Types of Adoption

Whether you hope to adopt from a foreign land or from the other side of town, a lack of information can cost you a lot of money and break your heart. But you're not on your own; American families adopt tens of thousands of babies and young children every year. Here's what you need to know to find the child who's waiting for you.

In 1998, an estimated 70,000 children were adopted in the United States from American birth mothers by nonrelatives. Roughly half were infants, and most of the rest were adopted from foster homes.

But there are more prospective adoptive families than there are healthy babies needing parents -- the increasing acceptance of single motherhood is one factor in this -- so international adoptions are rising. In 1998, about 16,000 children were adopted in the U.S. from other nations; one-quarter of them were from Russia, and another quarter were from mainland China. As many as 60 percent of the children adopted internationally are under 1 year of age, and another 30 percent are between 1 and 4 years old.

If you decide to adopt, you'll have to choose between domestic and international adoption and also among these methods of adoption:

Public. State and county agencies find homes for children who are in foster care or institutions, so this is a good place to start if you're interested in an older child. They're funded by taxpayer money and often can place a child at little or no expense to the adoptive parents.

Private. Nonprofit organizations -- many of them affiliated with churches -- place American and foreign-born children with adoptive families; some work with public agencies to find homes for foster children, but many also place infants. Contact one of those organizations if your heart is set on a baby. They operate on fees and donations.

Independent. An adoption attorney or other intermediary arranges the adoption. To find a good attorney, join an adoptive-parents group -- or more than one -- and ask them lots of questions. Contact Adoptive Families (800-372-3300) and ask for a copy of the latest Guide to Adoption, which lists support groups. Keep these cautions in mind: Independent adoptions are illegal in some states, and if a child adopted independently has emotional or physical problems, government assistance may not be available.

Another factor to consider: Adoptions can be open, semi-open, or closed. In an open adoption, the birth parents and the adoptive family exchange names and addresses and maintain contact. Less information is shared and communication takes place through a third party in a semi-open adoption. In a closed adoption, no identifying information is exchanged, and the records are sealed.

Always check with the adoption specialists in your state government. You'll usually find them in the human-services or social services office. Ask if people have complained about the agency you're considering and if it's been penalized for improper actions. Also ask for information about state programs pertaining to adoption subsidies, medical benefits, and reimbursements for expenses. These policies vary from state to state.