Adopting in FL from PR

[Vangie Chachi]

If you live in Florida and are interested in adopting a child from PR, you do not need the services of an adoption agency. You will need a homestudy and the post placement visits after the child(ren) is/are placed in your home. This can be done with a licensed social worker. Make sure to pick one who can speak Spanish so that the children can communicate with her or him.

Once the visits are done and you get the approval of the DF in PR, you will need to hire an attorney to make the petition of adoption to the courts. I'm utilizing an attorney that also works at an adoption agency. Not many attorneys knew what to do when I called them. This is a lot cheaper than utilizing an agency.

Other states may be the same way. Since there is no ICPC with Puerto Rico, there is no need to do all of that paperwork (at least in FL).

Please feel free to email me at [e-mail] if you have any questions.

Have a great day!
Chachi

[Michelle]

I live in South Carolina and would like to adopt in Puerto Rico. Do you know if I need to go through an agency? No agency has been able to give me any information. How did you get started? Thanks!

Michelle

[Chachi]

You do not need the services of an agency. You will need to complete a home study by a licensed social worker. Once you have that completed, send it to PR to the department of families. We dealt directly with Zaida Hernandez who works with US adoptions. She is wonderful and very busy. Give her a call at 787-724-8585. The only charge in PR is the expense of airline tickets for the social worker to place the children and to bring the oficial paperwork to you 6 months later. And of course, your expenses for travel to PR. The process was fast for us because we were interested in older children. We are truly enjoying them and they have adjusted extremely well. Good luck!

[Chachi]

Let me add that we decided to set up an appointment and deliver the home study to PR in person.

[Tracy]

My husband and I are interested in adoption of an infant or very young child from PR is his possible too, and would we use the same contact listed above? how long can we expect the process to take? We live in Oregon and are homestudy ready. We want to get this process going so any help would be wonderful. We have been in contact with an agency that is trying to set up a program with an orpnage there but it is a slow process to get the program up and I am so not patient anymore. Thank you,
Tracy

[ioliveras]

Tracy:

Try to reach Zaida Hernandez 1-787-724-8585 she is the one who deal with US Adoption she will give you more details on that. At the same time ask her the mail address so you can send the homestudy and begin the process.

If I could be of any help let me now

Iana

[Tracy]

Thank you so much for the contact I am going to call this morning and get this process going or at least try.

[ioliveras]

Good luck and keep me posted.

Iana

[Tracy]

well I called the office to talk to Zaida Hernandez and they put me though to someone else and we talked and exchenged information then they told me that I could only adopt children over 5 years old. This was sad news to me since we want an infant. I have gotten a hold of another person that adopt us kids refered me to and he said that adoptng of younger children is possible it just woldn't be through the family department, that it would be private adoption. Is this even correct or am I just going in circles and will get no where? Do you have any other sugestions of people for me to contact? thanks again

[srobles]

Hi Tracy

I can understand that you might feel discouraged by your conversation with the local social worker. There are valid reasons why the SW gave you the "quick & dirty" response regarding infant availability.

First off, availability. There are simply too few children under 24 months surrendered voluntarily by their parents in the system. Those that are available are children that have been removed from disfunctional homes under Law 177, which provides for at least 12 months for the biological parents to be rehabilitated. Although sadly for the child few bio parents do get their act together, the time period for this is mandated by law.

Then there's the matter that many prospective parents who are legal residents of Puerto Rico want infants too. For a SW that has to prepare a homestudy for said families, and prepare for the logistics of placing and supervising the placement of a child in a home for several months, having the parents live in the same state or territory makes things easier for the SW. Some of these SW's are not so fluent in English, or are not familiar with the Interstate Compact on Placement of Children, and would rather avoid the bother of an interstate placement.

Finally, the philosophy of the Department of the Family is that they are not looking to get children for the parents, but the best parents for the children. It sounds harsher than it really is, but the placement emphasis is child-centric, which is looking first and foremost for the best interest of the child. In that sense, it is not the children that vie for the consideration of a prospective parent, but prospective parents proving that they can provide the very best household for a given child.

If you really, really, really want to parent a child, this is no time for despairing. If you will only consider an infant, it may come, but it will take more time, and I guess you've waited long enough. Take a hard look at your circumstances and rethink the process... would you consider an infant if it were part of a sibling group? or would you find that a preschooler or early elementary child could find a loving home with you? How about special needs... if there is an infant or young child with health or development issues, would that be something that you could find in yourself to deal with it? Some of our passed-over children are darker-skinned... because Puerto Ricans come in all hues... would you give a chance to such a child to stake a claim to your heart?

"Gerber babies", as we call them, are few and far between, but real, adoptable children are available and ready to go home. They are ready to respond wonderfully to the love and stability of a forever family. Please think about this, pray about it if prayer is important in your life, and keep us posted, Tracy. We wish you the best.

Sam
Moderator

[ioliveras]

Tracy:

I always say that this is a game of perseverance. The are some policies of ADFAN that we don't have any control of. As a difference in US the custody of foster children relies only on ADFAN, in the case of private agencies the mayority of children that they have are from the department also.

The definition of infant in PR is from 0 months to 5 years. If you really are considering adopting from PRyou shopuld take matter in your own hands meaning submit the homestudy and see what happens. Also as I always say open the window of opportunities, are you willing to take a sibbling group (one whom could be an infant).

This are some considerations you should think about. Ther is a lot of children waitng to have a good and loving home.

I could tell you about many happy ending stories that wanted an infant and ended up with an older child and there are very happy without regreing their desition.

That is up to you, if we can be of any more help to you we are here to do so.

good luck and think about it.

Iana

[Tracy]

Thank you both for your wonderful replies. Yes we have waited a long time and it is true we just want to provide a loving home to a child but we have our hearts set on a younger child. I know that in time our wish will come true. Thank you for helping me along. If we are ment to adopt in Puerto Rico it will happen if not it will happen elsewhere time will tell.

[ChachiVangie]

;DI just wanted to offer a quick update on our new family. We adopted three children (siblings) from DCF in PR in June 04 and everything has gone so well that I haven't had the time to write on this board. When we adopted our children, they were ages 2, 5 and 10 and now they are 4,7 and 11! It has been a blessing. They have adapted so well and are all doing very well in school (and preschool). I can't imagine our lives without them...we are so happy! Next week we are going to see snow for the first time!!!! We are all very excited!

Many blessings and Merry Christmas!
Vangie (Chachi)

[ioliveras]

Tracy:

It's cool to know that whenever you adopt doesn't matter the place continue to do so, because remember you are going to made the life of a child.

Look Chachi and I adopted almost at the same time eventhough I only have 1 blessing and she has 3, I can really tell that she doesn't regret evry moment of it.

If I am in your place I will submit my homestudy to everyone and when it comes I now that's the one.

again good luck and keep us posted please

Iana

[ratterrier2earthlinknet]

can you please translate this for me? thanks.. Barbara

Esta noche Televicentro Canal 4 transmitió un unitario con el tema de la adopción en el programa "Esto Pasó Aquí", moderados por Funky Joe y Luisa de los Ríos. Estamos interesados en recibir sus comentarios sobre el mismo.