How To Adopt A Baby With Lifetime Adoption

By visiting our website, you are learning more about the adoption process and on your way to your own Lifetime Adoption. Lifetime was founded by Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P., in 1986 as a result of her own journey to become a parent through adoption. This after she had lost seven pregnancies of her own.

Since then, our program has provided successful adoptions nationwide for adoptive families. We welcome the opportunity to learn more about you and your adoption hopes.

Furthermore, we have worked with thousands of birth mothers who are looking for stable, loving parents for their babies. You’re an important part of the decision-making process for them as they consider placing their child for adoption. You just may be the one they are looking for.

Steps to Adopting a Child

Step 1: Complete the Free Online Application

The first step in how to adopt a child with Lifetime, is to complete our free online adoption application. It takes about 15 minutes and gives us a snapshot of your life, and the child you’re looking for. You’ll need to be at least 21 years of age with a stable lifestyle to adopt. If you’d like to ask some questions before you apply, you can speak with a domestic adoption specialist at any time. We want to help you each step of the way. For prospective adoptive families just starting the adoption process, we offer:

• Free Adoption Application
• Adoption Consultations: If you’d like to schedule an adoption consultation, call or message us for more information. Our phone number is 727-493-0933.
• Free Adoption Webinars: If you’d rather do a little more research before committing to a consultation, please browse our website. Additionally, we offer frequent — and free! — educational adoption webinars. They’ll teach you about the open adoption process and Lifetime Adoption’s role in the process.

Step 2: Review Our Adoption Resources

You can find additional notes on starting the adoption process here. It’s important to note that, typically, Lifetime Adoption doesn’t use a waiting list. As a Lifetime family, you can be assured that our adoption coordinators are presenting your information to each and every expectant mother who matches your adoption preferences. It doesn’t matter when you began working with us, each Lifetime family who is ready to adopt is available to be chosen at any time.

If you are a couple struggling with infertility, Lifetime helps single parents, non-citizens residing in the United States, and people already raising children. Please note that there are challenges involved with adopting as an unmarried couple. Because of legal ramifications and the birth mothers wishes, we often prefer couples who are married.

We are always happy to provide more information, so feel free to call or text anytime if you have additional questions about how to adopt a child.

Step 3: Complete the Rest of the Adoption Paperwork

One of the things you’ll discover when researching about how to adopt a baby, is that there is a lot of paperwork involved! The good news is that most of it can be completed in the comfort of your home. A lot of the adoption paperwork Lifetime requires can be completed by mail or email. It is not mandatory to travel to meet us, but we are always happy to meet families in person when they come to visit.

So if you’re in Kansas, Kentucky, or Kalamazoo, we’ll be with you every step of the way, even though we’re in Florida!

Step 4: Build Your Adoption Profile

Our talented team of adoption coordinators will help you put together an adoption profile. This contains info about your family, your life, and the photos you need to introduce yourself to expectant mothers. We help you create both a hard copy profile as well as an online profile on our website of waiting families. The online profile is available 24/7 so expectant mothers can learn about you around the clock. We will even help and guide you to create a video to add to that page, so it is a “living introduction” to birth families who are looking for families like you!

Lifetime was one of the first domestic adoption agencies to use the internet to bring families together. With your online profile, you are getting more exposure to potential birth parents than any other online opportunities. That means you can trust us to get you the exposure you need to make a successful connection for your Lifetime Adoption.

Step 5: Prepare for Your Home Study

Adoption home studies are required for every adoption. Each state has its own requirements for home studies. But they typically include background checks, interviews with you, home visits, and verification that you are ready and able to provide for a child. This portion of the process of how to adopt a baby is very detailed.

In fact, one question we often hear when people are researching how to adopt a child is ”What is a home study?” It is good to understand that, while there are variations, a home study will require very detailed personal information about your family. Also, you’ll need to provide information about your background, employment, financial status, general health, and medical history, insurance coverage (including medical and life), and criminal background. All home studies also require reference letters from family and friends as well as adoption education classes. At the end of the process, the home study provider will write her report and give you their recommendation to adopt.

With Lifetime’s nationwide referral list, we will help you find a great local home study provider. This provider will work with you to get this aspect of your adoption done so you are on track and ready to adopt!

Please know that you will not need to have completed a home study prior to beginning your Lifetime Adoption journey with us.

Step 6: Plan Your Finances

Lifetime Adoption has a variety of financing options for parents wanting to know how to adopt a baby. And your adoption coordinator will help you discover which one is best for you. There are many aspects of adoption that make up the total cost of adoption. Usually these include legal, home study, services to locate a match, birth mother expenses, travel, and more.

Adoptions at a national level can cost as little as nothing or over $50,000. The overall price is based on many factors, which we will be happy to discuss as you begin your adoption journey with us. Keep in mind that Lifetime Adoption is generally an affordable choice when it comes to domestic adoption agencies.

Lifetime also offers a wide array of adoption financing help. Moreover, we include access to affordable loans, adoption grants, and information to help you learn if your employer provides adoption benefits at work. We even have information available on the federal tax credit which is a huge help for families.

Here are some additional adoption resources and information. And be sure to look through our extensive adoption blog section, which includes pieces on what to expect as a family adopting a child. And be sure to ask us about access to adoption attorneys.

As a private adoption agency that specializes in domestic infant adoptions, Lifetime’s adoption coordinators provide a tremendous amount of support and guidance every step of the way. Because we focus on one thing, we put all our effort toward your adoption success. (We don’t coordinate international adoptions or adoption through the foster care system.) For our birth mothers, it’s a blessing for them to know that there are people like you out there, ready to embrace their baby with open arms for a Lifetime Adoption.