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Adoption Washington State

Washington Adoption, Home Studies and More

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Adoption Services for
Birth Parents and Adoptive Families

If you are in the Evergreen State and are considering adoption, Lifetime Adoption coordinators are here to guide you through your adoption journey. You may be considering placing your child for adoption, or you may be hoping to adopt a child. Our Lifetime Adoption coordinators are here to provide you with the information and resources you need and answer your questions about adoption in Washington.

Pregnant and Considering Adoption in Washington

Washington Adoption Services pregnant woman

When a pregnancy test comes back positive and is not the result you were expecting, your feelings can be overwhelming. Deciding what you will do next can be hard when you are probably experiencing a wide range of emotions. Sharing the news with the baby’s father, with family, and with friends can be difficult. You might get a lot of different opinions and advice. This can make you feel even more confused.

Take a breath and step back for a minute, then contact Lifetime Adoption. A kind and non-judgmental coordinator will help you understand all of your options. You can call, text, or fill out our online form, and a Lifetime Adoption coordinator will be there to support you. She can connect you with a peer or professional counselor if you think that might help.

What is the Adoption Process in Washington?

Lifetime Adoption coordinators have been helping expectant mothers in Washington navigate the adoption process for over three decades. First, just call, text, or fill out our online form. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will make sure she understands your wishes are and gets you the resources and support you may need.

Then, you can look through adoptive family profiles and choose some families to talk to. You may want a family from Washington or maybe from another state. You can choose how involved you would like the family to be while you are pregnant and after. In addition, adoption isn’t just for newborns. You may be interested in placing a toddler or older child. When placing an older child, a professional counselor will create a healthy transition plan for your child, you, and the adoptive family. She will work with the adoptive parents and your adoption coordinator to create a post-adoption contact agreement that is right for everyone.

If you are pregnant, you and your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will also make a hospital plan. This plan will detail what will happen in the delivery room, such as who will cut the cord, who holds the baby first, who leaves the hospital first, and other details. You will have your own attorney at no cost to you, who will make sure that you understand your rights and will file all the paperwork and schedule the court dates.

Open Adoption in Washington

Modern, open adoption is a topic most people don’t know a lot about. With open adoption in Washington State, you make all the choices. For example, you choose who will adopt your baby and even how much contact you will have in the future.

You can expect many questions from your Lifetime Adoption coordinator. Your answers will help her create a personalized adoption plan for you and your baby. Some questions may be:

  • Would you like to choose the adoptive parents, or would you like a coordinator to choose for you?
  • How much contact do you see yourself having with the family after the adoption is final?
  • What type of contact would you like to have?
  • How would you like your hospital stay to go?
  • Would you like the adoptive parents to be involved with you during your pregnancy, such as going to doctor appointments?
  • Do you have a need for help with pregnancy-related expenses?

Adoption is a brave and loving choice if parenting your child is not the right thing for you and your child at this time. There are loving families that are ready and excited to grow their family through modern, open adoption. With open adoption, you are not saying goodbye to your child forever. The adoptive family will send pictures, updates, and you can even have visits. Many of our adoptive families have great relationships with their birth mothers. One of our birth mothers recently attended her son’s wedding and was welcomed with open arms.

Help With Pregnancy Expenses and More

Christa* called Lifetime when she was considering placing her baby for adoption. She had just graduated high school when she found out she was pregnant. She was worried about the copays for her pregnancy medical expenses. Her Lifetime Adoption coordinator let her know that in the state of Washington, some pregnancy-related expenses can be covered by the adopting parents.

Professional and peer counseling is another resource available at no cost provided by Lifetime Adoption. Peer counselors are women who are birth mothers and who have been through the adoption process. They are happy to listen to you and your concerns and to share their stories with you. A professional counselor is also available to help you with the emotions and decision-making process. They will also help you make a plan for the future.

* Name has been changed for privacy.

Washington Adoptive Families

No matter what you’re looking for in an adoptive family, you deserve to find the perfect one. Lifetime Adoption lets you search adoptive families from across the country. We provide more adoptive family choices for you, giving you a greater chance of finding the right fit for your child. When you browse our family profiles, you can learn more about their:

  • Lifestyle
  • Reasons for adopting
  • Home and neighborhood
  • Values and religious beliefs
  • And much more!

Families Wanting to Adopt in Washington

Multi-racial family with adopted child spending time together at the park

Are you considering adopting a newborn, toddler, or child up to the age of 6 in Washington? As a leader in modern, open adoption, Lifetime Adoption can make your dreams of adoption come true. Our Lifetime Adoption coordinators have been helping match birth mothers with adoptive families for over thirty years. Our coordinators are dedicated to caring for our birth mothers, ensuring they have all the resources they need, and to creating strong matches between birth families and adoptive families.

Starting the Adoption Process

So, how do you get started? It’s simple. Just fill out our short online application. To apply is free and will not obligate you in any way. Once you are pre-approved, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will contact you to go over the entire adoption process. This instruction will include how to create your profile for birth mothers to view, how to complete your home study and will give you access to the blogs, education, along with resources on the Lifetime membership site.

Mardie Caldwell, the founder of Lifetime Adoption, created the Lifetime Adoption program based on the experience gained when navigating the adoption of her son. For over three decades, the Lifetime Adoption program has been successful. Our adoption coordinators will guide you through the entire program. This will ensure you have a successful adoption journey.

Cost of Adoption in Washington State

The type of domestic adoption you choose will impact your cost of adoption in Washington. Other factors can also affect your adoption costs, such as which state you are adopting from. The adoption professionals you choose can add additional costs to your adoption.

A home study, which is required for most adoptions, is an item you will need to budget for. Your adoption coordinator will be happy to give you some referrals. Generally, home study fees range between $1,000 to $3,000. The Washington State home study involves criminal background checks, an investigation of the home environment, and interviews with the adoptive family. The costs cover the social worker’s expenses, such as time for visits, the fees for running background and financial checks, and creating the home study report.

The adoption agency and adoption attorney you hire will also impact the cost of adoption in Washington. You can choose to hire an adoption agency that will guide you along your adoption journey. An adoption agency helps families connect with birth mothers. They also screen birth parents to protect adoptive parents from any dishonest characters. An agency will also provide education and emotional support to adoptive families and provide pregnancy support and counseling for birth parents. An agency’s fees generally run between $30,000 to $60,000.

You will need an adoption attorney once you are matched with an expectant mother or a child. The legal costs for you and the birth mother can run between $8,000 to $15,000. You will be responsible for your legal representation and the legal representation of the birth mother.

Another expense to budget for is pregnancy-related expenses for the birth mother. Your birth mother may need help with expenses such as rent, medical, travel, and other expenses while she is pregnant and for a period after the birth. This can vary depending on what state your birth mother is located in. The average Lifetime birth mother in need of financial assistance generally receives around $5,000. Your attorney and agency will need to make sure funds are according to state law.

Generally, the total cost of domestic adoption should range from around $38,000 to $70,000.

As a lower-cost alternative, adopting from the foster care system is an option you can pursue. Visit AdoptUSKids to learn more. The costs of a foster care adoption are covered by the state. There are many children waiting in foster care to be adopted. It is important to understand that most children available to be adopted may have special needs or are older (over eight years old) in the foster care system. You will receive the required education, focusing on what to expect when adopting an older child or child with special needs.

Another option to consider is international (or intercountry) adoption, but this is generally not a lower-cost option. You will need an adoption agency that specializes in international adoption in the country of your choice, is licensed, and can demonstrate a good track record of success. International adoption will generally involve the adoption of toddlers or older children, not newborn babies. There are also risks involved in international adoption. Political and legal issues can arise, which can result in suspending or changing adoption regulations. Sadly, this has occurred with families hoping to adopt from Haiti and Ukraine. Adoptions can end up in limbo for months or years or even be canceled. In addition, the fees you pay to an agency or adoption professional may not be refunded. The costs of domestic and international adoption are very similar.

Adoption Laws in Washington

Washington adoption laws can seem complex but don’t worry. An adoption attorney will help you navigate the legal aspects of the Washington adoption process.

In Washington, the timeline for legal documentation for adoption can begin during the pregnancy. Papers can be signed, but the court will wait until 48 hours after the birth to accept the papers. The rules can vary from county to county, so work with your adoption attorney to make sure you are following the correct laws in your county.

Every adoption situation is unique. There can be exceptions and different legal requirements depending on the individual adoption. Your adoption attorney will ensure your adoption goes smoothly and all legal aspects are covered.

Washington Home Studies

A home study is a legal report that shows you are qualified to parent and to adopt a child. Throughout the U.S., a home study is a required part of the adoption process. A home study includes the following:

  • Background checks
  • Employment verification
  • Medical reports
  • Financial verification
  • References
  • Visit of the home

Your Washington home study social worker will interview every member of your household, and you will provide background information along with information regarding your reasons for adoption, family and marital relationships, your parenting style, your education, and more.

Whether you are a parent thinking about placing your child for adoption or you are considering adopting, Lifetime Adoption looks forward to working with you and providing the information and support you need for a successful adoption.

 

 
 

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Accreditation

Florida Seal of Approval   Florida Adoption Council Logo

Lifetime Adoption, Inc. is a Licensed Florida Child Placing Agency. (License #100084254)

National Council for Adoption seal

35 anniversary logo

Small Women Owned Business

Lifetime Adoption's BBB Accredited Business A+ rating

Lifetime Adoption Center is a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ rating

 

Copyright © | Lifetime Adoption

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