Adoption is a legal process that permanently connects a child with parents, bestowing all the rights and responsibilities of a legal parent to the adoptive parents and all the social, emotional and legal rights of a child to the adoptive child. Before an adoption can be completed, the biological parents must legally relinquish their parental rights and the adoptive parents must be found to be able to provide a safe and loving home for the child. If able, the child is asked to communicate his feelings and wishes as well. Adoption agencies can help facilitate this entire process.
Adoption Process
Parents interested in adopting are advised to secure the help of a facilitator, agency or attorney. Before completing an agency application and beginning the home study process, adoptive parents must educate themselves about domestic and international adoption processes, decide which type of adoption they want to pursue, determine pay for the adoption and select an agency, attorney or facilitator. From then, it can take months to get matched with birth parents or a foster child and up to a year or more to complete the legal process of getting an adoption decree from a judge.
Gladney Center for Adoption
The Gladney Center for Adoption is a nonprofit adoption agency that offers international and domestic adoption programs, as well as counseling services, support groups and progress updates on the child's life for birth parents. Gladnery Center is accredited by the Hague Convention, which protects children and families from unregulated inter-country adoptions. Interested parents have adoption opportunities in Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America through Gladney. As for domestic adoptions, Gladney Center runs three programs: one for placing white, Hispanic, Asian and American Indian infants and toddlers with adoptive families; another for placing black and biracial infants and toddlers; and one for recruiting adoptive families for older children, special needs kids and children available through the Texas foster care system. Pre- and post-adoption education is offered through the center as well as counseling services and maintenance of adoption records.
Gladney Center for Adoption
6300 John Ryan Drive
Forth Worth, Texas 76132-4122
(817) 922-6000
http://adoptionsbygladney.com/html/adopt/index.php
The Settlement Home for Children
The Settlement Home for Children facilitates adoptions for families interested in adopting a child or children in foster care. The facility matches the families' strengths with the needs of the children to make a harmonious connection. Settlement Home works with the families throughout the adoption process. Additionally, the organization helps interested foster parents adopt their foster child or children. Lastly, Settlement Home also houses girls between 7 years old and 18 years old who need 24-hour therapeutic care. On-campus schooling is also provided. The girls progress from the main campus, which houses only 27 girls, to therapeutic group homes where they have a more traditional family setting and are allowed to attend public school or the on-campus school. From there, they move to a foster home or independent living.
The Settlement Home for Children
1600 Payton Gin Road
Austin, Texas 78758
(512) 836-2150
http://www.settlementhome.org/
Adoption Advocates
Adoption Advocates has helped 70 adoptive parents adopt and 650 babies find a permanent home since 1991. It averages 30 adoption placements annually. It is a nonprofit adoption agency that strives to place a child with a family within 12 months of full acceptance of adoptive parents into the program. Adoption Advocates does not have a waiting list as it only accepts as many clients who can be helped in a reasonable time. The adoption agency places infants to children up to 6 years of age.
Adoption Advocates Inc.
1215 Parkway
Austin, Texas 78703
(800) 966-4673
http://www.adoptionadvocates.net/
Family Builders
Family Builders is an adoption agency that facilitates domestic, international, identified and step-parent adoption. The adoption agency provides referrals to international adoption agencies, support groups and attorneys to aid in the adoption process. Additionally, the center offers pre- and post-adoption counseling for adoptive and birth parents and the adoptees. The group aids birth parents, helping them with day care, employment, prenatal care, legal support and in choosing an adoptive family. Family Builders also conducts follow-up visits after a child has been placed and helps the birth and adoptive families communicate if the families so decide.
Family Builders Inc.
2404 Lake Austin Blvd.
Austin, Texas 78703
(512) 457-9476
http://www.familybuildersinc.com/
Tags: adoption agency, adoptive parents, Settlement Home, Adoption Advocates, Austin Texas, birth parents, Family Builders
