Steps In The Adoption Process

• This is a free meeting with a social worker of AOW ( Adoptions of Wisconsin)  and provides an opportunity to learn about AOW services and to ask questions.

Begin the Home Study Process

• Contact us by email or by phone and let us know you would like to begin the home study process.  We will send you a packet to begin.   This packet includes our application for adoption home study, home study fee structure, releases for law enforcement, DMV, and county social services background checks.  When you turn in your application, the application fee of $300 is due.  Any fees for background checks will be billed directly to you.  If you are a family from outside of Wisconsin, please only complete our home study application and a Confidential Release of Information for the home study agency in your state so that we may request your home study. 

Join our Agency Outreach Program Waiting List

• AOW's Outreach Program serves 20 prospective adoptive families at one time.  Families leave the Outreach Program when their child is placed with them for adoption and the next adoptive family from the waiting list enters the Outreach Program. 
• Add your name to the Outreach Program wait list by turning in the Agency Adoption Fee Agreement and deposit.  Families can join the waiting list while they are completing their home study.   

Obtain the Required Pre-adoptive Training for First Time Adoptive Parents

• Wisconsin Statutes require first time prospective adoptive parents to receive pre-adoption preparation training. The pre-adoptive training is required of all unrelated, first-time, adoptive parents which includes domestic, special needs, and international adoptions.

• Explore the training and education opportunities that fit your family best  and submit your education plan to your social worker for approval.  Preference is given to class-based education over internet courses. 

Develop Your Family Profile

• A Family Profile is a picture gallery and written summary that is used to introduce you to expectant birth parents.  The profile should contain information on your personality, career, lifestyle, hobbies, religion and dreams for the future. This profile is your first opportunity to connect with expectant birth parents on a personal level and put into words the warmth and love you could offer to a child.  Please review the information entitled Suggestions for the Family Profile.  Adoptions of Wisconsin will assist you every step of the way in developing your family profile.    
• Enter the Outreach Program  

Meeting Expectant Birth Parents

• Through our extensive outreach programs we connect with expectant birth parents across Wisconsin. Once we have been contacted by prospective birth parents, our agency works with them to discuss their options and gain information regarding the direction they would like to take.  We use this information to gather the appropriate family profiles that fit the desires of the expectant birth parent.  This process is designed around the recognition that expectant birth parents are in charge of making the parenting choice of choosing the family for their child.  The expectant birth parent will carefully consider each family presented to them and select the family or families with whom they feel most comfortable to progress forward in meeting or to commit to from the profile viewing alone.

After the birth

• Adoptive families that have completed a Wisconsin home study and received a pre-adoptive foster care license can take direct placement (also called an at-risk placement) of their child from the hospital if the birth family and adoptive family have decided that is in each of their best interests.  This is a very exciting time for adoptive families as well as a time of loss for birth parents.  Your social worker and the birth parent’s social worker will be providing assistance and support during this time. 

The Termination of Parental Rights (TPR)

• This is a court hearing in which the rights of the birth parents are terminated in order for the child to be legally placed for adoption.  Birth parents have the ability to make any choices regarding their child until the termination of parental rights hearing, including the choice to parent themselves.  The time between the child’s birth and the termination of parental rights can be a difficult time for both birth parents and adoptive families.  Your social worker will assist you and support you during this time and the birth parent’s social worker will be doing the same for her. 

Post Placement Supervision

• Usually a child lives with the adoptive family for at least six months before the adoption is legally finalized. During this time, before the adoption is finalized your social worker will  visit you several times both in your home and at the AOW office to ensure that the child is well cared for and you are receiving needed information and support.  After this period, the agency will submit a written recommendation of approval of the adoption to the court and will assist you with filing the appropriate forms to the court so that the adoption can be finalized.

Adoption Finalization