Frequently asked questions for adoptive families.
What are the requirements for an adoptive family?
- Married, man and wife, for a minimum of two years if it is the first marriage for both and for five years if either has been married
previously. - Minimum 21 years of age and no older than 45 at the time of application.
- No more than two biological children in the home.
- All prospective adoptive parents must be actively involved in a Christ-centered church of their choosing.
How long will we have to wait for a baby?
This is a difficult question to answer in some respects. Please see our timeline graphic for more information. Adoption will take a year at a minimum from start to finish, but can often take longer depending on how long families wait to be chosen.
What is the cost?
The national average for a domestic infant adoption is about $40,000. Adoptions through DPA cost an average of $21-24,000. These fees include medical and legal costs as well as the agency services. You are also covering the costs of all services provided to your birth family as they are never asked for payment for any service. Fees are billed throughout the process and are not due in one lump sum. Please see the DPA Fee Agreement in the application documents for a breakdown of fees.
Do you place with couples out of state?
Yes! Out-of-state families must be willing to come to Oklahoma for pre-placement training and when their child is born at a minimum. The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) laws will apply and families will need to prepare for a longer stay in Oklahoma after the birth.
Can we choose our child's gender?
We do not permit gender preference. Many of our expectant parents do not choose to find out their baby’s gender or it is undetermined.
What preferences are we allowed to state?
You are able to state the age of child you are open to as well as whether you would take twins. You may also preference the racial background of the child and prenatal exposures you may be open to. Please see the Information on Child You Wish to Adopt page in the application documents for more information on what preferences adoptive parents state.
What is an open adoption?
We love this question! Open adoption means that there is some form of contact or relationship between the birth and adoptive family after placement. Adoptions can range from closed to semi-open to fully open. We believe openness is in the best interest of all parties as it gives adoptees access to information about their heritage and birth family and allows for more people that love the child to be part of their lives. It is not co-parenting and does not mean that the birth family has daily contact. Below is a brief description of the range of options available.
- A closed or confidential adoption means there is no exchange of identifying information and you do not meet the birth family. Closed adoptions are very rare and are facilitated at the request of the birth family only.
- A semi-open adoption means you stay connected with your birth family with the agency as a mediator. This arrangement involves the exchange of pictures, emails or letters, and often involves visits.
- An open adoption involves ongoing contact and visits with the birth family without the agency as a mediator. This type of relationship usually evolves over time, typically beginning as a semi-open adoption.