Adoption Services FAQ
General:
How long has Hope's Promise been around?
What kind of adoptions do you do?
Are you a non-profit agency?
How are you funded?
How long does it take to adopt a child?
How much does it cost?
Why does adoption cost so much?
Do you have a sliding fee scale?
Do you accept credit card payment?
When are fees or payments due?
Can I schedule a free informational meeting?
How many children did you place last year?
Domestic Adoption:
Who are the children you place?
How long does it take to adopt a child?
What criteria does Hope's Promise have for adoptive families?
Can non-Colorado families apply to adopt from your domestic program?
How do you organize your waiting list?
When is the child placed with us?
How long does a birth parent have to change their mind in Colorado?
Do you do open adoptions?
How does Hope's Promise define open adoption?
Do you provide any education or training classes?
Can you help us with a designated adoption?
International Adoption:
What countries do you currently work with?
I live in Colorado, but want to adopt a foreign born child from an out of state agency, can you help?
What is a dossier, and why is it necessary?
Will I have to travel?
Will there be people to help me in the foreign country?
Do you accept applications from singles?
GENERAL
How long has Hope's Promise been around?
Hope's Promise was founded in 1990 by its director, Paula Freeman. Our agency license has been in good standing since that time.
What kind of adoptions do you do?
We facilitate both domestic and international adoptions. Most of our domestic placements are infants. We place foreign born children of all ages, but prefer to place children under five years of age.
Are you a non-profit agency?
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How are you funded?
We are fully funded by fees for service from adoptive parents and tax-deductible donations.
How long does it take to adopt a child?
The majority of families who apply to adopt a child through Hope's Promise are placed within a year of their homestudy approval.
How much does it cost?
Our adoption fees vary based on the amount of services we provide and the expenses that we have. Each program offers a payment plan, which is clearly spelled out on the Service Agreement every family signs. We strive to maintain reasonable and affordable fees.
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Why does adoption cost so much?
Hope's Promise, like many non-profit adoption agencies, is privately funded by fees for service to adoptive families. We accept no government funding, and we provide free services to birth families residing in Colorado.
Do you have a sliding fee scale?
No
Do you accept credit card payment?
No
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When are fees or payments due?
Adoption fees are due as services are provided. There are generally three payments for each of our adoption programs. All fees are due prior to a child being placed in your home.
Can I schedule a free informational meeting?
We hold group informational meetings on the first Thursday of each month. Please call to sign up for one of these meetings. Non-Colorado residents can call or e-mail with their specific questions.
How many children did you place last year?
We placed 38 children in 2005.
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DOMESTIC ADOPTION:
Who are the children you place?
Most of the children are infants whose ethnicity is representative of the birth parent population we serve in Colorado.
How long does it take to adopt a child?
Most of our adoptive families are placed within a year of their homestudy approval.
What criteria does Hope's Promise have for adoptive families?
We are a Christian agency. We believe that the best interests of any child are served by growing up in a healthy Christian family. Age, previous marriages and two working parent issues are evaluated on an individual basis. We have no religious criteria for adopting from any of our international programs.
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Can non-Colorado families apply to adopt from your domestic program?
Yes, but this is closely monitored. Most of the birth families we work with prefer to have their children placed with Colorado families. We do accept applications from a limited number of non-Colorado residents. You can call to see if we are accepting out of state applications at this time.
How do you organize your waiting list?
We have a "pool" of approved, waiting families. Once your homestudy is approved, you prepare a profile book that our staff show to birth families who are considering adoption. Birth families select their adoptive families.
When is the child placed with us?
Most birth families want their babies to go home from the hospital with the adoptive family.
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How long does a birth parent have to change their mind in Colorado?
Colorado law requires that all relinquishing birth families receive counseling from a licensed agency. There are two legal relinquishment processes in Colorado. The legal risk period depends on which legal option is utilized. The legal risk period can range from a few days to several weeks depending on the circumstances of the case. This is a voluntary process, and we proceed with each birthfamily when they feel ready.
Do you do open adoptions?
Yes, most of our domestic placements are open. The degree of openness, however, is mutually agreed upon between the birth and adoptive families.
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How does Hope's Promise define open adoption?
An open adoption is an adoption where full identifying information has been shared between the birth and adoptive families. They have met and plan to keep in personal contact with one another after the child is placed with the adoptive family and the birth mother goes to court to legally relinquish her rights. Letters and pictures are usually exchanged several times per year.
Do you provide any education or training classes?
The state of Colorado requires that all adoptive parents attend 16 hours of core adoption training before their adoption can be finalized. Additional training is required for those parents adopting an older, special needs or foreign born child. Hope's Promise offers an outstanding training program which meets these requirements and utilizes the expertise of recognized outside speakers. This training is offered in March and October.
Can you help us with a designated adoption?
Absolutely. Call for details. We can help if both parties live in Colorado, or if only the birth or adoptive parent resides in this state. We have reasonable fees and excellent services.
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INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION:
What countries do you currently work with?
We are accepting applications to provide homestudy and post-placement services for Colorado residents. Our programs with Vietnam and Sierra Leone are pending. Please check back regularly for updates.
I live in Colorado, but want to adopt a foreign born child from an out of state agency, can you help?
Yes. We can provide the state required homestudy, assistance with filing your INS petition, required training, post placement and legal services. We will provide you with itemized fees for the required services. Additionally, we are experienced with working cooperatively with a variety of agencies in numerous states.
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What is a dossier, and why is it necessary?
The dossier is the paperwork the foreign government requires in order to approve a prospective family to adopt one of their children. Most countries have an established list of required documents, as well as an accepted form in which it must be presented (i.e. notarized, certified, authenticated). A dossier is essential to completing a foreign adoption.
Will I have to travel?
The answer to this question depends on the country from which you adopt. Most countries require at least one adoptive parent to travel. Some allow one parent to travel, and a few will allow the child to be escorted to the United States. Sierra Leone and India are two countries we are currently working in that do allow escorts.
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Will there be people to help me in the foreign country?
Yes. You will be met at the airport and escorted throughout your adoption process in any foreign country with which we work.
Do you accept applications from singles?
Yes
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