United States/Domestic Adoption Program: The Process

In most domestic adoptions, expectant parents are actively involved in the process of selecting an adoptive family by reviewing a letter with photos that prospective adoptive parents have made available. WHFC provides guidelines for the preparation of your letter to expectant parents.

Some expectant parents want to meet adoptive families prior to a placement and may want varying degrees of ongoing contact. Others ask only for an exchange of letters. The matching process usually occurs before the baby is born, but occasionally happens after a birth. The waiting time for a domestic placement is variable and unpredictable, however the following information may help prospective parents understand the options:

• Families who are prepared to parent a child of any race including all or part-black are being matched with expectant mothers on average within six months of acceptance to the program.
• Families who are prepared to parent a child whose mother may have had a history of high risk behavior and/or some mental health disorder are being matched with expectant mothers on average within six months of acceptance to the prorgam.
• Families comfortable with open adoptions including scheduled visits are being matched much more quickly than other families.
• Families open to adopting only a Caucasian newborn in a closed adoption are waiting more than 2 years.

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