Adoption in Fort Collins [A Complete Guide]
Adoption transforms the lives of everyone involved. It allows expecting parents to pursue other life goals, provides adopted children with the opportunity for a brighter future and allows adoptive couples to expand their families.
If you’re interested in adoption, you might be wondering where to start. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about adoption in the Fort Collins region, whether you’re an expecting parent wondering how to place your baby for adoption or a family looking to adopt.
For more adoption information and personalized assistance, contact us online, call 1-800-ADOPTION or visit our local office. We’re here to help you throughout your journey.
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How to Put a Baby Up for Adoption in Fort Collins
If you are an expecting parent considering adoption, it’s important to understand each step of the process to ensure you feel confident in your decision. Here's a brief overview of the steps involved in placing a baby for adoption in the Fort Collins region:
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Step 1: Contact an adoption agency near Fort Collins, Colorado. A licensed adoption agency can provide you with support throughout the process. Reach out today for free information.
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Step 2: Create a personalized adoption plan. One of our adoption specialists will help you explore your options and develop a plan tailored to your needs and preferences.
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Step 3: Choose an adoptive family for your baby. You get to review profiles of prospective adoptive families and select the one you feel best matches your child.
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Step 4: Develop a plan for your hospital stay. Your adoption specialist will outline your preferences for labor and delivery, including who you want in the room and how long you’ll have with your baby.
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Step 5: Adjust to life as a birth mother. After the baby is born, you can sign the necessary legal documents to finalize the adoption and transition to the next chapter of your life.
How to Adopt a Baby in Fort Collins
For hopeful adoptive families, the process of adopting a baby in Fort Collins involves several important steps. Here’s an overview of what you can expect:
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Step 1: Choose an adoption agency. You will want to work with an adoption agency near Fort Collins, Colorado, to ensure all state and county requirements are met.
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Step 2: Complete your home study. The home study involves a background check, a series of interviews and at least one home inspection to ensure you’re ready and able to care for an adopted child.
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Step 3: Find an adoption opportunity. You will need to prepare a profile for expecting parents that showcases your family, lifestyle, community and reasons for adopting.
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Step 4: Get to know the expectant parents. Once an expectant parent selects your family, you can begin building a relationship.
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Step 5: Welcome the baby into your family. After the baby is born, you can sign the legal paperwork and bring your new family member home.
Adoption Agencies in Fort Collins
Several adoption agencies near Fort Collins, Colorado, can assist with different types of adoption:
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Private domestic adoption: American Adoptions of Colorado
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Foster care adoption: Larimer County Human Services
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International adoption: Hand in Hand
Types of Adoption in Fort Collins
If you want to grow your family through adoption, you will need to choose between several different types. This includes:
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Infant adoption: If you want to adopt a newborn or infant, you’ll want to work with a private domestic adoption agency like American Adoptions.
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Foster care adoption: Older children, sibling groups and children with special needs are available for adoption through the foster care system.
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International adoption: Adopting a child from another country involves additional legal requirements and travel costs.
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Stepparent adoption: You can demonstrate your love and commitment by adopting your spouse’s children.
Fort Collins Adoption Laws
Understanding local adoption laws can lead to a smoother adoption process. Here are five key regulations to be aware of:
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Adoption professionals: According to state law, only licensed adoption agencies near Fort Collins, Colorado, can facilitate adoptions.
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Financial assistance: Expectant parents can receive financial assistance for attorney fees and other court-approved expenses during pregnancy.
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Birth fathers: Both birth parents must agree to the adoption unless a parent's rights have been legally terminated or the parent has abandoned the child for more than a year. It’s important to consider birth father rights when placing a baby for adoption to avoid potential legal complications.
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Consent to the adoption: In order for the adoption to proceed, the birth parents must give their consent in writing after the baby is born.
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ICPC: Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children regulations apply if the baby is born in a different state from where the adoptive family lives.
Fort Collins Adoption Requirements
As an expecting parent, you do not need to meet any requirements to place your baby for adoption. Adoption agencies near Fort Collins, Colorado, will walk you through your options and provide personalized support.
There are certain requirements if you want to adopt a baby. One of the first steps in the process is a background check to ensure you’re not convicted of a felony related to child abuse or neglect, violence or sexual crimes. You will also need to complete a home study, which involves a series of interviews and a home inspection. These requirements ensure that adoptive families are prepared to bring home a child.
How Much Does It Cost to Adopt in Fort Collins?
The Child Welfare Information Gateway estimates that the cost of private domestic adoption starts at $30,000. This cost covers the support of various adoption professionals as well as legal fees and medical costs for the expectant parent.
Because growing your family through adoption is a significant investment, we offer a Risk-Sharing Program. The adoption insurance we provide protects your finances if the pregnant woman decides to parent or experiences pregnancy complications.
On the other hand, foster care adoption generally has minimal fees. This is due to subsidies for children with special needs, as the goal is to find permanent homes for every child in foster care.
Financial Assistance for Adoption in Fort Collins
You could receive financial assistance to cover medical costs, legal fees and living expenses during your pregnancy. The adoptive family you choose for your baby would cover these expenses through our adoption agency near Fort Collins, Colorado.
While we don’t offer financial assistance to hopeful adoptive families, we can help you budget for your adoption journey. There are also a variety of funding options, such as grants, loans and fundraisers.
Other Adoption Professionals in Fort Collins
You may need to work with other professionals in addition to your adoption agency near Fort Collins, Colorado.
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Attorneys: We can refer you to an adoption attorney who will manage the legal aspects of the process.
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Home study agencies: Because we are fully licensed in Colorado, we can conduct your home study.
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Adoption social workers: Our adoption specialists provide counseling to expectant parents and manage hopeful adoptive families’ home studies.
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Foster care services: Our agency can assist in finding a reputable foster care agency near you.
If you want more information about adoption in the Fort Collins region, we can help. Just fill out our online form or call 1-800-ADOPTION to get in touch.
Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.