Are you eligible?

We match exceptional birth parents with equally exceptional adoptive families.

To qualify you must:

Be 27—45 years old and a U.S. citizen

Sign our Corporal Punishment Prohibited statement

Currently parenting no more than two children

Have medical insurance that will cover the adopted child at birth or placement

Accept either a semi-open or open Communications Plan with the parents placing the child

Have a minimum total income of $50,000 plus $10,000 for each child currently living in the home as reported on line 9 of your Income Tax Return Form 1040.

Have a life insurance policy to support the family should anything happen to either parent

If first marriage, be married for a minimum of two years; if second marriage, be married for five years (maximum of two marriages per parent)

If you qualify, the first step is to complete your home study.

An adoption home study is a legal requirement for any adoption. It’s a detailed report written by an individual or agency that is licensed in the adoptive parents’ state. If needed, Graceful Adoptions will help adoptive parents identify an individual or agency that can complete their adoption home study.

While every state has laws regarding when a home study expires, to work with Graceful Adoptions your home study and supporting documents must be dated within the last 12 months and updated each year until you are placed with an adoptive child.

Your home study documents must include:

Motivation for adoption and whether the family has biological, adopted, or foster children
Family and extended family’s attitude toward accepting an adopted child, and plans for discussing adoption with the child
The attitude towards adoption by significant others involved with the family
Emotional stability, marital history and assessment of marital relationship, including verification of marriages and divorces, and compatibility of adoptive parent(s)
Ability to cope with problems, stress, frustrations, crises, separation, and loss

Medical conditions which would affect the applicants’ ability to parent a child
Ability to provide for the child’s physical and emotional needs
Adjustment of biological children and previously adopted children, if any, including their attitude towards adoption, adjustments in the family and in school
Capacity to give and receive affection
Statements from at least three references provided by the family and other unsolicited references
Attitude of the adoptive applicants towards the birth parent(s) and the reason(s) the child is available for adoption
Income information
Disciplinary practices that will be used
History of abuse by family members and treatment
Assessment of commitment to and capacity to maintain other significant relationships
Substance use or abuse by family members and treatment
Recommendations for age, race, gender, health and post placement relationship desired

We also require the following:

FBI Fingerprint checks for anyone 14 years or older in home (must be dated within the last 12 months)*
Criminal History checks for anyone 14 years or older in home (must be dated within the last 12 months)*
Child Abuse Registry check within any state or country lived in the past five years (must be dated within the last 12 months)*
State Sex Offender Registry check of anyone 14 years or older in home (must be dated within the last 12 months)*
Applicants’ current driver’s licenses
Applicants’ current health insurance card*
Proof of life insurance for each applicant
Photocopies of reference statements/questionnaires*
Physician’s statement for each family member, may substitute current immunization records for children under 18 years of age*
Veterinary records including proof of current vaccinations for each pet
Birth certificates for everyone living in the home
Marriage certificate for the applicants, and if applicable, applicants’ divorce decree(s), notice of death of spouse(s)

Financial Summary (income vs. expenses, net worth, savings account statements)
Letter from employer verifying employment including length of employment, current job title and current salary*
1040 for current and past year*
Guardianship statement outlining who will parent the children
License of organization that completed the home study
Training certificates for Graceful Adoptions’ required training

*Graceful Adoptions requires the home study updated annually and requires copies of updated documents.

Required classes.

At Graceful Adoptions’ we believe parenting an adopted child is a life-long commitment and requires specific knowledge to ensure the child’s well-being.

In an effort to ensure Graceful Adoptions families are prepared for this journey, Graceful Adoptions has joined with Adoptions Learning Partners’ Participating Agency Program to deliver on-line adoption related training for our clients.

The following classes are required for all families who work with Graceful Adoptions:

Becoming Your Child’s Best Advocate

This course helps parents become better advocates for their children, identifying the resources and services their children may need.

Finding the Missing Pieces: Helping Adopted Children Cope With Grief & Loss

This course gives strategies and resources to help children express and deal with their feelings of grief associated with being adopted.

The Journey of Attachment

This course provides an understanding of the attachment process and the skills necessary to develop a secure attachment with a child.

Let’s Talk Adoption: A Lifetime of Family Conversations

This course focuses on a child’s understanding of what it means to be adopted and how it changes as they grow.

Tough Starts Series: Brain Development Matters

This course gives a thorough background on the impact that early trauma is likely to have had on the child’s brain chemistry, brain development and sensory processing. This fundamental knowledge paves the way to more informed parenting choices.

Conspicuous Families: Race, Culture and Adoption

This course is designed to help those who intend to adopt a child of a different race or ethnicity than themselves However, it’s recommended for all families because adoption in and of itself may be conspicuous.

Ain’t Misbehavin’ Discipline and the Adopted Child

This course helps parents better understand potential causes for challenging behaviors and then develop effective adoption friendly discipline plans to address them.

Open Adoption 101

This course will explain open adoption, will help you understand the placing parents’ perspectives and will offer some strategies for making openness part of your everyday life.

The following are required courses for all families adopting a child in our toddler program (one year or older):

Tough Starts Series: Parenting Matters

This course applies a strengths-based, therapeutic approach to helping parents connect in order to heal their child. The goal is to help parents respond to their child more insightfully, therefore shaping behavior more effectively.

Adopting the Older Child

This course addresses the challenges and joys of adopting a child older than an infant, highlighting the insights, skills and resources necessary to bring an adopted older child into the family.

We’re Home! Now What? For Parents of Newly Adopted Toddlers / Preschoolers

This course on how to settle in and thrive as a new adoptive family is designed to be taken by parents within the first weeks or months after coming home with their internationally adopted child. This course focuses on immediate issues families face such as language, sleeping, and eating.

Additional training may be assigned by Graceful Adoptions’ Service Director following the Application Interview or the Match Specific Interview to ensure adoptive parents’ preparedness and the child’s well-being.