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ADOPTION
SERVICES PROGRAM |
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Love in your Heart?
Room in your home?
Adopt a child today!
Foster and Adoptive
Parents Needed!
There are many school age children who need temporary or
permanent families. Foster parents provide a temporary family
for children until they can be reunited with their families.
Adoptive parents provide permanent families for children who do
not have families of their own. At this time there is a
great need for Foster and Adoptive families in our area.
We have many children who are in need of Adoptive families and
we frequently receive referrals to place children temporarily in
foster family homes. If you have an interest in helping to
provide for children in our community, please e-mail OFS
or call Pam Bejnar, at Oakland Family Services 248-858-7766, ext. 236. |
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OFS ADOPTION SERVICES PROGRAM OVERVIEW & PHILOSOPHY
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The primary goal of this program is to provide loving, stable and permanent
homes to children of all ages who are legally available for adoption.
The majority of children placed for adoption are children with special
needs. These children have medical or emotional problems, or they are
older children or siblings that are adopted as a group to avoid damaging
separation. Potential adoptive parents receive orientation about the
process and peer support by the adoptive parent support group. Assistance also
is available to adult adopter's who are searching for their biological parents.
OFS believes that bringing families and special children together can be a
positive fulfilling choice for everyone involved. We believe that
adoption is a service to children. We understand that successful adoption
recognizes the importance of the birth family for the child. The caring, committed adoption staff offers a personalized, responsive adoption
plan along with a continuum of choices for the birth and adoptive
families. Tailored to your family's circumstances, we will assist you to
examine and choose which is right for you... open, direct or traditional
adoptions.
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WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF ADOPTION?
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ORIENTATION: A group meeting with other
prospective adoptive families is designed to address the adoption
process and adoption legislation. This is an opportunity for
you to discuss the process for birth parent release as well as
options available to everyone involved.
At all times during the process, OFS staff are prepared to answer
questions and to offer support and guidance.HOMESTUDY:
This pre-placement assessment includes individual and family
interviews, and completion of all written material required by licensing
regulations of the State of Michigan. Following the
assessment a recommendation for adoption is made.
FEE: Adoption related fees are highly competitive
and are assessed on individual circumstances.
ASSISTANCE FOR BIRTH MOTHERS: Current Michigan law
allows financial assistance for birth mothers in cases with
identified need. The court requires full reporting of expenditures
and approves expenses at the time of adoption. Payments are
not recovered if an adoption is not completed.
COUNSELING SERVICES: OFS offers supportive counseling
services during the entire adoption and post-adoption process for
both birth parents and adoptive families. |
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WHAT TYPES OF ADOPTION METHODS ARE AVAILABLE AT
OFS?
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INFANT ADOPTION: Infant adoption is the placement of children up
to two years of age with an adoptive family. The following options are available:
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SPECIAL NEEDS ADOPTION: Children with special
needs are defined as children with a physical, intellectual, or
emotional disability. These children also may be older or, members
of a minority or a sibling group that need to be placed
together. These "special" children are referred to
the adoption program when they become legally free for adoption after a period of time in foster care.
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- Agency Adoption: The birth parent(s) release the
infant to the agency for adoption planning. Birth parent(s)
may select the adoptive parents from among OFS approved adoptive
families.
- Identified Adoption: Birth and adoptive families
find and select one another.
- Direct Consent Adoption: The birth parent(s)
release the child directly to the adoptive family.
INTERSTATE ADOPTION:
Assistance with placement planning and Interstate Compact
procedures can be provided.
OFS and its wide network of resources is ready to assist you to
bring your very special child into your family.
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HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS
PROGRAM?
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For more information
about specific programs or services offered by OFS, please call the
Adoption/Foster Care Department at (248) 858-7766.
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