Wanting To Adopt

Adoption Placement Services

Are you considering adoption as a way to start a family? Catholic Charities is a licensed child-placing agency serving the state of Oklahoma. Children placed for adoption are infants placed in our custody by birth parents who have made an adoption plan for their baby. We provide our adoption services regardless of ethnicity or religious preference.

Guidelines for Infant Adoption

To protect the interests of the birth parents and the adoptive couple, no identifying information is released without prior consent. Each applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Residence within the State of Oklahoma
• Legally married for at least three years
• 24 years of age or older and at least one applicant not to exceed 42 years of age
• Provide a reference letter from clergy
• Must have income above the poverty level
• Discontinuation of infertility treatments prior to beginning of home study

Adoption Process

Adopting a child will involve making many decisions, and the wait can sometimes be lengthy. Catholic Charities cannot predict the length of the wait, but we will keep you updated with information along the way. If you choose to adopt through Catholic Charities, you can expect the following steps:

Pre-application – The agency selects families from the pre-applications that have been submitted. Typically, families who have been waiting the longest are selected first. 

Formal application – This step begins the home study process. References, medical and financial reports must be submitted. Fingerprints, OSBI background checks and DHS child abuse and neglect checks are done at this time. 

Adoptive family review – An agency committee reviews applicants who have completed their home study and makes a formal decision regarding approval. 

Adoptive preparation seminar – Each applicant is required to attend before finalizing an adoption. They will meet other adoptive couples and address various topics with adoption professionals. 

Birth parent review of profiles – Once approved, adoptive parent profiles are presented to birth parents to review and select a home for the baby. Profiles may be placed online for accessibility to potential birth parents. 

Placement of child – Each placement is unique. Staff will coordinate each step of the process, informing the adoptive couple along the way. Temporary foster care will be utilized before the birth mother relinquishes her rights. 

Post-placement supervision – The agency conducts a minimum of three scheduled and/or unscheduled visits within the first six months of placement. 

Finalization – Typically occurs six months after the adoptive couple receives the child. Adoptive couples are responsible for hiring their own attorney. At this time, the adoptive couple will obtain legal custody of the child.

Types of Adoption

There are two primary types of adoption – Open and Closed Adoption. Please continue reading for more information about the advantages and disadvantages of each as it relates to the birth parents, the adoptive parents and the child.

Both types of adoption processes are experienced differently by all involved. The most important thing for all parties involved in the adoption process is communication. The more communication about wishes, desires and expectations, the more comfortable each party will be in the adoption process. In a closed adoption, this communication takes place through the adoption agency or adoption attorney.

Fees

Catholic Charities Adoption Services charges fees to adoptive couples to cover costs associated with the adoption process. These cover:

• Home study services, updates and post-placement supervision until finalization 
• Legal fees for the birth parents 
• Counseling for the birth parents(s) and adoptive couples
• Financial support to birth parents(s) and baby foster care expenses
• Adoption Preparation Seminar

Post-Adoption Services

Catholic Charities has three components in the post-adoption services program: non-identifying report, contact registry, and search. Oklahoma State law does not permit the release of adoption information without a court order from an Oklahoma County judge. Even with a court order, there are often limits as to what can be released. You must complete and have the forms notarized, and send three forms of ID with the forms for your requests to be processed.

Non-Identifying Report

Catholic Charities will review an adoption file and provide a report based on the contents of the file without providing any identifying information.

Contact Registry

This is a mutual consent, voluntary registry. Once both parties (birth parent and adoptee) register, we work with each person to begin establishing communication and contact.

Search

Agency staff can attempt to locate a birth parent or the adult adoptee (must be at least 18 years old). The searcher and the person being sought must mutually accept the search program. If contact is desired, the agency staff works with all parties to begin establishing communication and contact.