Placing a Grandchild for Adoption: What to Expect

At Lifetime, we understand the emotional struggles that a grandparent experiences when considering adoption for a grandchild that they are parenting. We have helped many loving grandparents find an active adoptive family who is ready to be mom and dad, while still letting you be grandma or grandpa.

With increasing frequency, we are getting calls from grandparents who were entrusted with raising their grandchildren, usually as a result of drug abuse by the child’s parents. In most cases, the grandparents hope to keep that relationship and connection through open adoption, and the good news is that Lifetime’s waiting adoptive parents are open to keeping that connection too!

If you are considering adoption for your grandchild, here are the steps:

1. Complete the online questionnaire or call and speak with a caring coordinator who will ask some questions and answer questions you have. She may also arrange for you to speak with an independent counselor who can help with your feelings as you learn more about the adoption process.
2. Provide the necessary documents your coordinator needs. These may include medical records, birth certificates, school records, and more. With a signed release, your coordinator can request many of them directly from the provider.
3. Consider qualified families who are waiting to adopt. Your coordinator will provide you links to families open to adopting your grandchild. You can speak with them and get to know them. They may have questions for you.
4. Once you have found a family who is a good fit, meet with them. They will travel to you for a visit with you and your grandchild. This is a chance to get to know each other, and confirm that this adoption placement is a good match.
5. Move forward with the adoption paperwork and a transition plan. You will meet with the provided attorney to sign the paperwork and we will help create a transition plan for the child. This transition will be anywhere for a couple of days to two weeks, depending on the age of the child and the circumstances.

The process can move along fairly quickly once the documents are received. Remember, all of Lifetime’s waiting families are open to staying in touch with you as the child grows up, and retaining the relationship with you as grandparents.

There is no cost to you as the placing parent. If you have more questions, please call or text one of our caring adoption coordinators now at 800-923-6784. We understand this is a difficult decision, but we are ready to answer your questions and assist you in any way that we can.