Frequently Asked Questions
- Why are these children in public foster care?Children enter the public foster care system for a wide variety of reasons, such as abuse, neglect, drug abuse, and many other factors.
- What type of child can I adopt and where do I need to live?AdoptionWorks (AW) places school-aged children from throughout the United States with parents who reside in MD, DC & VA.
- What are the steps and how long is the wait for a child?Parents must attend 27 hours of training, complete a home study; work with an AW team member to locate a child, be placed, and proceed toward finalization. You can begin the process of finalizing your child’s adoption after the child has been in your home for a minimum of six months.
- Will my child be eligible for an adoption subsidy?Most children who are adopted are eligible to receive an adoption subsidy. The amount of the subsidy depends upon the special needs of the child.
- How do I get started?We encourage you to attend one of our scheduled information meetings or contact one of our team members:
AdoptionWorks: Pam Hoehler @ 410.869.0620 or phoehler@adoptionstogether.org - What is an adoption home study?Each AdoptionWorks home study consists of three to four interviews with a licensed social worker that is experienced in adoption. Information is collected about the applicant’s background, references are checked and a home safety inspection is completed. A report is written by the home study social worker and a recommendation is made as to whether the applicant should proceed with an adoption.
- What if my child needs special psychological or medical care?Most children who are adopted through AdoptionWorks are eligible for Medical Assistance.
- How much information will I receive about a child whom I might consider adopting?We will provide you with all of the information about a child that we are able to obtain from the agency that is serving as the child’s guardian. Information may include a medical, social and developmental history that is collected from professionals involved in caring for the child. We will assist you with making a decision as to whether the child and your family are a good fit.
- Can a biological family reclaim a child placed for adoption through AdoptionWorks?Many of the children are legally free and cannot be reclaimed by their biological parents. Some children’s birth parents’ rights have not yet been terminated, but the state that has custody of the child is in the process of terminating their parental rights.
- What is AdoptionWorks?AdoptionWorks is a program at Adoptions Together that facilitates the adoption of school-aged children who are growing up in public foster care throughout the United States.
- What if I already have a home study and/or have attended pre-adoption training elsewhere?We require all families entering the program to attend our AdoptionWorks training and have their Home Study completed by our agency.
- Who can apply?Individuals and families of all types are encouraged to apply. Adoptions Together works with many types of families including single applicants, married couples and those with or without children.
- Can I adopt a child whose race is different from mine through AdoptionWorks?Yes. Part of the training provided explores trans-racial adoption issues.
- What does it cost to participate in the AdoptionWorks program?