What are the steps of an adoption? How do these steps differ between private and agency adoptions?
All adoptions share the following four general steps: • Pre–adoption qualification of adoptive parents. If the family is adopting privately (independently), the family must normally select a social worker to conduct a home study. The home study and the necessary financial, criminal and child abuse clearances then must be sent to the local court for judicial approval, known as certification. Once the family is certified, the family may take physical custody of a child during the following 18 months. If the family is working with an agency (whether a private adoption agency or county social services agency), the family will undertake a home study from an agency social worker. The agency will collect background social and financial data and will check the family’s criminal/child abuse histories. If the family proves to be acceptable, the agency will approve the household for adoption. Regardless of whether the family is working privately or with an agency, the family’s credentials may nee
