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For information on upcoming events, workshops, and information meetings scheduled by Adoption Options, Inc. Please contact Valerie at 678-302-1947.
Training on Adoption IssuesWe at, Adoption Options, Inc., are committed to
putting time and energy into preparing you for your adoption. We
will provide you with our expertise, insights and information in
order to answer your questions, and assist you in your
decision-making. Here are some of the reasons why adoptive parent
training is important: Being an adoptive parent is different from being a parent by birth. Not worse, not better – just different. You need to know what these differences are, accept them and celebrate them. Adoption is not a one time event but an ongoing process that changes the life of every member of your family. You need to be prepared for issues that may arise in the future. You have a number of important decisions to make.
We are here to support you throughout this process and the
information from your adoptive parent training is part of that
support. Your child deserves prepared and educated parents, who have knowledge of the issues and the strength and determination to stay with their lifelong commitment. Parents who have had the opportunity to assess
their strengths and vulnerabilities will be better able to help and
support their child in the years to come. |
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Your Adoption Options By Valerie Barlow, Adoption Options, Inc.
Are you thinking about becoming a parent? Have you considered adoption? If so, you have a number of options available to you.
Where To Go
You may be considering a child who is currently in foster care, and in this instance you would contact your local County Department of Family & Children’s Services (DFCS) or the Georgia DHR Office of Adoptions. Most of the children in DFCS custody, who are eligible for adoption, meet the definition of ‘children with special needs’. This includes any child eight years of age or older, any child of African American heritage who is one year old or older, sibling groups of two, where one child has one of the aforementioned ‘special needs’ or any child with a documented disability. For further information the web site for the Office of Adoptions is www.adoptions.dhr.state.ga.us. You will also be able to see many waiting children at www.MyTurnNow.org .
There is also the option of a Private Agency Adoption. Here there are a wide range of children are available. Their ages can range from birth to an older child. There can be a wide variety in their needs, from healthy to having special needs. Most private agencies that facilitate domestic and international adoptions are members of the Georgia Association of Licensed Adoption Agencies (GALAA). They are listed on their web site, which is www.galaa.org. You may want to consider an Independent Adoption. In Georgia, an independent adoption is facilitated by an adoption attorney. Here the placement decision is between the two families involved. You can conduct an Internet search of Georgia adoption attorneys. Some attorneys are Associate Members of GALAA and are included in their web site directory.
There is also the option of International Adoption. There are a wide range of countries available for international adoption. The reported top five countries for international adoptions are China, Korea, Russia, Guatemala and Kazakhstan. There are varying requirements for each country with some countries requiring two trips. Children vary in age from infants to older children. They can be healthy or have special needs, and there are sibling groups.
Types of Adoption
Last but by no means least, I would like to briefly address the issue of Open Adoption because there are often questions about this form of adoption. In an open adoption information is shared and there is some form of ongoing contact between the birth parents and the adoptive parents. Contact can include letters, pictures, telephone conversations, email contact and visits. This relationship, including the types of contact and frequency, are agreed upon between these two parties beforehand. There is also the option of a Semi-open Adoption in which contact between the two parties is conducted through a third party, usually the adoption agency or attorney. Completely closed adoptions are becoming more and more rare.
As you can see, whatever your decision you have a number of options available to you for the creation or expansion of your family. Conducting research is an integral part of this process and the Child Welfare Information Gateway has an extensive list of articles and booklets, most of which are free. This resource can be accessed through www.childwelfare.gov.
Adoption Options’ Services
The process of adoption involves 1. Research – search the web, talk to your family and friends, get some written material; 2. Write down your questions; 3. Attend orientation/information meetings; 4. Ask questions; 5. Take time to reflect and talk to each other as well as your supporters; 6. Consult with adoption professionals before you make the decision about the type of adoption and agency that is right for you; 7. Begin to create your family!
The knowledgeable staff of Adoption Options, Inc. can assist you in the adoption of an infant, child or group of siblings who are in the custody of an adoption agency or a person empowered to make an adoption plan. We can also assist you in the pursuing an international adoption. Our services include pre-adoption training, home study evaluation, post-placement services and assistance with dossier preparation. Please feel free to contact us at Adoption Options if you have any further questions or if we can assist you with your adoption plans.
Valerie Barlow is the Executive Director of Adoption Options, Inc., a licensed, non-profit, adoption agency on Clairmont Road in Atlanta. She can be contacted at 678-302-1947. Please go to www.adoptionoptionsinc.org for information on the agency and upcoming Adoption Information Meetings or to make a tax-deductible donation.
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 ADOPTION OPTIONS, INC. 3006 Clairmont Road, Suite 107 Atlanta, GA 30329 Tel: 678-302-1947 Fax: 404-315-1718
ELECTRONIC MAIL General Information: info@adoptionoptionsinc.org Adoption
Application Support &
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Send mail to
valerie@adoptionoptionsinc.org with questions or comments about
this web site.
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