Single Mom Adoption

Single women who wish to experience the joys of raising their children can decide to adopt a child. You may feel overwhelmed by the challenges of adopting a child for the first time without the support of a partner and may be concerned about whether adoption agencies will be willing to work for you. The good news is that single moms’ adoption is possible in many states in the USA and is also on the rise.

Can I Adopt As A Single Mom?

A lot of single moms and dads do not have the time or willingness to enter into a lifetime relationship however they wish to experience the joy of parenthood. This is why many decide to adopt a child in the USA. Unlike in the 1960s when legislation or countries would frown upon people who want to adopt a child as solo parents, today the single-parent adoption requirements have changed drastically over the years in the United States and it is legal for single moms and dads to adopt a child. Indeed, many adoption agencies in the US and even international ones do not accept adoption applications from individuals who are unmarried while some agencies automatically reject the application based on marital status. The rules of adoption may vary from one state to another. Single moms who are looking to adopt a child can learn the challenges, rewards, legal process, and other important factors before making a well-informed decision.

How To Adopt As A Single Mom?

Whether you are deciding to adopt as a foster single mother for the first time or if it is your second try it is important to pay attention to the adoption process properly. Following are the steps outlined that will help single mother adoption possible.

1. Apply To An Adoption Agency

Applying to an adoption agency is the first and foremost toward completing your adoption application. You need to ask the right concerns and questions and make sure the adoption agency is licensed or accredited. The adoption agency whom you choose may ask you for references or referrals from clients. You can ask the agency about the number of adoptions that they have completed over the past years and also keep a note of their previous track record. In addition, you can also ask them about the adoption fees that they’re charging or post-placement subsidies that you may be eligible for depending on your income, age, or employment background.

2. Walking Through Home Study

The process of evaluation and rigorous paperwork is known as home study on the parent’s end and this is quite an essential step. In this step, the adoption agency will be evaluating many factors: your home environment and the type of life that you will be giving to the child, taking into account. The home study process involves going through your health, work background, social standing, neighborhood, and finances. You might have to give reference letters from your employers, family members, or friends to the adoption agency to give verification of your character and background. Adoption agencies will ask you to offer childcare policies of employers as well as leave policies. Besides foster parents have to go through pre-adoption training to learn the challenges that are usually faced by adopted children. During this process, you get an opportunity to interact and connect with other adoptive single parents and share your struggles or experiences with them.

3. Submit Your Application And Wait

Once you finish the legal paperwork and undergo the background evaluation process the adoption agency will accept your adoption application. But getting a match as per your adoption application may take certain weeks or months. During this time you need to be patient and prepare your home environment to welcome the child. In case you do not get a match as per your application you will be sent personal information, photos, details of the child, and health status. Go through the personal information, photos, health status, and other relevant details about the child, and take time to go through the profile. Single mothers are free to reject the profile and seek for another match if they notice any red flags about the birth mother. In case you are not happy with the adoption agency that you are applying to you can cancel your adoption application and approach another licensed agency in its place. There are even cases where a black single mom adopts a white child and mentions their desires in the application process.

Benefits Of Adopting As A Single Mother

When people think of adoption they automatically think of an image of a married couple who are willing to expand or start their family. But what about single women or men and do they get equal rights to bring a child into their home? Adoption agencies today are considering single men and women as prospective adopters and many children are living in single-parent families today. Adopting as a solo mother is no longer uncommon and there are a plethora of benefits such as following.

1. Single Parent Freedom

Being a single adoptive mother you get to take all the decisions for the family on your own. This also makes way for the best possible outcome without compromising a partner’s needs, demands, and beliefs. Single moms do not carry the burden of their partners and confuse the child with conflicting demands. This situation eradicates potential disagreement among parents and those in the best interest of the child. Because of the lack of house conflict, the child tends to feel more secure environmentally.

2. Independence And Responsibility

It is no doubt that single mothers experience hardship in life and raising a child does not come easy, however, single-parent adoption provides a myriad of opportunities that leads to happiness in life. Single mothers deserve an opportunity to start their own families and many adoption agencies make the dream possible for them. It takes a village to raise a child and single mothers might need to rely on others to take care of the children. Two-parent households have difficulties as well in balancing parenthood with a relationship, hobbies, and work. Children of single mothers get several supporters both in person and online. Single mothers work overtime and double responsibilities and their children tend to notice them and this encourages maturity and them. They become independent and responsible from a young age.

Tips For Single Mothers Who Wish To Adopt A Child

If you are willing to adopt a child as a single mom then following tips and strategies will help you to get started.

1. Be Prepared Financially

Single mothers should not rush for a child’s adoption if they are not responsible for their work life or if they are financially struggling. Adopting as a single mom and taking a child into your home requires long-term implications and almost every adoption agency will assess if adoptive parents can provide their children a stable and secure future Therefore before applying for adoption it is important to prepare yourself financially.

2. Join Support Groups

Many support groups are filled with adoptive or foster parents who recently adopted children and are waiting for adoption. Even a single mom looking to adopt a child can join these groups and connect with like-minded parents. You can learn the ins and outs of adoption from them. Single adoptive moms can learn from each other‘s challenges and experiences and overcome them in a better way. You also get to learn parenting tips that can go a long way to help you.

 3. Collect References

Do not hesitate to reach out to your friends or family members for a reference letter. If you have someone in your family or friends group who has adopted before or knows anyone like that then taking their references will help you enormously. Also, do not be afraid to talk to an adoption counselor and reach out for help. Many foster parents are afraid to seek support or help from others.

Now that you know the tips and tricks you can take time in filing your application for foster parent adoption. Learn to take time to prepare yourself emotionally and mentally and get the paperwork done within time. Be sure to reach out to adoption agencies for single moms or speak to an adoption counselor if you have any doubts or questions in mind.

Single Mom Adoption Agencies

Following is the list of single mom adoption agencies in the USA.

1. Children’s Home Society of Minnesota

The organization has paired hundreds of children with loving and caring single parents. Most of the children that are adopted by solo moms and dads are school-aged children or those who have unidentified developmental conditions. There are many opportunities for single moms and dads to adopt through international domestic programs and the eligibility requirements of every program may change. The match between single parents and children can happen through international programs and advocacy efforts.

2. LifeLong Adoptions

This adoption agency has had many successful single-parent adoptions over a few years. Irrespective of whether your definition of single is not in a relationship or a relationship but unmarried you can go for single-parent adoption by approaching this organization. The parent adoption services by the organization enable thousands of children in the USA and other countries to live with single women and men and get a nurturing home environment.

3. Adoptions From The Heart

This agency offers domestic adoption programs for LGBTQ communities and single parents throughout the United States. The adoption time frame of the organization may vary since it works closely with pregnant women and helps them to choose the right family and raise a child.

4. Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption

This agency provides resources to everyone and is involved especially with the foster care options. Dave Thomas Foundation provides a step-by-step guide to adoption and even a list of recruiters across the United States who are seeking families for kids waiting in foster care.

5. American Adoptions

This agency has been operating for more than 25 years and has helped more than 5000 families through the foster care system. Foster care adoption has been common among single moms and dads since 2011. 30% of kids have been adopted by single people from foster care. This is an amazing option for parents who are looking to adopt older children as kids become available for adoption and foster care when they cannot be reunited with their birth family.

Adopt A Single Mom For Christmas

Inspired by Donna Nelson the founder of Adopt A Single Mom Project For Christmas, a grassroots organization that was established in 2017 where she gifts working single mothers gift items at Christmas. The founder was inspired by the idea that many working single mothers spend their Christmas holidays alone with their kids without buying any Christmas gifts for themselves and their children. This is the reason why she started the Christmas program keeping in mind the needs and happiness of single moms. Adopt A Single Mom Project For Christmas supports community resource events, moms’ night out, and many other programs to help single moms who are battling financial, emotional, and other problems in life. The organization is a single mom who is facing difficulties and has no meaningful financial and social safety net. The common gaps which working single moms have to face are safe affordable housing, lack of accessible and affordable childcare, sustainable living wages for workplace flexibility, meaningful social support, food insecurity, and accessible public transportation.

Conclusion

Adopting as a single mom is not easy however it is possible and can be a rewarding journey. Never give up if you have been turned down the first time and keep trying again and again. You need to navigate the process of adoption on your own and find out whether you can afford it. Realizing the cost of adoption and making a savings plan will take you a bit closer to fulfilling your dream. This allows single mothers to grow their families and also spread their love and affection to children who need it the most.