The Adoption Process
Contact Adoptions of Wisconsin for free information
The first step is to call Adoptions of Wisconsin at (608) 821-8220 or email aowinfo@adoptionsofwisconsin.com. Someone from our team will reach out to explain the overall adoption process.
Join our “inactive waiting list”
After you talk to someone on our team, you are eligible to join our inactive list. The inactive list includes families working towards becoming part of AOW's active list. Time spent on the inactive list is typically six to nine months but sometimes can be as short as three to four months. This is the time you will be busy preparing for your home study, completing your adoption training and creating your adoptive parent profile.
Begin Your Pre-Adoption Training
All first-time adoptive parents must receive 25 credit hours of pre-adoption education. There are twelve core competencies that cover a variety of topics including open adoption, transracial adoption, grief and loss, attachment, and other important adoption-focused topics.
Create Your Adoptive Parent Profile
An adoptive parent profile is an 8-12 page book of pictures and text used to introduce you to expectant birth parents. Here is your chance to connect with expectant parents on a personal level and to put into words the warmth and love you can offer to a child.
Many of AOW's prospective adoptive parents choose to work with Our Chosen Child, Adoption Design Services. Our Chosen Child is a Wisconsin-based company that has achieved national recognition for their high-quality designs and their caring, professional staff.
Begin your home study
A home study is required by state law and covers subjects such as family history, health, employment history, background checks and placement considerations. During your home study your social worker will assist and support you in exploring the issues you need to consider regarding adoption.
All required paperwork and background checks must be complete and returned to Adoptions of Wisconsin prior to the start of the home study. The home study process consists of several visits including one required walk-through of your home and interviews with your family. The social worker is not looking for perfection; they are looking to see that your home is a comfortable, safe and healthy environment for the child. If your social worker notices something of concern and feels the situation can be remedied, you will be made aware and given time to make the necessary changes or adjustments.
Join our “active” waiting families list
Once your home study is complete, and there is an opening in our program, you can join our active list by turning in the fee agreement and deposit. Here is where the focus is on matching prospective adoptive parents with birth parents residing in Wisconsin. We feature our families on our waiting families page as well as on social media. The contract length for AOW’s active list is two years. It is very difficult to predict how long it will take for a match to take place.
Meet expectant birth parents & find a match
The “matching” of expectant birth parents and waiting families is a joint decision and is dependent on both parties agreeing to the match. Many expectant birth parents need more than the family profile to look at and may wish to connect with adoptive parents in person before making their decision. We will coordinate the scheduling of these meetings and an AOW social worker will be present to help make sure both adoptive parents and expectant birth parents are comfortable and feel confident asking questions of each other.
Welcome a child into your heart and home
Adoptive families who have completed a home study and received a pre-adoptive foster care license are able to take the baby home from the hospital if the expectant birth parents feel comfortable with them doing so. AOW social workers will work with expectant birth parents to create a hospital plan that outlines her thoughts and decisions regarding her time at the hospital and her decisions regarding her baby's care. The hospital and the adoptive family are provided a copy of the hospital plan prior to the baby's birth. This is a very exciting time for adoptive families as well as a time of grief and great loss for birth parents. AOW social workers are available to provide counseling and support to both birth parents and adoptive parents during this time.
Birth parents’ rights are terminated
Once the baby is born, an attorney representing AOW or an attorney representing the birth parent(s) will petition the court for a termination of parental rights (TPR) hearing. When the petition is received by the court, a hearing will be scheduled to occur no later than 30 days after the petition has been filed. Up until the TPR court hearing, the birth parent retains all parental rights to the child. Adoptive parents are not parties to the TPR case and are not required to be at the hearing. You may, however, attend the TPR hearing if you are invited by the birth parents.
Complete post-placement visits
Wisconsin law requires, at minimum, a six-month post-placement period before an adoption can be legally finalized. During this time, your social worker will visit you up to six times either in your home or in our office.
Finalize your adoption in court
During this court hearing, you and your child will appear in court before a judge to finalize your adoption. At the conclusion of this hearing your adoption is finalized and you will have all legal rights to your child. A new birth certificate is issued and will be sent to you.
