Q: Do we need to retain our own attorney?
A: AmericanKidz Adoption Services will provide all the personal legal representation at adoption related court procedures. Our attorneys are partners in the company ownership and provide all legal assistance personally. Therefore, you become well-known to them from the beginning of your relationship with AmericanKidz.
Q: What is a home study?
A:A home study is a legally mandated first step in any adoption. This is a comprehensive personal interview with potential adoptive parents, and anyone living in the home. The purpose of the home study is to create a written document which will represent you in a personable and realistic way, and will be used to introduce your family to professionals who are seeking adoptive parents for children and babies in need of adoption. The home study process highlights your personal developmental history, your relationships, interactions and experiences with children and your neighborhood. Home studies are performed by an Agency social worker. We will conduct the interviews in your home with the intent to approve it as a healthy and safe environment for children. Both Florida and Georgia have specific laws and regulations which govern who may received an approved home study. Although most families “pass” their home study, we cannot guarantee that every family who applies will receive an approved home study. There are many factors that are considered during the home study process, including age, drug use, criminal and abuse history and other factors. Please feel free to call AmericanKidz to discuss your unique situation.
Q: When should we start a home study?
A:Obtaining a home study is the first step on your adoption journey. Home studies take up to 2 months to complete and are valid for 1 year in Florida and Georgia. You should start your home study as soon as possible once you decide to begin the adoption process.
Q: Who should complete our home study?
A:AmericanKidz recommends that you only retain a licensed home study agency or licensed adoption agency to complete your home study. You should choose a professional who is familiar with the Interstate Compact (ICPC) process and who has completed multiple adoption home studies. If you already have a foster home study, you will still need to obtain a private home study. AmericanKidz is a fully licensed adoption agency with the expertise to provide a comprehensive home study accepted anywhere in the country.
Q: I'm single, can I adopt a child through your agency?
A:Yes! Our full services are also available for single parent adoptions.
Q: Can military couples adopt through your agency?
A:Absolutely. The military life will not preclude you from adopting.
Q: I have a medical condition, can I still adopt?
A:Persons with medical conditions are assessed on an individualized basis. As part of the home study process, you have to have a medical statement from your physician. The medical statement asks your physician to sign that you are physically and mentally stable to parent a child. Every family who adopts completes this part of the process regarding their health. There are many people with special health considerations who have successfully adopted.
Q: Does AmericanKidz represent adoptive parents in special needs adoptions through the foster care system?
A:Yes. If you are adopting a child who has already been placed with you through the foster care system, an AmericanKidz attorney can represent you for the adoption finalization. The attorney even advances the court filing fee so that you pay nothing. Once the case is over, the attorney bills the state agency and is reimbursed for fees and costs. You pay nothing for these services. We are experienced and can guide you through a process which can certainly be overwhelming. We pride ourselves in clearing the path for you.
Q: Does AmericanKidz work with families who have already been chosen by a birth mother through Facebook or another matching source?
A:Yes. AmericanKidz attorneys and social workers are very experienced in the matching process and can work with you to determine whether the potential birth mother who has contacted you is right for your family. Once retained, we immediately meet the birth mother and go with her to a pregnancy verification ultrasound, or if she is already attending doctor appointments, we obtain a copy of her medical records. The cost for these services is much lower than those provided to families who have not yet matched with a birth mother. AmericanKidz’ licensed private investigator is also available to complete a background investigation of your potential birth parents and advises you as to their background. AmericanKidz works hard to protect you from adoption fraud and to help you build a solid foundation upon which to build a successful adoption plan.
Q: Does AmericanKidz work with expectant mothers who have already chose an adoptive family through Facebook or another matching source?
A:Yes. If you are expecting a baby and have found a potential family on the internet, call us and we will help you screen them to make sure they are a home study certified family. Our services to you are free. If the family you have chosen has not completed a home study, we can assist them in getting the required documentation so that they will be legally ready to accept placement of your baby when the time comes.
For
answers to any of your questions, please feel free to contact
us. We are available twenty-four hours a day and will be happy
to assist you.
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