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Review of Qualification Requirements for Prospective Adoptive Parents, Page 4

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Financial Status: The ability to pay the costs and fees that will be associated with an adoption placement is a pretty important element in any adoption. Some privately funded adoption agencies are not subsidized by outside financial sources and may not be able to offer much flexibility in payment options. Others (usually those that receive outside or public funding) will have a sliding scale for fees based on total family income, or reduced flat fees, based on need. Beyond that, it is important that an adopting family will be able to manage its available family income and other resources to properly support all of its children, including the child the family hopes to adopt. The federal Adoption Expense Income Tax Credit can also be a source of useful financial assistance for those families who qualify.

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Employment Stability: Since the stability of employment by the breadwinner(s) in a family can significantly impact not only the financial well-being of a family, but also its social and emotional well-being, a history of employment stability, and the prospect of future employment stability, are always considered to be big plusses in the eyes of birthparents, who in many cases may know from their own painful first-hand experience what periods of unemployment can do to the morale and stability of a family. The adopters' type of work may also be significant to birthparents, if it involves a lot of time away from home or dangerous activities.

Housing: The adopters' family home can be in the country or in the city; can be an apartment, a townhouse, a mobile home or a house; can be owned or rented, and can have a big yard, or no yard at all. The family home should, however, be safe, clean and able to adequately accommodate the child, along with existing family members. Some factors that will be addressed by the adoption caseworker in the adoption homestudy will be: the fencing of a swimming pool or other water feature, the fencing of a back yard, the status of other individuals who are living in the family home, the presence of firearms in the home, or the presence of large dogs or other potentially dangerous animals in the area.

Medical Records: A complete medical history will be required for all adopting parents, regardless of whether they are infertile or fertile. In some instances, a psychological evaluation may also be required.

Criminal Background Check: Those who seek to adopt will have their backgrounds checked thoroughly in an attempt to uncover evidence of any prior legal or criminal problems, or any problems with child abuse, financial instability, or substance abuse. It is not uncommon for this to be the first time that a prospective adoptive parent learns of a problem in his or her spouse's past that can prevent them from obtaining approval for an adoption. All adoption agencies should be very willing to discuss their specific eligibility requirements and placement options with you, and you should be forthcoming and honest about problems in your past before the background check is done.

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