Adoption Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. Adoption, Home Studies and More

Adoption Services for
Birth Parents and Adoptive Families

Please choose where you’d like to begin:

Information about placing
a child for adoption
or
Information about adopting a child

If you are considering adoption in the Washington D.C. area, talk to the experienced and kind coordinators at Lifetime Adoption Agency. We work closely with birth parents to ensure they have all the support and resources they need, and we help adoptive families navigate the adoption process.

Lifetime has over 35 years of experience connecting birth mothers with loving adoptive families nationwide, we are a leader in open, domestic adoption. We are well-equipped to help you on your adoption journey. We provide articles, podcasts, webinars, home study services, referrals, counseling, one-on-one support, and much more.

Help for Pregnant Women in Washington D.C.

If you are dealing with an unwanted pregnancy in the Washington D.C. area, Lifetime Adoption can help you create an adoption plan. Many women dealing with an unexpected pregnancy don’t know a lot about the modern adoption process. Our Lifetime Adoption coordinators are here to support and guide you.

There are situations where the best you can do for your child is to find a loving home that is emotionally and financially prepared for a new baby. At Lifetime Adoption, we will help you make a customized adoption plan, and you can make all the decisions. You will choose the adoptive family and decide how much contact you want with the family once the adoption is complete. You can even create a hospital plan so things go as you would like during your labor and delivery.

If you are in need of help with your pregnancy expenses, assistance is available. Pregnant women who have chosen to place their baby for adoption can receive help with clothes, rent, food, transportation, phone, and more. You let your coordinator know about your needs, and she will find the resources for you!

Even if you have already had your baby and you think that adoption might be best for your child, Lifetime Adoption is ready to help. We have many families that are interested in adopting sibling sets, toddlers, and special needs children.

Sometimes making that first call is hard because considering adoption can be emotional. Our non-judgmental coordinators will help you every step of the way and will make sure all your needs are met. You should know that any question you ask will be answered honestly. Text or call about our Washington D.C. adoption services at 1-800-923-6784.

Adoption Agencies in Washington D.C.

Lifetime Adoption Agency is right here in Washington D.C. to help you place your child for adoption. You can call or text 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Your adoption coordinator will go over the adoption process and get you started.
At Lifetime Adoption, we provide you with:

24-hour help and support
Many adoptive parents to choose from, all of which have background checks and are ready to adopt
Peer and Professional Counseling
Maternity clothes, toiletries and other items you may need
Assistance with pregnancy-related expenses
Continued support after the delivery
And much more!

Adoption Counseling in Washington D.C.

Another great resource your coordinator can offer is access to a professional or peer counselor. Adoption for your child is a difficult choice. A professional counselor will help you through the decision-making process and guide you through the emotions that arise during your adoption journey.

Peer counseling has been popular among Lifetime’s birth mothers. This gives them the opportunity to connect with another woman who has been where they are and have chosen adoption for their child. It is helpful to speak with someone who has experienced the adoption process and can answer your questions about what it was like for her. Her story may be somewhat different, but a peer counselor will understand how you are feeling, the emotions you are going through, and the questions you have. In addition, she will share her experience, like how she discussed adoption with the birth father, how she told her family, and many other words of advice.

Maternity Hospitals in Washington D.C.

The thought of labor and delivery gives many pregnant women feelings of anxiety. The best way to ease these fears is to be prepared. Our Lifetime Adoption coordinators help our birth mothers create their own individual hospital plan. They will ask you questions such as:

Do you want the adoptive parents at the hospital right away?
Who would you like in the room during labor and delivery?
Do you want to leave the hospital before or after the baby?
Do you want to see or feed your baby?

Your stay in the hospital should be as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Your coordinator will work with the hospital staff to make sure they understand what your needs and wishes are.

If you are in the Washington D.C. area, the hospitals with labor and delivery services are:
Sibley Memorial Hospital
MedStar Health
George Washington Hospital

Wherever you choose to deliver, we can help – we’ve even helped women who have chosen home births or were out of state traveling when they went into labor.

How to Start the Adoption Process

So now that you have this information and believe adoption is the right choice, your next question is probably, “How do I start the adoption process?” First call or text Lifetime Adoption, or you can go online and fill out the contact form. Once complete, a Lifetime Adoption coordinator will walk you through the adoption plan and offer you all of the adoption resources you need. She will answer your questions and speak with you about any concerns you have or needs you need to be met. You will always find a non-judgmental coordinator available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

All of our adoptive families have online profiles so you can view them to learn as much about them as possible. You can watch video messages and read their letters to get to know them. Then you choose the adoptive parents that are the best fit for your child.

Click here to view adoptive family profiles online. You can choose a family that is from the Washington D.C. area or anywhere else in the U.S. Once you choose a family, your adoption coordinator will help you connect with them and will guide you through the relationship-building process in a way you are comfortable with.
Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will also help connect you with any resources in the Washington D.C. area you need. For example, if you need to connect with a doctor and transportation to get there, your coordinator is there to help you.

Ready to start? Give us a call or text. today.

Get In Touch

Other Paths to Adoption in Washington D.C.

Foster care is another option for some birth parents who may be trying to decide if they want to parent or not. There are cases when a baby is born with substance exposure; D.C. Child and Family Services may have them placed in foster care. The downside in these cases can be that you do not have a say in where the baby is placed or the opportunity to have ongoing contact as you would in an open adoption.

You may also consider relative or kinship adoption. The way this works is one of your family members, generally blood-related to the child, can apply to adopt. This can be a great solution, but there can be challenges as well. Your relative may assume they are just helping out for a while, and sometimes there are issues with boundaries and interaction that will need to be resolved.

When all is said and done, you are the one to decide which type of adoption is right for you and your child. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will review all of the adoption options you have and help you decide on the right path for you and your baby.

Adopting in Washington D.C.

Adoption is a life-changing decision. The adoption coordinators at Lifetime Adoption Agency in Washington D.C. are ready to help make your adoption dreams come true during this exciting time. They will answer questions and will explain the whole adoption process. Learn all about modern domestic adoption and what will happen during your adoption journey.

Lifetime Adoption is dedicated to placing children in families that bring together the best adoption triad. If you are in Washington D.C. and are interested in adopting a newborn or a child up to the age of six, contact us at 727-493-0933 and ask all of your questions. We have a free online adoption application as well as numerous resources on our website that you can browse as well.

We will provide you with all the education, resources, support, and referrals you need for a successful adoption journey.

Begin the Adoption Process

This may feel like a lot of information, and while it is, you don’t need to handle the adoption process on your own. To start, all you need to do is fill out our online application. It is free to apply, and you will not be obligated in any way.

Once you are pre-approved, a Lifetime Adoption coordinator will be in touch to answer all of your questions and will get to know you and what your adoption dreams are. She will compile the information and assess what the best path to a successful adoption will be for you.

Adoption Attorneys in Washington D.C.

You will need an adoption attorney in addition to working with an adoption agency. The adoption laws can be complex, and it is important that the laws are followed and the paperwork is completed correctly and submitted to the courts. If you are working with Lifetime Adoption, your coordinator will refer you to an adoption attorney in the Washington DC area.

Home Study Services in Washington D.C.

Whether you choose domestic or foster adoption, you will need to have a home study completed. Lifetime will also refer you to Home Study Services in the Washington D.C. area.

The home study includes employment and financial verification, background checks, education hours, and a home visit. Your Lifetime coordinator will assist you in completing your home study in a timely manner.

What you can expect from the home study process? The first step is to will collect your documents. In Washington D.C., you will need to gather the following documents:

Background and criminal checks – local, state, and federal for everyone living in the home
Financial Statuses such as current job and income
Medical reports from your medical professional within six months of the study attesting that you have no illness, disability, or communicable diseases that would interfere with your ability to parent.
Three written references from personal friends, co-workers, fellow church members or anyone that knows you well and will vouch for your character.

In addition, you will set up a time for a face-to-face meeting with a social worker, and during this visit, she will gather information on your home environment and interview every adult in the home.

Finalization of Adoption at Court

Once your home study is completed, you are matched with a birth mother, and the baby is born, you will have the one final, and very exciting step is the finalization of adoption.

Washington DC mandates that the finalization will be no less than six months from when you take custody of the baby. You will have three home visits from your home study social worker within six months of placement.

Your adoption attorney will take care of all the necessary paperwork at the courthouse and set a hearing date. In Washington D.C., that will be at the Moultrie Courthouse
500 Indiana Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. The hearing will be an exciting occasion where the judge will review your home study and adoption documents and issue the final decree of adoption. Once this hearing is complete, your adoption will be final.

Other Paths to Adoption

Washington D.C. International Adoption Agencies

Once you make the decision to adopt, one of the first decisions will be what path to adoption you want to take. For some families, the desire to help a child in need leads them to international adoption.

Choosing international adoption also leads to other decisions, such as which country to adopt from. This may be influenced by the current political climate, children available, and much more. Each country has its own laws and requirements.

Be sure to choose an international adoption agency that has experience working in the country you have chosen. Popular countries are the nations in Africa, China, and some Eastern European countries. Here are a few agencies that specialize in international adoption:

Adopt International

Celebrate Children International

Foster Care Adoption

The foster care system is one other path to adoption. In Washington D.C. your will work with the D.C. Child and Family Services to foster to adopt. To qualify as a foster parent, you will need to:

Attend a mandatory foster parent orientation.
Complete foster parent education. Have criminal background check.
Complete a home study to review your readiness for fostering in your home.

Another way to adopt through the foster care system is to view waiting children from Washington DC and other states at AdoptUSKids. This is a nationwide project that lets you view foster children who are waiting for adoption across the country.

We look forward to working with you on your adoption journey, whether you are a birth parent or an adoptive parent.

Mardie Caldwell

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