Infant Adoption
Older Child Adoption

Infant Adoptions

Through HOPE's "pool" of waiting parents.
HOPE maintains profiles on families who have completed an adoptive home study and are interested in being considered by birth parents we work with who are seeking a family to consider for adoption of their child. When a birth parent requests our services, we show them profiles (not the actual adoptive home study) on those families that meet their preliminary requests. The birth parent(s) may choose to meet the family they’ve chosen and get together regularly or select the family based on the profile but decide not to meet. The birth parent(s) and the adoptive parent(s), together with their respective social workers, craft an "openness agreement" and other plans for the baby's birth and afterwards.

Through agencies in other parts of the U.S.
There are many agencies that work primarily with birth parents planning adoption. Sometimes they seek out-of-state families or families who meet certain criteria not prevalent in that part of the country. Usually this type of adoption involves an application process with that agency and some type of cooperative arrangement with HOPE.

Through outside resources such as the Internet, newspaper ads and direct mailings.
We have had clients who have connected with a birth parent experiencing an unplanned pregnancy in another part of the U.S. through a "friend of a friend of a friend." You never know how it might happen! In these situations, we can help you with the requirements of an inter-state adoption.

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Through older or waiting child programs.
There are children already waiting to be adopted in Minnesota, Wisconsin and many other states. Many states have their own waiting child photo magazines or Internet listings. There also are national waiting child listings. HOPE is one of several private agencies and counties in Minnesota that work with the Minnesota Public Private Adoption Initiative (PPAI), a state-funded program that helps bring Minnesota children with special needs into permanent families.

All of the children who wait in Minnesota have been traumatized during their critical developmental years. Most have been chronically neglected or abused; many are siblings who need to be adopted together; more than three-fourths are school-aged, and more than half are children of color. Parents who adopt children under the Minnesota PPAI pay no fees. The cost is paid through the PPAI, administered by the State of Minnesota Adoption Unit. Both Minnesota and Wisconsin families are eligible. If you're thinking about this type of adoption, you can learn more by attending one of our specialized waiting child orientation meetings.

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