How to Adopt a Baby in Ohio [5 Steps]

American Adoptions is the perfect agency to assist you with adopting a newborn in Ohio because we’re a national adoption agency with offices located in Ohio.

If you’re wondering how to adopt a child in Ohio, this is one of the first steps towards an exciting journey. Adoption is a gift to everyone involved.

• The birth parents can get peace of mind knowing their child will be loved and cared for.

• The adoptee can get a life full of opportunities.

• You can have the family you have worked so hard to have.

Many of our skilled adoption specialists understand what you’re going through on a personal level. How? Because many of them are adoptive parents, too! They’ve gone through the adoption process themselves and can use their experience to give you informed and empathetic support.

With our reservoir of resources and personal adoption experience, you can have the best experience on your journey to adopting a child in Ohio.

If you’re a prospective birth parent wondering how to place your baby for adoption in Ohio, you can get the support you need here.

To get more information about infant adoption in Ohio, keep reading below, or contact us today.

Step 1. Choose to Adopt a Baby in Ohio

An important first step in your adoption process is deciding that private adoption in Ohio is the right choice for you and your family. If you’re reading this article, you’re likely seriously considering adopting a child in Ohio.  If your heart is set on adopting a newborn in Ohio, American Adoptions can help. We specialize in domestic infant adoption and can answer any questions you have if you’re wondering how to adopt a child in Ohio.

No matter whether you’ve struggled with infertility, or because you have always felt that adoption is how you were meant to start your family, adopting a child in Ohio is a beautiful way to create the family you have always dreamed of having.  American Adoptions has facilitated many successful placements for more than 30 years, and we would be thrilled to help you adopt a baby in Ohio.

Step 2.  Choose American Adoptions [Why you Should]

Working with the right adoption agency for your private adoption in Ohio can make all the difference in your adoption experience. You want an adoption agency that can meet all your needs and who will have your back through every twist and turn of your adoption process. That’s what you get when you work with American Adoptions.

“We wanted somebody who could take care of A to Z for us,” Leslie said about her experience working with American Adoptions. “We were just so impressed with American Adoptions and how thorough they are and how detail-oriented they are. We liked the magnitude of how they find people all across the country and place children across the country.” 

We’re a national adoption agency with local offices, which means we have an array of resources that are available to you to help you as you begin the process of adopting a child from Ohio; all while being conveniently located nearby. This means you’ll receive the best possible support with our knowledge of the surrounding communities and top-notch service.

Just a few of the helpful benefits you’ll experience as hopeful adoptive parents are:

• Home study services: With every adoption, the prospective adoptive parents must complete a home study. The home study ensures that you are fully prepared to care for a child and that they will be raised in a safe environment. American Adoptions can help connect you with a home study provider in Ohio, which means you won’t have to worry about searching for another professional.

• Shorter wait times: With our agency’s national reach, we’re able to work with prospective birth parents all over the country. This means more potential adoption opportunities for you, resulting in shorter wait times.

• 24/7 support: We understand that you probably have a lot of questions about adopting a child in Ohio. Our adoption specialists are available 24/7 to give you guidance and a shoulder to lean on.

• Our Risk-Sharing Program: In the event of an adoption disruption, we have safeguards in place to protect you. All money you spend up to the moment of disruption will be directly refunded to you.

To get more information about the services we can offer you as you adopt a baby in Ohio, contact us now online.

Step 3. Get the Perfect Match to Adopt a Baby in Ohio

Once you get connected with your adoption specialist, you can begin working towards putting yourself out there to find the perfect match and adopt a baby in Ohio. 

Your adoption specialist will sit down with you to help you create your adoptive family profile. Think of your adoptive family profile as a Facebook page, but full of information about yourself and the kind of life you intend to give your adopted child. Once you’ve completed your profile, your adoption specialist will compare it to the preferences of prospective birth mothers until they find a match.

The expectant birth parents will be able to review the matches and choose the hopeful family they feel are perfect to raise their baby. Prospective birth parents are also able to view your profile on our website. Once you’ve been chosen, your adoption specialist will contact you to tell you the exciting news!

Step 4. Get to Know the Prospective Birth Parents

Once you’ve been chosen, you’ll be able to get to know the prospective birth family. You might be wondering: Why is this important?

The expectant parents are making a huge sacrifice by placing their baby for adoption. Even if they know it’s what is best, it’s not an easy decision to make.  By getting to know them before the placement, you are not only giving them peace of mind by allowing them to get to know who their child will be raised by, but it’s a simple way for you to express your gratitude towards their decision.

This contact will usually start with a conference call between you and the expectant family, mediated by an adoption specialist. After this, you will be able to discuss what level of contact everyone is comfortable with leading up to the placement.

When you adopt a baby in Ohio through American Adoptions, we ask all hopeful adoptive parents to be open to post-placement contact through open adoption. By getting to know the prospective birth parents before the placement, you are building the foundation for a post-placement relationship as well.

Step 5. Complete the Placement and Finalize the Adoption in Ohio

Once the baby is born, the birth parent(s) must wait 72 hours before they can formally consent to the adoption in Ohio. Once this timeframe has passed and the birth mother has terminated her parental rights, you’ll be able to take your baby home.

However, if you’re an Ohio resident adopting a baby born outside of the state or you’re a non-resident adopting a baby in Ohio, you will be required to fill out paperwork for the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC). The ICPC is responsible for mediating adoptions across state lines to ensure adoption laws in both the sending and receiving state are being abided by.  This paperwork can take up to 2-3 weeks to be processed, so don’t wait to start on it.

Once all the necessary paperwork has been completed you’ll be able to return home with your baby, but the adoption process isn’t quite over yet. Your adoption specialist will complete up to three post-placement home visits to ensure that everyone is adjusting well to the adoption. 

Once these visits have been completed, your adoption attorney will be in touch with you to arrange your adoption finalization hearing.  At your finalization hearing, a judge will issue a decree of adoption, making your child a legal and permanent member of your family.

Get Started Today

Adopting a child in Ohio is a beautiful way to begin your journey to creating the family of your dreams. American Adoptions wants to help make this possible for you. To get more information about how to adopt a child in Ohio, reach out to us online today.

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