You don’t have to be rich to adopt. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Our family has adopted three times; twice through the foster care system and once by private domestic adoption. I have heard two statements, in one form or another, said many times. The first statement is, “You must be rich”, and the second is, “I would love to adopt, but I can’t afford it.”
Well, I can assure you that we are not rich. You do not have to be rich to adopt. In fact, adopting from the foster care system costs little to nothing for the adoptive family. Even a private domestic adoption doesn’t need to cost thousands of dollars. I have heard of private domestic adoptions costing as little as $2,000-3,000.
So, my advice is:
- Learn as much about adoption as possible- all aspects.
- Research your options.
- Shop around before hiring an attorney, a facilitator, or an agency. Also, shop around before hiring someone to conduct your home study. Even if you choose to contract with an adoption agency, you can usually find a licensed social worker who can do your home study for much less than those who are contracted to do them for the agency.
My personal motto is: where there’s a will, there’s a way.
