Inquiry
Interested prospective Adoptive parents contact us. An AAAA recruiter is available to answer questions. Once you have provided the agency your contact information, a comprehensive packet of information is mailed to your home.
Orientation
Families attend one two-hour informational meeting. Orientation is held both monthly and by appointment. The information session explains AAAA's adoption process and explores the issues involved in adoption. View AAAA's orientation schedule now to register for an upcoming session.
Parent Preparation
Prospective parents attend a comprehensive training course in accordance with Minnesota state statutes. Training is comprised of two eight-hour sessions and is offered eight times per year. The instructional sessions deal with the practical realities of adoption and foster care. View AAAA's training schedule now to register for an upcoming session.
Parent Application
Completing the packet of adoption forms officially begins the adoption process. Applicants complete information about those living in the household, residential history, basic financial information and sign consent for a criminal background check. This information is generally required by the state and helps adoption workers define parenting strengths and abilities.
Individual Interviews
Personal information gained in one-on-one interviews allows social workers to compile a complete home study. Depending on the case, interviews may take anywhere from four to 10 hours. Prospective parents are encouraged to be flexible in terms of scheduling and fill out questionnaires thoroughly. Workers also encourage applicants to be as candid about their personal history as possible.
Home Study Documentation
Once an application is submitted, it takes up to four months for a resource worker to write a comprehensive home study. External inquiries, such as physician's reports and reference letters are collected during this period. Any delay in these documents can delay the overall process.
Waiting for Placement
Once the home study is complete, the agency will begin reviewing children for adoptive placements. In Minnesota, the counties make the final placement decision from among the home studies presented for a particular child or children.
When a match is made, pre-placement visits are determined by the age, and needs of the child(ren). Visits may be short and intense, or prolonged and cautious.
Placement
A temporary agreement between all the parties involved is completed no later than eight hours or one working day after the child is placed in the home. Thirty days from the date of placement, the placement contract between the placing agency and AAAA
is completed and reviewed.
Finalization
Children are placed in a pre-adoptive home for a minimum of 90 days before a court date for finalization can be set. After 90 days, the adoption is finalized at a court hearing attended by the AAAA resource worker, adoptive family, child(ren) and placing agency. This ceremony legally unites the new family.
