Domestic Program
For more information, please contact Melinda at 770.391.1511
or via email,
Melinda@hopeforchildren.org.
Take a look at the great families who are waiting to adopt a child. See the
Waiting Families
HOPE for Children, Inc. domestic program exists to provide permanent homes for children whose birth parents are unable to provide a positive future for their child. Birth parents come to
 us in a variety of ways including: referral from other social services or medical agencies such as hospitals, crisis pregnancy centers and health clinics, response to HOPE for Children yellow page listing or web page, and personal referrals from individuals who are aware of HOPE for Children's counseling and adoption services. The children in need of a family are usually healthy infants and may be of any racial background. Thank you for your interest in learning about how you can provide a loving home for a child who otherwise would not experience what you can offer.
HOPE for Children is dedicated to keeping the best interest of each child paramount. Our staff of social workers and professional counselors are highly trained to provide counseling to birth mothers (and birth fathers where appropriate) regarding making good decisions about the future of their child. Even though every day in America several thousand women are faced with an unplanned pregnancy, there are no quick answers because each situation is as unique as each human being. Often these women lack the support, encouragement and information needed to deal with the life that has begun within them. The job of the HOPE for Children Counselor is not to make a decision for the birth mother, but rather to help her come up with a plan that will set up her child, and herself, for a successful future. Even when the choice is not adoption, our counselor's goal is to help the birth mother have a plan which gives her confidence that her child's future is secure.
HOPE for Children provides the following free services for birth parents:
- Individual counseling which continues as long as it is needed.
- Housing to the birth mother through HOPE for Children's HOPE Home families and other resources.
- Assist birth mothers in finding the best doctor, choosing the hospital and completing the proper medical forms.
- Assist birth parents with all legal questions and requirements.
Process to adopt a domestic child
Free/No Obligation Orientation:
If you have an interest in learning about our adoption programs at HOPE for Children and want to get all your specific questions answered, the best way to do that is to schedule an orientation session. The orientation can be done in our office for Georgia residents or by telephone for residents outside of Georgia.
Formal Adoption Application:
Once you have made the decision to adopt a child, you will need to send us your completed Adoption Application. The non-refundable fee for the application and processing is $500. When we receive your Adoption Application, we will send you the Domestic Adoption Preparation Packet.
Domestic Adoption Preparation Packet:
This packet contains detailed instructions about preparing your Family
Picture Portfolio which will be shown to birth mothers. It gives you a
complete overview of how the domestic adoption process works.
Home Study ( Georgia Residents):
Once you've received your Domestic Adoption Preparation Packet, a HOPE for Children representative will contact you to schedule a home study. The home study consists of three visits as a couple (if applicable) and one visit with each spouse individually. At least one visit must take place in your home.
Home Study (Non-Georgia Residents):
Non-Georgia residents will need to schedule a home study to be completed by an agency licensed in your state. HOPE for Children will assist you in finding an agency or social worker to complete your home study. Once the completed home study is received by HOPE for Children, a home study update will be conducted by HOPE for Children.
Letter of Approval:
When your home study has been successfully completed and all required documents have been received, you will receive a letter of approval from HOPE for Children. At this time, the picture portfolio of your family will begin to be shown to prospective birth mothers.
Child Match:
When a birth mother selects you to adopt her child, you will be notified and given all the information needed to make your decision whether to accept the child.
Time Frame:
The time frame for adopting domestically varies dramatically based on the background of the child you are willing to consider for adoption. Historically, domestic adoptions through HOPE for Children have taken between 1 year and 4 years, with the average being a little over one year. Please speak with your HOPE for Children caseworker for details.
Costs:
The total cost for a domestic adoption depends on your state of residency, medical and legal expenses, and professional fees.
View our domestic program fees.
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