Are you in the early stages of learning how to adopt a child in Colorado? These seven steps will walk you through the process of adoption in Colorado, so you can decide if adopting a child is the right way to grow your family.

Anytime you have questions about the adoption process, fill out this online form or call 1-800-ADOPTION to speak with a specialist from American Adoptions. In the meantime, continue reading below to learn more about adoption in Colorado.

Step 1: Decide if Adoption Right for You

The Colorado child adoption process is just one of many ways to become a family. Is it the right path for you?

It’s important to recognize that the challenges and benefits of adoption in Colorado are unique from many of the challenges and benefits that you would face if you became a parent in another way. Parenthood is always difficult, but rewarding.

As a couple, you must both be completely committed to the newborn adoption process before you begin the steps of adopting a child in Colorado. This may involve resolving issues of infertility, dreams of having a biological child or the loss of a child. This commitment must be steadfast before you pursue your new dream of completing the child adoption process in Colorado.

Step 2: Decide What Type of Colorado Adoption You Are Interested In

Depending on the type of Colorado adoption you wish to pursue, you’ll need to meet different adoption requirements throughout the child adoption process.

The three most common ways to adopt Colorado kids include:

Domestic Agency Adoption

Specializing in the adoption of infants within the U.S, domestic adoption agencies like American Adoptions are able to provide everything you need when you’re beginning the process to adopt a child in Colorado.

National domestic adoption agencies offer shorter adoption wait times, an increased range of services for both prospective birth and adoptive parents, and the ability to complete a Colorado adoption from start to finish.

Foster Care Adoption

Twenty-five percent of Colorado kids in foster care will ultimately become eligible for adoption, if they’re unable to achieve their initial goal of reunification with biological family. Many of these children are older, wish to be adopted with siblings, or have additional needs.

Learn more about the requirements of foster care adoption in Colorado here.

International Adoption

The requirements, restrictions and cost of adopting a child internationally will vary depending on the country you adopt from as well as the Colorado international adoption agency you work with.

You can learn more about international adoption in Colorado here.

Step 3: Decide Which Colorado Adoption Professional You Should Choose

You should always work with a licensed adoption professional — for your safety, for the safety of expectant parents, and for the safety of children. Here are some tips to consider when choosing which agency to complete your adoption in Colorado:

• Choosing a CO adoption professional solely on their price is ill-advised, as agencies offer varying levels of services and safety, and a lower-cost agency may cut corners that jeopardize your adoption.

• It’s illegal in Colorado to advertise through any public medium (including online) to find a child to adopt; only licensed agencies may advertise in Colorado, which makes independent adoptions even more difficult.

• Seeking an adoption in Colorado without the professional experience and safety of an agency exposes you to the risk of adoption fraud and any subsequent financial losses.

You should take care to educate yourself about the pros and cons of the different types of Colorado adoption professionals, and how to adopt a child in Colorado through these professionals so you know which path is right for you.

Step 4: Become a Waiting Adoptive Family in Colorado

This is often considered the “paperwork stage” of the Colorado adoption process. Adoptive parents working with American Adoptions begin filling out their Adoption Planning Questionnaire (APQ), creating their adoption profile, complete their Colorado adoption home study and more.

Once you’ve been approved to adopt, you’ll be a waiting adoptive family whose profile may now be viewed by expectant mothers.

Step 4: Wait for Adoption Opportunities with Expectant Parents

It can take a few weeks or a few months after your adoption profile starts to be shown to expectant parents for you to enter into an adoption opportunity with an expectant mother.

Your adoption wait time will vary based on factors that include your openness to a greater range of potential birth mothers, post-adoption communication and, most of all, your individual preferences for expectant mothers.

Seventy-five percent of families who adopt through American Adoptions are placed with a child within 1 to 12 months after their profile becomes active.

Step 6: Finalize Your Adoption in Colorado

Consent to an adoption in CO may not be issued by the baby’s biological parents until after the baby is born, in accordance with Colorado adoption consent laws. When they sign their consent to the adoption, the baby’s biological parents terminate their legal parental rights.

When adopting a child outside of Colorado, as is the case for many adoptive parents working with a national adoption agency like American Adoptions, you’ll need to comply with the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) before returning home to Colorado with your baby. If you adopt a child in Colorado, the additional step of ICPC will not be necessary in your adoption. Parents living in another state and adopting a child born in Colorado will also need to comply with ICPC.

Post-placement home study visits will also need to take place before the final legal step of adoption finalization can occur.

An adoption finalization hearing will be scheduled several months after the placement of your child in your local juvenile court, which maintains jurisdiction for all adoption hearings in the state of Colorado. At the adoption finalization hearing, the judge will grant your parental rights with the final adoption decree, completing the Colorado adoption process.

Step 7: Enjoy Life After Adoption in CO

The journey of how to adopt a child in Colorado doesn’t truly end with adoption finalization. It’s a lifelong process for everyone involved.

American Adoptions encourages open adoptions whenever situations allow. Studies show them to be highly beneficial for everyone in an adoption, but most importantly, the adoptee. An open adoption in Colorado keeps contact open between birth and adoptive families throughout the adoptee’s life and allows for the two parties to have whatever kind of post-adoption relationship everyone is most comfortable and happy with.

If you work with our agency, we’re also able to facilitate post-adoption communication between birth and adoptive families for up to 18 years after a Colorado adoption.

Want to learn more about the process of how to adopt a baby in Colorado with American Adoptions? Call 1-800-ADOPTION now to speak to an adoption specialist, or request free Colorado adoption information online.

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. America Adoptions, Inc. provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.