Adopting a child is a deeply meaningful and transformative experience, filled with anticipation, love and the opportunity to create lifelong bonds. Understanding the Adoption Planning Questionnaire (APQ) process is crucial for families wanting to adopt a child.

This process lays the foundation for finding the right match and building a strong, nurturing environment for your child. It’s an essential step in the adoption process that can affect your overall adoption wait time. We’re here to explain the importance of thoroughly preparing your APQ and some tips on increasing your chances of finding the perfect match.

You can always contact an adoption coordinator to schedule a free consultation now.

What Does the APQ Process Consist of?

The APQ is a Simple set of questions that can help your adoption agency determine which adoption situations fit best with your family. These questions will cover topics such as your budget, the adoption relationship with the birth parents, medical history and race.

By completing the APQ process, you’ll have the opportunity to express your preferences, values and desires in choosing a child to adopt. This information helps ensure the child’s needs, background and characteristics align with your parenting style and preferences.

Choosing a national adoption agency, like American Adoptions, can help you choose a child to adopt that fits your preferences. We work with birth parents across the country from different backgrounds and races. You’ll have no problem finding the perfect match with our agency.

Can You Choose Which Child to Adopt?

Ultimately it is up to the prospective birth mother to select you as the family for her child. So while you technically can’t choose a child to adopt, you will be in control of choosing many of the characteristics you’re comfortable with. The APQ allows you to choose a child to adopt based on things like:

  • Desired race: Make sure that you’re educated on the potential cultural differences that may arise. Adoptive parents who complete a transracial adoption must be dedicated to providing a home open to cultural issues and identity.
  • Prospective birth parent’s medical history and substance usage: You’ll need to examine what’s important to you regarding medical history. Make sure to set realistic expectations when choosing a child to adopt and figure out what’s most important to you.
  • Contact arrangement with prospective birth parents: Closed adoptions are a thing of the past. Now, most adoptive families that work with American Adoptions are required to be open to some form of communication with the birth parents. You can also be open to more contact than what’s required.
  • Adoption budget: Every adoption budget covers the fixed cost of the adoption process and any expenses the birth mother may have, such as living, medical and legal fees.

Ultimately the APQ process serves as a tool to guide the matching process. It prioritizes the well-being and best interests of the child. If you’re looking to choose a child to adopt, know that your APQ can help you find the perfect match.

How Does the APQ Affect Adoption Wait Times?

The APQ can drastically affect the amount of time it takes to find an adoption situation. While it is perfectly fine to be strict with your preferences when choosing a child to adopt, it can also result in longer wait times. Couples with strict and narrow adoption preferences will typically experience a longer wait time than those that are more open to certain factors.

For example, if you are only comfortable with adopting a Caucasian newborn boy whose birth mother reported limited medical history, then you may endure a long wait. However, if you’re more open to adopting a child of either gender from all races, then you will most likely experience a shorter wait.

Adoptive family Darla and Easton were more open to certain preferences when they created their APQ. Four months after becoming an active family, they got the call that would change their life.

“There was already a child in this world that needed someone to come get them,” Darla said. “It was just one of those things: We had only been on the wait list for four months, but it sometimes felt like it was 10 years.”

Your APQ plays a vital role in creating successful and harmonious adoption placements. At American Adoptions, you can find comfort in knowing we do whatever it takes to help you find the perfect match. Through our comprehensive services and support, you will always be taken care of. To begin the APQ process, connect with an adoption coordinator to get more free information now.