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Adoption in Maryland

jdouglas84jdouglas84 member
in Adoption

Hi all, 

This is my first posting on this board. My DH and I have a 2.5 y/o biological daughter, and are looking into adopting a child (we are considering 5 and under). I'm a social worker and I'm pretty familiar with foster care in my state (especially treatment foster care) but I know nothing about how the adoption process works. I just got some information from my local Department of Social Services so I have the contact name/info for a social worker there to ask some questions. For you all on here, are you going through DSS or a private agency, and why? I guess my DH and I are just trying to figure out which type of agency to go through and to get all of the information we can.

Thank you!

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Re: Adoption in Maryland

  • Dr.LorettaDr.Loretta member

    So are you still open to foster/adopt or domestic adoption outside of foster care?

    From my (limited) understanding of foster/adopt, you'd be licensed to foster with the option to adopt a child if their parental rights were terminated. From what I've seen, that usually takes quite a while (as in years).

    If you're looking at domestic adoption outside of foster care, you could work with an agency, a law firm, a facilitator (if they're allowed in MD), or do it all privately (you'd likely put together a website and network on your own to find expectant parents). Each has its plusses and minuses.

    There's also an FAQ at the top of the board if you haven't seen it yet. It might help you with more resources.

    Welcome!

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  • jdouglas84jdouglas84 member
    imageDr.Loretta:

    So are you still open to foster/adopt or domestic adoption outside of foster care?

    From my (limited) understanding of foster/adopt, you'd be licensed to foster with the option to adopt a child if their parental rights were terminated. From what I've seen, that usually takes quite a while (as in years).

    If you're looking at domestic adoption outside of foster care, you could work with an agency, a law firm, a facilitator (if they're allowed in MD), or do it all privately (you'd likely put together a website and network on your own to find expectant parents). Each has its plusses and minuses.

    There's also an FAQ at the top of the board if you haven't seen it yet. It might help you with more resources.

    Welcome!

    We are  open to both, just not sure which route we are going to go. If we are going to do the F2A through DSS, I only want to foster children who's parental rights have been terminated. I'm not ready emotionally to go through any drama of hanging my hopes on a child who is not free and clear. I have a friend from high school who just had an adoption finalized through DSS, but start to finish it took almost 2 years for her.

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  • Dr.LorettaDr.Loretta member

    There's also the option of adopting foster kids whose parental rights have already been terminated. I've only heard of a national program, as that's what the actress Nia Vardalos used when she and her H adopted their daughter.

    Also be aware that there are some concerns with adopting out of birth order, if you were to adopt a child older than your daughter. It's not impossible, but there are issues to be aware of if you move forward looking to adopt a child older than her.

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  • jdouglas84jdouglas84 member
    imageDr.Loretta:

    There's also the option of adopting foster kids whose parental rights have already been terminated. I've only heard of a national program, as that's what the actress Nia Vardalos used when she and her H adopted their daughter.

    Also be aware that there are some concerns with adopting out of birth order, if you were to adopt a child older than your daughter. It's not impossible, but there are issues to be aware of if you move forward looking to adopt a child older than her.

    We aren't planning on adopting out of birth order. Of course right now with our daughter being 2.5, we would be looking for a child younger than her. We would ideally like to adopt when she is 5, but like I said we are  trying to figure out which route to take and financially plan ahead if we go with a private agency.

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  • Dr.LorettaDr.Loretta member
    Got it. I was looking at your OP and thinking if you were placed with a 5yo in the next couple of years, you'd have birth order considerations to think about.
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