Welcome to A Chosen Child, Inc.!
 So
you are looking to adopt? You and your spouse or family have
gone through so much lately—a roller coaster of thoughts,
emotions, questions, and in many cases, even medical treatment.
The possibility of completing your family through adoption
keeps coming to mind.
After many conversations with family and friends, the decision
has been made and you want to proceed with adoption. You have
so many questions, but don’t know where to begin. What
is the process? How do I get an application?
What is the Home Study? For these
answers and more, you will also want to check out our Adoption
at a Glance section.
If you are in Orlando or the Central Florida area, we invite
you to attend one of our Adoption Seminars—an
excellent time to meet the staff and have your questions
answered
in person. A Chosen Child, Inc., can even assist in introducing
you to other adoptive parents who are going through the
process
and to parents who have received a placement and are adjusting
to their new life.
Of course, please feel free to contact
us if you need further assistance. We look forward
to the opportunity to work with you in the adoption process
and
in adding to your family!
Adoption at a Glance
The Process
The adoption process is not as difficult as you may
think, but it involves lots and lots of paperwork, and patience,
too! The following is a short list of the initial steps:
- Obtain and fill out an application.
- Send the application and application fee ($350.00) to
the offices of A Chosen Child, Inc.
- Attend the Adoption Seminar provided
by A Chosen Child, Inc.
- You will shortly thereafter receive agreements and other
documents in the mail that will have to be sent back to
us.
- Sending those documents back begins the Home Study process
(if you do not have a Home Study
already).
- Begin your profile/Birth
Parent Letter. We can provide you with samples
and assistance with this.
- After we have a positive Home Study report we will begin
to show your profile to prospective birth parents interested
in personally selecting a family for their baby.
Application
Thank you for your interest in adopting through A
Chosen Child, Inc.! Just click
here to download the application. A Chosen Child, Inc.
must have your original, signed forms; therefore, you must
return the application by mail to:
Clara Donis
A Chosen Child, Inc.
Attn: Clara Donis
1516 E. Colonial Drive, Ste. 200
Orlando, FL 32803
Home Study
The Home Study is the process that qualifies you
as parent(s) for adoption. It will seem that the pile of
paper
is never-ending, but this process is important to make sure
that all of our precious children receive a safe and loving
home. It is a tremendous responsibility that we take very
seriously.
The Home Study process which qualifies you as Adoptive Parent(s)
includes the following: criminal background checks, reference
letters, adoption education, character verification, and meetings
with a licensed social worker who can answer your many questions.
Once you have returned your application
and application fee, we will work with you in completing
the Home Study. If you already have a Home Study from
another
agency, there will be a small charge for us to review your
Home Study and verify that it meets the legal requirements
and standards of the State of Florida.
Because a Home Study is valid for only one year,
you will want to choose an agency and begin the process of
application before you begin your Home Study.
Adoption Seminar
The Adoption Seminar at A Chosen Child, Inc., is
a great opportunity to become more educated in the adoption
process. It is also a time to meet the staff with whom you
will be working. The detailed seminar is about three hours
in length. The cost of the seminar is included in your application
fee and counts toward the "adoption education" component
of your adoption
Home Study. Our
seminars are held once a month and are limited to 10 people
or 5 couples. This allows time for each person to have his/her
questions answered. Private consultations are also available
at slightly higher cost. To register, please contact
us to give us the names of those attending and a phone
number(s) where you can be reached. We look forward to
seeing
you there!
Tips for Keeping Busy
Keeping yourself busy and occupied will seem to make
the time go by more quickly. Here are a few tips to help:
- Start a hobby
- Complete those unfinished projects and/or start a new
one
- Read about parenting an adopted child
- Join an adoptive parents support group
- Talk to others—friends, doctors, etc.
- Take a parenting class
Financial Assistance with Your Adoption
ADOPTION TAX CREDIT
Many families will qualify for the Adoption Tax Credit against
their Federal Income Taxes. This is a dollar-for-dollar
reduction in your tax bill for the expenses incurred in
your
adoption. Currently, the credit is in excess of $11,600 and
it adjusts annually for cost of living. Check with your
accountant regarding eligibility.
EMPLOYEE ADOPTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
In addition to the Federal Adoption Tax Credit, many employers
provide adoption assistance of $1,000 to $6,000 as part
of the
employee’s
benefits package. Check with your benefits office regarding
the availability of any such benefits.
STATE SUBSIDIES
Many children qualify for state sponsored subsidies to assist
families in adopting. These typically include Medicaid coverage,
assistance with legal expenses and a monthly stipend to assist
with the child’s living expenses. These benefits are
available for older children (8 years and older), sibling
groups, special medical/emotional needs children, and some
children of bi-racial, multi-racial, and full African American
decent.
For information on how to obtain a Social Security number for Children
in Adoption Cases, please visit:
https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0100206040
For information on how to claim your child for tax purposes while the adoption is still
pending, please visit the following IRS web site.
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc607.html
Health Coverage for an adoptive child -- Click HERE
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