Understanding the Adoption Time Frame [The Process]

Adoption is a journey, and in some cases, it can be an extended one. However, the wait is often well worth it and is meant to ensure the involved parties have a positive experience. While the steps in the process are similar in domestic adoptions, the adoption timeline in Kansas can vary greatly.

One of the top questions of hopeful parents considering adoption is, “How long will it take to adopt a child?” You may also have questions about the process and the average time it takes to adopt in Kansas, such as:

• How does adoption work?
• What steps lead up to adoption finalization?
• How long is the adoption time frame in Kansas on average?
• How can working with American Adoptions reduce my adoption wait in Kansas?
• And many more

Many adoptive parents are concerned with Kansas adoption wait times and what they can mean for them. Thankfully, answers are easy to find when you speak with an adoption professional. Simply complete our online form when you’re ready, and we’ll connect you with an experienced adoption professional.

Meanwhile, keep reading below for more info on the basics of the adoption process, the Kansas adoption timeline, and how American Adoptions works to minimize your adoption wait.

How Much Time Does It Take to Adopt a Child in KS? [Understanding the Process]

Adoption is complicated and waiting times for adoption in Kansas can vary based on specific factors present in your adoption. Understanding what can extend Kansas adoption time frames requires knowing more about the steps involved in the adoption process.

The steps in the adoption process are:

1. Decide that adoption is right for you: Adopting a child is a long-term commitment, so you must be diligent in determining whether adoption is the best way for you to build your family. 
2. Choose the type of adoption you want: There are several types of adoption, and your choice can impact the overall time to adoption in Kansas.
3. Find an adoption agency: Your adoption agency will be with you throughout the time period it takes to adopt a child in Kansas. Using a national adoption agency can reduce the Kansas adoption wait and offer robust resources.
4. Complete the home study: Every adoption requires a home study, and they can be lengthy at times. That can make your Kansas wait for adoption longer, though home studies benefit everyone involved.
5. Connect with an expectant birth mother: Finding the perfect adoption opportunity for your family can extend your Kansas adoption timeline. After you’re connected with the expectant birth mother, you’ll need time to get to know her and build a relationship.
6. Follow the hospital plan: The expectant birth mother communicates her wishes for the birth through her hospital plan, so you’ll know how she wants things to go during the birth and transfer of physical custody.
7. Finalize the adoption: The adoption finalization hearing usually occurs several months after the physical placement of the child. Waiting for finalization can extend the adoption wait in Kansas.

Each step in the adoption process is necessary, but there are several potential speedbumps that may extend your adoption timeline in Kansas.

What Can Cause Extended Adoption Time Frames?

Multiple factors in the Kansas adoption time frame can cause your adoption experience to stall as you wait to move on to the next step in the process. What can cause a longer adoption timeline in Kansas? The factors involved may include the type of adoption you’re pursuing, your choice of agency, the adoption home study process, and ICPC approval.

These factors are discussed in greater depth below.

• Type of adoption: Some types of adoption take longer than others and result in longer adoption wait times in Kansas. An international adoption, for example, may take longer than a domestic private adoption since the regulations of multiple governments must be respected. Or, in foster care adoptions, a child may only be eligible for adoption once the parental rights of the birth parents are terminated, which can take years.
• Agency choice: Agency choice also impacts your overall adoption time frame in Kansas. Choosing a local private adoption agency that works with only a few local expectant birth mothers can result in a longer adoption timeline in Kansas. Working with a national adoption agency like American Adoptions expands your adoption opportunities across the country, dramatically shortening your Kansas adoption timeline.
• The adoption home study: The adoption home study must be thorough, which can take time. Factors that may lead to longer home studies include local laws and regulations, issues in the background check, or remediation of safety concerns in your home. The average home study takes about 90 days to complete, but preparation from your adoption professional can improve your chances of an expedited study and a timely adoption in KS.
• ICPC: The Interstate Compact on Child Placement, or ICPC, is one of the few federal laws that regulate adoption in the U.S. If your adoption will take place across state lines, both states must review documentation such as the adoptive parent's home study, consent paperwork, and other legal documents before the transfer of custody can occur. The timeline for approval can vary, which can impact your adoption wait in KS.  

How American Adoptions of Kansas Works to Shorten Adoption Wait Times

At American Adoptions, we go to great lengths to minimize Kansas adoption wait times for families seeking to adopt. Our decades of experience, national reach, and robust resources allow us to offer some of the shortest adoption time frames available.

A lot of the things your American Adoption specialist will do to shorten your KS adoption time frame occur behind the scenes. Some of the ways that your adoption professional is working to accelerate your infant adoption wait in Kansas include:

• Advertising – American Adoptions extensively markets our agency to women considering adoption. To get a similar level of exposure elsewhere, you’d need to join the waiting list at 25 other agencies at the same time. We advertise through crisis pregnancy centers, Yellow Pages, hospitals, social media and other adoption websites, just to name a few. This helps more prospective birth mothers find our agency, which creates more adoption opportunities and reduces the average adoption wait in Kansas for our families.
• Networking – We network with other adoption professionals throughout the United States, and those professionals can contact our agency if they’re working with a birth mother who needs a family.
• National Exposure – Local adoption professionals only work with a few pregnant mothers in their state or region. National agencies like American Adoptions work with pregnant mothers across the U.S. That means you may get an adoption opportunity more quickly.
• Balance – American Adoptions keeps track of the number of adoptions completed and the number of adoptive families working with our agency to ensure accurate wait time estimates. American Adoptions professionals are licensed, and our wait times are confirmed by state authorities. Unlicensed professionals sometimes promise false adoption wait times with no accountability.
• 24/7 Availability – When a woman considering adoption calls our agency, we always answer the phone. Our adoption specialists are on call 24/7, meaning a woman will never receive a voicemail and contact another agency.

You can be sure when working with American Adoptions that your adoption specialist is doing everything possible to shorten wait periods to adopt a newborn in Kansas. They’re invested in your success and want to see your dreams of building a family come to fruition.

Closing Thoughts on the Adoption Timeline [Expediting the Process]

Understanding the adoption process timeline can help you set your expectations and avoid adoption wait depression. While your adoption professional will give you an estimate of the waiting times for adoption in Kansas, there are many variables that can lead to unexpected extensions of the adoption time frame in Kansas.

If you’re a hopeful adoptive parent seeking to learn more about the adoption process and what factors influence adoption wait in Kansas, you can speak with a professional today. Simply call 1-800-ADOPTION or complete our online form. We’ll connect you with one of our experienced adoption specialists.

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