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Step 1
Contact the nearest office of Catholic Charities in your area (see Resources). Indicate your interest in applying for an adoption and schedule the initial home study with the local adoption worker. Read through the requirements for adoptive parents from the Catholic Charities office.
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Step 2
Prepare the medical records, financial and tax documents, application documents, personal references and interview questions for the home study. This is the first phase of the adoption process to help the agency assess the readiness of adoptive parents and the type of child that would best fit in your home. You will also need to have background checks as part of the home study process.
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Step 3
Participate in required interviews at home and at the Catholic Charities adoption office. Attend parenting and adoption classes as they are offered. Each state has different laws for adoptive parents regarding background checks, quantity of pre-adoption education required for parents and fees.
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Step 4
Think about what kind of child you might want to bring into your home. Infants, toddlers, young children, teenagers and special needs children all have listings at adoption agencies. If you are seeking to adopt a child of a different ethnic background than yourself, research the heritage and culture of that ethnicity while you wait for matches with expecting parents. For special needs children, learn about their needs.
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Step 5
Consider the pros and cons of a closed adoption, a semi-open adoption or an open adoption. Discuss with your adoption counselor which one seems best for you before making a decision. Ask questions and stay in clear communication with your adoption counselor during the matching process. Take advantage of post-adoption programs to help you adjust to the transition of having a new child in your home.
