Families and individuals who are interested in bringing a child home through adoption must first determine whether they would like to adopt domestically or internationally. The decision to adopt from within the United States or from another country is certainly a personal one, as there are children all around the world who need a loving home.

In each of these categories, there exists both agency and independent adoptions. Adoption agencies serve as mediators between birth and adoptive parents. These organizations are classified as local public agencies (commonly known as foster care, child welfare, and social services), and licensed private agencies. By contrast, independent adoptions occur when both the adoptive parents and the birth parents have located each other themselves, often with the assistance of an attorney or other adoption facilitators.

Families intending to adopt must also think about whether they would like an open or closed adoption. A closed adoption is one where no identifying information about the birth family or the adoptive family is shared with either party, and there is no contact between the two. The adoptive family receives non-identifying information about the child and birth family before he or she joins their family, but these records are later sealed. Open adoptions, on the other hand, allow for association among birth parents, adoptive parents, and the child.

Right now, there are millions of orphans worldwide in need of safe, loving homes. How are you called to care for these precious children?

So as a high school student, you may not be able to adopt, but you can still do something! Contact us to learn how you can get involved and make a difference.