How to Adopt a Baby in Florida

Adopting a baby in Florida is a life changing event for you, your family and the baby. While there are many ways to adopt a baby, from private adoption to international adoption, one way to ensure that the entire adoption process is completed in Florida is to complete an adoption though the state's Department of Children and Families (DCF). The steps of the adoption process vary slightly by region, but the general process remains the same throughout Florida, DCF explains on its website.

Instructions

    • 1

      Attend an orientation session. The DCF website explains that some regions in Florida require attendance at an orientation session to learn about adoption, as well as the time frame and requirements involved in Florida adoption. In areas where the orientation is required, attendance is the first step toward adopting your baby.

    • 2

      Register for the adoption preparation class, or The Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting (MAPP). All prospective adoptive parents must complete the ten-week MAPP course, states DCF. The course is typically offered in the evenings or on the weekend, and teaches prospective parents about adoption. The course also provides a chance to explore your role as a parent, as well as ask questions and share concerns about parenting and the adoption process.

    • 3

      Complete a home study. The home study consists of several parts. You must provide health information and references from your employer, friends, and family, as well as references from your child's school, if applicable. You must pass a local, state, and federal background check, and allow the adoption counselor into your home to ask questions about your desire to adopt and ensure that your home is safe for an adopted baby, explains DCF.

    • 4

      Wait to become approved to adopt. After you have completed the MAPP course, and your home study information has been compiled into a packet, the packet is sent to an adoption specialist, explains DCF. Once the home study packet is approved, you are notified, and considered eligible to adopt.

    • 5

      Wait for the right baby. After approval, you are able to attend activities for prospective parents, states DCF. If you adopt a newborn baby, your adoption counselor will notify you when the baby is born; however, newborn adoptions are usually privately handled. When adopting an older baby, work with your adoption counselor to find the right baby and to determine if he is a good match for your family.

    • 6

      Prepare for your adopted baby's placement. In order to bring your new baby home permanently, you often need to complete several visits with the baby, DCF explains. When the baby seems comfortable and adjusted in your care, your baby is able to live with you full time. If adopting a newborn, you are often able to bring the baby home straight from the hospital, eliminating the need for transitional visits; however, it is rare for the adoption of a newborn to be handled by DCF.

    • 7

      Complete placement supervision. DCF states that before an adoption is made permanent, the adoption counselor must make monthly visits to your home to ensure your baby's well being and determine if any services are needed. When your adoption counselor grants "consent to adoption," the supervisory period is over, and you are able to finalize the adoption

    • 8

      Finalize your adoption. After you have been given the consent to adopt, your attorney must schedule a hearing, explains DCF. The judge at the hearing legalizes the adoption of your baby, and you become his parents.

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