The word “adoption” conjures up different images for different people, and for good reason. Adoptive parents have several paths to choose from, including independent adoption, private adoption, and foster care adoption. And along those various paths are even more choices, such as fostadopt, open adoption, semi-open adoption, and closed adoption, as well as various types of agencies that help birth parents and adoptive parents move the process to completion.
Independent adoptions are done privately and directly between the birth parent and adoptive family, or with the assistance of an adoption center or attorney; there is no legal intermediary. If you need more assistance as well as someone to serve as a go-between between you and the birth parent, adopting through a private agency will be best. Private agencies will work hard to find an appropriate match for all parties involved. Foster care adoption also provides an intermediary (a county social worker), but involves more uncertainty, as most birth parents will be actively pursuing reunification with their child or children.
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