The Average Wait for Domestic Adoptions

The wait time for domestic adoptions varies widely but averages between three months and one year depending on the type of adoption. Children adopted privately tend to be younger than those adopted through foster care, according to studies from the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, and the wait time can be longer.

  1. Private Adoption

    • Over 25,000 newborns are adopted domestically every year, according to the Adoption Guide. Private domestic adoptions can be arranged through an adoption agency or independently, in which birth parents place a child directly with an adoptive family. An Adoptive Families magazine survey estimates that 78% of potential adoptive families working with an agency are matched with an expectant mother in about a year.

    Adoption from Foster Care

    • The North American Council on Adoptable Children reports over 100,000 children in foster care waiting for an adoptive family. Once families have been approved for foster care, a child may be placed with them immediately and adopted when parental rights are terminated. The adoption process itself averages about six months.

    Considerations

    • Adoption processes and laws vary from state to state. While wait times average from less than six months for foster care adoptions to around 12 months for private, these time frames can vary widely depending on individual circumstances.

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