Asking Questions of the Agency's References

Just as you will be expected to provide character references to your agency, your agency should also be willing to provide their own references that you can speak with. When choosing your own references you will choose people who like you and will say that you are (will be) a wonderful parent. In the same way, the agency references are most likely people who have had a successful experience with the agency and will say good things about them. It is still a good idea to speak with these references. Remember to be courteous when asking questions, but your references will be expecting most of these questions and understand why you need to ask them. Most people do not agree to be a reference for an agency if they do not wish to answer the types of questions prospective adoptive parents will ask.

Download Questions for Agency Reference

Be Prepared for These Questions

The following form includes many of the questions that you will be asked during your application and homestudy process.  For most agencies you will be required to write some form of autobiography and write out the answers to several questions.  You will also need to be prepared to discuss these things with the caseworker that will conduct your homestudy.  If you tend to be private by nature-and even if you aren't-it's a good idea to be read through these questions and prepare yourself to answer them.

Download Questions to Be Prepared For

Choosing a Country

When choosing a country to work with for your adoption, the following questions are important to consider.  If you've used this chart to record information on different country laws and requirements it will help you to complete the questionnaire. 

Download Questions to Choose Country Program

Selecting an Agency

The following form is a set of questions that is designed to help you narrow down which agency would work best for you. Only the first page of the questions is shown. The information found on the
Chart to Compare Agencies' General Policies and Chart to Compare Agencies with the Same Country Program would be used to help answer the questions.

Questions to Help Choose Your Agency

Thinking About Adoption Form

Sometimes when a person is first researching adoption it is seen as a means to an end-to be a parent. And adoption is a wonderful option to become a parent. But adoption does not end when the baby is placed in your arms or the child is home sleeping in the bedroom you have prepared. Adoption is a lifelong process. This questionaire is meant to help you think through your feelings about adoption and decide if you are ready for this wonderful, intense, beautiful, and sometimes demanding process.

Download Are You Ready to Adopt Questions

Making an Adoption Notebook or Storage System

One of the the first things I did when I started our first adoption was to write away and ask for information packets from every agency I could find. Before long I was drowning in paperwork, and then we needed to start collecting important documents and keeping them all in one place. For our daughter I purchased a 3 ring binder and tabs and made an adoption notebook. By the time we adopted our son there was even more paperwork to keep track of and it no longer fit into the largest 3 ring binder I could find, so I went to Walmart and bought a tall plastic container with a lid and handle made by Sterilite.



You can also find them online:

Sterilite Corp. 18964306 Large Show Offs Storage Container


I used the manilla file folders to keep everything organized. I eventually put all of the paperwork for my daughter in one of these boxes as well and have both of them in the closet, just in case I ever need anything from them or if the kids would like to look through them.

If you decide to create your own notebook or storage system, here are some possible labels to get you started:

International Adoption

Agency Contact Information
Information Packets (or label them by agency if you choose)
Budget
Pre-Application
Formal Application
Birth Certificates
Marriage License
Divorce Decrees
I600/I800
Dossier
Referral
Passports
Medical
Visa
Travel
Photos
Finalization
Lawyer
Citizenship

Domestic Adoption

Agency Contact Information
Information Packets (or label them by agency if you choose)
Budget
Pre-Application
Formal Application
Birth Certificates
Marriage License
Divorce Decrees
Birthmother Letters
Birthmother Contact
Passports
Medical
Travel
Photos
Finalization
Lawyer

Collecting Information for the Application

This form will help you get the information you need to fill out your applications all in one handy place. Not all applications will ask for all of this information, but all of them will ask for some and, most likely, most of this information. It's so much easier not to need to dig around and find addresses and phone numbers every time you fill out your forms.



Download Application Information Form