Frequently Asked Questions About Adoption
Frequently Asked Questions About Adoption

We’ve included our most frequently asked questions about adoption below. If you still have questions, please call or text us at 1-800-923-6784. We’re here to help you.
What is open adoption?
Is open adoption right for us?
One important aspect of open adoption is the sharing of medical and genetic information. This will help you and your pediatrician provide the best care for your child. There are certain genetic diseases such as sickle cell anemia that if diagnosed early can be managed or treated. Having the family medical history and the pre-natal medical records is a valuable resource for your pediatrician. Being able to contact the birth family can also be an enormous benefit if a medical situation should arise, and your child should need a bone marrow or some other biological need that the birth family could provide.
We have found that open adoption results in fewer reclaims. Our birth mothers are offered professional counseling and peer counseling. They understand that placing their child for adoptions does not mean she will never hear how her child is doing or see her child again. Most birth parents really just want to know their child is growing up healthy and happy in a loving home. Matching with a birth mother interested in similar contact after the adoption is final is an important part of the adoption process. Open adoption is truly a benefit to everyone involved in the adoption.
How can we find out more about your organization, since we live in another state?
We will send adoptive family and professional references to you once we have received your application, allowing you to speak to others who have adopted though us.
We live in another state. Can you still help us?
How long will it take to adopt?
This process can be faster for bi-racial and African American families. We often have birth mothers who prefer an African American or bi-racial family to adopt their baby or child.
One main determining factor is adoption preferences. The more open you are, in general, the more opportunities will come your way. If you are very limited in terms of race, age, and gender, the fewer birth mothers will view your profile. There are also factors such as substance abuse exposure and geographic area choices that can be limiting. While some of your preferences may prolong your adoption journey, it is still important that you truly search your heart for what is important to you. If it is important to you to adopt an African American or bi-racial baby, then you do need to share that information with your adoption coordinator.
Another factor is the quality of your profile. The important factor is to develop a profile that truly represents you and the amazing parents you will be. The adoption trek is not always easy, but your dream of growing your family makes it well worth it. Put the work and your heart into your profile. A birth mother will see the love and truthfulness come across. She is looking for a family that she can connect to, that she feels will suit her baby. This is why it is so important to be yourselves. You never know what a birth mother will connect to. You will have the assistance of an adoption coordinator to help you with your profile, but it is your story to tell.
How are we presented to African American or bi-racial birth families?
Do you have newborns or infants now?
There are many different scenarios, and these all change by the day. You can read about many of our African American birth mother stories at Birth Parents Currently Seeking Families. Our adoption coordinators are constantly reviewing new birth mothers and adoptive families to match them, so we also have birth mothers who match quickly and are not posted on the site.
If I adopt a newborn, how old is the baby when I receive him/her?
Do you have older children in need of homes?
A professional counselor will work with the birth family and the adoptive family to create a transition plan in an older child adoption situation. The plan will take into account the reason for the adoption, the child’s age, and the child’s personality. The well-being of the child or children will be the most important aspect of the transition plan.
What ages of children do you have available?
Who is eligible to adopt?
At Lifetime, we limit the number of families we work with and try to maintain a mix of families. We do find that African American families and single African American parents are in higher demand with our birth mothers.
Where do your birth parents and children come from?
Do you ever have twins?
We have children already, can we apply?
Do you have age requirements for adoptive parent(s)?
How much does adoption cost?
For birth families, there is never a cost. All services at Lifetime Adoption are free when placing a child for adoption. Many expectant mothers are having difficulty with the financial burden of pregnancy and may be having a hard time finding medical care and other essential services she needs at this time. We will provide counseling, legal assistance, and help with any other pregnancy-related expenses a birth mother is in need of. We feel a birth mother deserves these services, and we find that they have greater faith in their decision to place their child for adoption when they have been provided the resources and counseling needed.
At Lifetime Adoption, adoptive parents pay a one-time, flat fee that covers all of Lifetime’s services. This includes the extensive services for adoptive families as well as the services we provide for birth families. Lifetime’s services for adoptive families is comprehensive. We will guide you through the entire adoption process. From helping you create your profile, to providing educational articles and webinars, to actively promoting you to birth mothers we feel would be a good match. While most of your contact may be with your adoption coordinator, know that there is a whole team of people right behind her helping her provide the best service and support possible to make your adoption dreams come true.
When adopting through an attorney, facilitator, or agency, you will want to read the contract carefully to understand what is covered under the initial fee. Lifetime Adoptions has a one-time, flat fee for our services and the resources we provide. You will want to budget for your home study, which can cost between $1,500 and $5,000, and any travel expenses that may occur depending on where your birth mother is located.
Make sure you are working with an adoption professional that has a great success rate and a low reclaim rate. At Lifetime Adoption, we work with expectant mothers and make sure they understand all of their options, receive all of the counseling, and have access to all of the resources they need.
There are resources available to help you with the cost of adoption.
Federal Tax Credits
Grants
Loans
Employer Assistance
There are options available for financing your adoption.
Is there a fee to apply for your program?
What about the baby’s health?
Can we come and meet the staff we will be working with?
Often we are able to meet our families when they are coming to pick up their child if the adoption is in California or Florida. This is an exciting time for everyone!
If you are unable to come to visit, you can still speak to us by phone. After you receive notice that you have been accepted into the program, you are then given the choice to schedule a phone conference with an adoption coordinator to answer your questions about our program. There is no cost for this. We want to make sure all your questions are answered.
What is a home study?
A social worker will be in charge of the process. She will conduct in home meetings, run a criminal and financial background check as well as a medical history. She will ask for personal references and interview all members of your household and perhaps extended family.
This process can vary from state to state, and your adoption coordinator will be able to provide the details you need for the state you live in. This process can take up to six months. This is where it will help to be very organized and to have a “to-do” list that will help you organize and submit all of the documents requested by your home study social worker. In general, this needs to be complete before an adoption can begin, so be sure to work as quickly and as accurately as possible.
Can we reach you after hours and on the weekends?
What do we need to get started?
What happens if the birth mom changes her mind before or after placement?
How can we prevent a scam?
It is unfortunate that there are people out there who would try to hurt you emotionally or financially when you are embarking on such a personal journey. We are here to use our knowledge and experience to protect you from that type of heartache.
We hope that you were able to find in our frequently asked questions about adoption, but if you still have questions, please call or text us at 1-800-923-6784. We’re here to help you.