Q. Why does adoption cost so much?
A. I don’t know.
It seems to me like the local church would have set up an adoption network long ago. The state is busy handling its own adoptions, and has done a fairly good job of getting children into safe homes with little or no cost to those resource parents who are rescuing the at-risk children. For this, I applaud the state. As a licensed Foster parent I see first-hand the care and concern that the state has for children. They make decisions that the church may disagree with, but I have not seen any church start a foster initiative. Please correct me if I am wrong. Ministries like this need to be publicized.
When adopting a child in the US that is not already in the state’s care (DCFS) the only two options that we have learned of are using an adoption agency or an adoption attorney. Option one is a flat $15,000 to the agency before any legal fees, court cost, birth mother care, home study, or out of pocket expenses. Option two is billed at $300.00 an hour with some cost of the process pre-determined.
In our case, in order for the birth father to say that he is willing to sign over his rights, we need a $2,500 retainer. That is simply to eliminate one parent. In a DCFS situation simple failure to appear in court could be termination of rights.
What can the church do?
Several things! The first thing that almost any church of any size can do is to start an adoption grant or missions fund. This fund can be administrated by the deacons or an elected committee. When a couple does try to adopt a child the church can be a first responder in several areas: recommend a reputable attorney in that state, make the first sizable donation, provide support to the adoptive parents and birth parents if possible, and assist in providing man power for local fund raisers like rummage sales and silent auctions.
The next thing that the church needs to do as a whole is establish an interdenominational nationwide adoption attorney network. Each state has its own laws for adoption so a lawyer in Indiana cannot, in many cases, practice in Florida. This network should be supported by the local church. It could then afford to provide free or greatly discounted services in the amount of donations received. This could greatly reduce the financial load on adoptive parents. One of the church’s main focuses should be caring for the widows and the fatherless, and in my opinion, we are sorely lacking in both of these areas.
