopting a child from another country
Foster care adoption: adopting a child from the foster care system. In order to adopt from foster care, prospective adoptive parents must first become licensed foster parents through the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families or another licensed foster agency in Rhode Island.
Kinship adoption: A child is adopted by a relative such as a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or sibling.

What is an open adoption? Is this recommended?

There are different levels of openness in open adoptions, but all of them entail some level of staying connected with the adoptive child's birth parent(s). In some cases, adoptive families will stay connected by sending letters, emails and photos. In other cases, adoptive families will keep in touch via texting, phone calls, or face-time. Some families plan face-to-face visits with birth parents & siblings. This is determined first by the birth family's wants and needs. After assessing your comfort level on openness, your profile will be shown to birth families that share your level of openness.

At Rhode to Adoption, we recommend open adoption. It is important to know that some placement agencies will only work with adoptive parents who are willing to have an open adoption.

Open adoption is often considered the best option for children, as it allows children to access information about their birth parents, family history, and cultural heritage which can help them develop a stronger sense of identity and self-esteem. While we encourage adoptive applicants to be open to some level of open adoption, in some cases the birth parents will opt for a closed adoption, with no level of contact.

What should I consider when adopting a child?

Transracial adoption: This should be considered very carefully and with care, along with a commitment to lifelong learning. We recommend asking yourself not just if you are open to adopting a child of another race, but if you can fully embrace what that means for you and your family. Are you ready to educate yourself on the realities of racism and teach your child? You'll need to examine your community - does it value racial and cultural diversity? Do you have people in your life - in your family, friend groups, or community groups - that are racially diverse? You'll want to surround your child with books, toys, TV shows, and people that look like them. This is just the tip of the iceberg - Rhode to Adoption has valuable resources we can share with you if you're considering transracial adoption.
Medical history: Consider what medical history/concerns (of the birth family) you are comfortable with.
Mental health history: Consider what mental health history (of the birth family/child) you are comfortable with.
Medical needs: What medical conditions would you be comfortable with and able to handle?
Special needs: What, if any, special needs would you be comfortable with/feel prepared to parent?

While the more open you are does increase your chances of getting matched sooner, it is very important to be honest with yourself about your comfort level.

We suggest being as open as you can, not thinking about accepting the child, but rather embracing the child and all of their needs.

What is the typical wait time before a placement is made?

While it's impossible to predict the wait time for any pre-adoptive applicant or couple, we typically advise applicants that you can expect to wait a year or longer. In some cases it's less, in some cases, more.

International adoption wait times are longer due to the complicated nature of USCIS and country-specific requirements.

What can I do during the waiting process?

The waiting process can be a challenge. It comes right on the heels of the home study process which was a busy time involving gathering documents, going to appointments, completing training, and multiple visits and interviews with your adoption worker. After all of the work for the home study, it can be an adjustment to the often slow period of waiting. Here are some suggestions for what to do while you wait:

Find local or online support groups for adoptive parents
Research adoption-related issues that a child may encounter
Learn about child development
Talk with other adoptive parents
Start to think about and pack a hospital "go bag."
Stay connected to your home study agency! We can't stress this one enough. At Rhode to Adoption, you'll be automatically enrolled into our CARE program. We will check in with you monthly, recommend resources specific to your questions, and provide other support services.

How much does private adoption cost?

The total costs of private adoption can be anywhere from $20,000 - $60,000, and sometimes more. This includes the home study, placement agency & legal costs, and post-placement reports. Costs differ between domestic adoptions vs. international adoptions, with international adoptions being typically more expensive.

The total cost for working with Rhode to Adoption depends on what type of adoption, how long the family is waiting for placement, and how many post-placement reports are required. The typical range is between $5,000- $6,500, which includes the application and home study, ongoing support services, and post-placement services. We are happy to discuss all of our fees with you and provide you with a list of all fees. Please contact us for more information!

What are the typical fees charged by the home study agency?

Application fee
Home study fee
Fees for services during the waiting period. At Rhode to Adoption, this is our CARE program
Post-placement fee

Is there financial support available for adoption?

It is important to take into consideration your financial situation before adopting, as the total cost including all placement agency and home study fees, can range from $20,000 to $60,000 and more. But there are ways to get financial support.

In the year that you finalize the adoption or the year after expenses are paid, you may qualify for a tax credit. For the 2024 tax year, the federal adoption tax credit allows adoptive parents to claim up to $16,810 per child for qualified adoption expenses. The tax credit is income based. The credit begins to phase out if your MAGI (modified adjusted gross income) exceeds $252,150. You cannot claim the adoption credit if your MAGI is $292,150 or higher.
Applicants should ask their employer(s) about adoption benefits, as some companies provide financial support.
There are also grants and loans that families can apply for.

What are some additional resources?

National Center on Adoption and Permanency: www.ncap-us.org
Center for Adoption support and Education: www.adoptionsupport.org
National Council for Adoption: www.adoptioncouncil.org
Families Rising: www.wearefamiliesrising.org