[Taneshia]

Hello, I am a 27 yr old female who is married to an active duty navy sailor. We can not have children due to infertility problems. We have not tried artificial insemination yet, but we will once we return to the states. If that is unsuccessful, we would like to adopt a child. I really would like to adopt an infant, but I know that the waiting list for infant adoption is fairly high so I would like to adopt a child below the age of 5. The only problem is the amount of money for adoption. Yes, we make a good amount a money between our two jobs, but we can not really afford to pay so much for adoption. Do anyone know of any programs who can assist parents in need? We really would love to give a child a wonderful and loving home, which he/she will be provided for financially, emotionally, & spiritually but we can not afford the cost. Can someone assist me with research on what organizations are helpful.

[smiillee]

If you go through a real adoption Agency, there will be no fee. (Places like Social services}

[Synnen]

If you go through a real adoption Agency, there will be no fee. (Places like Social services}

Not true at all. I was a birthmom through LSS (Lutheran Social Services). The adoptive parents had to pay ALL of my medical costs, ALL of the baby's medical costs, ALL of the legal costs, and ALL of the court costs. Maybe, just maybe, there is no agency fee on top of that--but I doubt it. The people that work in Social Services need a paycheck too.

There isn't really a "waiting list" in adoption anymore, you know. If you're willing to do an open adoption, most of the time the birthparents do the choosing from available adoptive parents---not "who is first on the list".

The biggest reason that there is a long wait for most adoptive parents is that there are so few birthparents out there. Almost no one puts their child up for adoption willingly anymore. The last statistic I saw was that 4% of unplanned pregnancies ended in adoption.

If you are truly looking for a way to become a parent, I suggest looking at the foster care system. There are thousands and thousands of kids waiting for a real family in the foster care system, though not many are in the "under 5" age group. You could also look at international adoption.

[Fr_Chuck]

Yes, to adopt is very costly, but then if you want something bad enough you find a way to afford it, you start a budget, cut the other costs of living, and save up the money, It is always a matter of what is most important to do with your money

[liz28]

Many agencies offer finanical assistance to help ease the cost of adoption. My friend recently placed her newborn up for adoption and the agencey help her get health insurance and during the last month of her oregnancy the couple that adopted her child paid her rent, all household expenses, and brouggt maternity clothes throughout the oregnancy and she did open adoption.

Here are two sites that can help you get financial assistance, they give you links to angencies that can help, most non-for-profit:

http://www.angelfire.com/journal/ado...adopthelp.html

Compassionate Care - A non-profit Christian International and Domestic Adoption Agency

Good Luck!

[sweet jane]

Smiillee is correct. Through social services, children do not cost anything to adopt... though children are always a costly venture once you do legally adopt them or birth them. Synnen is correct as well, if you go through a private agency for an infant/birth mother situation, you will pay for all related costs of the prenatal and delivery. However, that is unnecessary.
Simply contact your local Children's Protective Services or Department of Social Services and request an adoption packet. You will need to complete some paperwork and submit to background checks and a homestudy... but following completion, a child will be placed with you if you meet the requirements needed for that child. The more specific you are, the longer you will wait, but any child under 5 yrs will not be a difficult match. The state pays for the adoption as well as the court fees and lawyers. You simply show up, complete your paperwork, and unconditionally love the child. The state will also, in most cases, help with medical expenses, dental, vision, any theraputic services the child needs, etc. They do not generally pay you to keep a child unless it is a foster situation, but they will try to ease the burden of healthcare in most states.
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