Growing your family through adoption is an exciting process, and once you’ve decided to take that step, you will probably be eager to welcome a new child as soon as possible. However, after hearing that adoptions can take months or even years to complete, you may be wondering just how long the process will take.
Fortunately, U.S. adoptions do not take as long as you might expect; the majority of adoptive families pursuing domestic infant adoption are matched with an opportunity within a year. But for some families, the adoption wait time may be longer or shorter than this average.
So how long will it take you to adopt a child in Pennsylvania? And what can you do to reduce your adoption wait time?
The length of time you’ll wait to adopt a child into your family depends on:
- The adoption professional you use to find an adoption opportunity
If you haven’t already found a prospective birth mother to adopt from, The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly can refer you to a trusted adoption agency for matching services or advise you as you search for an adoption opportunity independently.Typically, the fastest way to find a potential adoption opportunity is through an agency that works with a large number of prospective birth mothers. The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly can refer you to an agency and complete the legal processes required in Pennsylvania adoptions.
- How open-minded you are about different birth mothers, adoption opportunities and adopted children
Prospective adoptive parents who are more restrictive in the types of adoption opportunities that they’re willing to accept will spend more time waiting to adopt than a couple who is open to many different types of adoption opportunities with many different types of birth mothers.For example, if you are only interested in adopting a Caucasian girl from a prospective birth mother in Pennsylvania, you’ll wait much longer than a couple who is open to adopting a child of multiple races from any state or of any gender.
- How flexible you are about post-adoption contact
Potential adoptive parents who say they want no contact with the birth family after the adoption will wait much longer than couples who are willing to commit to a more open adoption. Open adoption has been proven to benefit adopted children, adoptive parents and birth families and to strengthen the relationships within the adoptive family.Closed adoptions are rare today because most birth families want to maintain some level of contact with the adoptive family after placement.If you remain flexible about the amount of contact you’re open to with the birth mother after the adoption is complete, you’ll likely be chosen by a birth mother more quickly.
How Long Does the Adoption Process Take?
The average wait time for adoption can be anywhere from one month to two years, depending on the three major factors listed above as well as any unpredictable variables that can occur in the adoption process.
The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly will be there every step of the way to help the legal process of your adoption move along quickly and smoothly. To learn about how you can begin the Pennsylvania adoption process now, contact The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly.