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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: How can I contact your agency? Can I adopt through your agency even if I don't live in Texas? How long do I have to stay in Texas after placement? Do we have to finalize the adoption in San Antonio? Are there any loans or special financial programs available for prospective adoptive families? What does "semi-open adoption" mean? Do we have to maintain contact with the Birth mother? Can we state the preference for the sex of our child Can the birthmother change her mind about the adoption plan? What are some of the senarios that may cause the Birth Mothers to change their mind? What testing is done during the birthmother's pregnancy? What about the Birth Father rights to a child? What kinds of children are available for adoption 16through Adoption Services Worldwide? Can a Single Person Adopt? How do I adopt? What is the process? How do I start? How long will the process take? How soon can we have a baby? What services are covered by the Agency fee? Are legal fees included? How much are the Birth mother expenses? What does it mean when we sign the Corporal Punishment form?     How can I contact your agency? Feel free to write us at: Adoption Services Worldwide 7300 Blanco Road, Suite 206 San Antonio, Texas 78216 Or call: 210-342-0444 or contact us via e-mail at: [email protected] Can I adopt through your agency even if I don't live in Texas? Yes   How long do I have to stay in Texas after placement? Pending any unforseen delays; we like to tell our adoptive parents to plan on staying in Texas for 7-10 days post-placment. This time allows for paperwork to be submitted and approved at the Interstate Compact offices in Texas and your home state   Do we have to finalize the adoption in San Antonio, and do we both have to return for finalization? Yes, you are required to finalize in Texas, and at least one adoptive parent needs to return to San Antonio for finalization.   Are there any loans or special financial programs available for prospective adoptive families? Yes, and we will provide that information upon request.   What does "semi-open adoption" mean?  It means that our birth mothers know only first names of the adoptive family and geographical region where the adoptive family lives.If agreed upon, our birth mothers speak on the phone with the adoptive parents throughout the pregnancy and meet during the pregnancy or at the time of birth.   Do we have to maintain contact with the Birth mother? All correspondence between the Birth mother and adoptive parents will be forwarded by the Agency. The exchange of letters and photos occurs monthly during the first 6 months after placement, thereafter updates are provided on the child's birthday until age 5. If the adoptive family chooses they can provide updates until the age of 18. The adoptive family may continue contact with the Birth mother after the supervisory period is over if agreed upon. Identifying information (such as last name, and/or street address) is not shared unless agreed upon by both birth and adoptive families. We strive to cultivate a genuine bond of trust and respect which grows between participants, with the expressed purpose to meet the best interest of all parties.   Can we state the preference for the sex of our child? Yes, although specifying sex preferences are likely to decrease your opportunities and slow your adoption process dramatically. Birth mothers generally choose their baby's adoptive family before knowing the child's sex. Sonograms can be incorrect.   Can the birthmother change her mind about the adoption plan? What are some of the senarios that may cause the Birth Mothers to change their mind? In Texas, birth parents have until the time of 48 hours after the baby is born to change their mind. Once the Relinquishment is signed, the decision is irrevocable. The psychology of the Birth mother is an intricate one. Many adoptions fall through by no fault of the Agency or Adoptive Parents. Sometimes the Birth Mother changes her mind or goes with another Agency or just "disappears" without notifying the Agency. It is our intent to maintain a strong relationship with the Birth mothers and provide them with support, counseling and guidance. Our placement staff is available 24 hours a day to speak with them if needed. As you know, no one can pressure a Birth Mother into the decision to relinquish. We provide you with the best information we have and provide frequent updates. We will be there for you every step of the way, and hopefully everything will fall into place. Yet there is always a risk involved. Some adoptive parents seek adoption insurance as a means to re-coup their potential losses. You may choose to look into this.   What testing is done during the birthmother's pregnancy? Adoption Services Worldwide routinely requests testing for HIV, venereal disease, and/or drug screening. In some cases, however, the birthmother may come to the Agency after birth or too late in the pregnancy for testing to be done. We advise you, the prospective adoptive parents, of all scenarios. We provide you, the prospective adoptive parents, with all information available to us to assist you to make an informed decision.   What about the Birth Father rights to a child? The Texas Family Code states that an affidavit of relinquishment may be signed no sooner than 48 hours after birth of the child by the Birth Mother and a man meeting the legal definition of a "presumed father." The Birth father may sign his waiver before 48 hours if they are not married, if they are married he can sign when the birth mother signs at the 48 hours. Diligent efforts are made to locate any man named as a "potential father" of a child. Unknown fathers are cited through publication in the newspaper and must respond within 21 days. In Texas once a Birth father signs his relinquishment, it too is irrevocable.   What kinds of children are available for adoption through Adoption Services Worldwide? At Adoption Services Worldwide, we primarily place newborns of all ethnic groups   Can a Single Person Adopt? Yes, a single person can adopt pending the same Home Study protocol and evaluation as adoptive couples.   How do I adopt? What is the process? How do I start? 1. After receiving the Inquiry Packet - Complete the Preliminary Inquiry and return to the Agency with $25.00 (non-refundable) inquiry fee. We use this Inquiry information as a screening tool to assess the potentiality for you to become adoptive parents. We then send you the Application Packet. 2. After receiving the Application Packet - Complete and return the Application Form with $350.00 (non-refundable) application fee. 3. Based upon the Application information provided, you are conditionally accepted into the program as Prospective Adoptive Parents. 4. Conditions of Full Agency Acceptance is contingent upon approval of the Home Study Report and the Application. We must have all required items before making a placement. The Agency fee must be remitted per the terms of the financial agreement and is due in full no later than the time of placement. 5. Once a homestudy is approved you are considered "Parents in Waiting". At this point your portfolio will be shown to Birth mothers. 6. The birthparents review portfolios, and choose the family they would like to adopt their child. 7. If the adoptive family agrees, a match is made and the "Parents in Waiting" makes a commitment to the case. 8. Once the child is placed, there is a 6 month supervision period prior to the adoption finalization. 9. Adoption finalization occurs 6 months after placement based on the adoptive families desire to formalize or Adoption Services of America's placement staff's recommendation to proceed based on the 6 months' supervision assessment.   How long will the process take? How soon can we have a baby? We do not have long "Parent-in-Waiting" lists, therefore the process usually takes anywhere from 6 months to 1 year. The process may take longer depending upon how soon the adoptive families complete their application, send in their required documentation including the Dear Birth mother letter, portfolio and home study.   What services are covered by the Agency fee? Are legal fees included? Our Agency Service Fee covers services to biological parents, services to adoptive parents, and administrative processing. Services to biological parents include: a. intake documentation and in-office counseling interviews b. subsequent in-office counseling interview (individual and group) c. coordination and monitoring with medical care providers d. assistance in obtaining housing, including telephone & utility services e. coordination of travel arrangements and local transportation f. coordination of recreational activities (in San Antonio, Texas area) g. telephone and normal correspondence expenses, and other necessary services. Placement services include: a. Placement coordination activities b. Placement supervision. Administrative processing and services to adoptive parents include: a. adoptive applicant's orientation seminar presentation (when applicable) b. application and home study documentation, review and evaluation c. coordination activities with other agencies regarding application, home study and post placement supervision; telephone and normal correspondence expenses d. financial processing and disbursing of medical and maintenance support expenses e. accounting record maintenance f. agency staff (local) transportation g. expenses for counseling and placement h. foster care coordination (not actual care) i. Interstate compact document preparation, assembly & coordination j. notary services provided by agency staff. Legal fees are not included in the above agency fees. The fee for legal services covers services to include: a. preparation and processing of birth father's termination documents b. preparation and processing of appropriate documents for legal citation of the birth father c. preparation and processing of birth mother's relinquishment and termination documents d. preparation and processing of agency/adoptive parent Adoption Petition and Final Adoption decree e. the required court appearance for finalization f. preparation and processing of the birth certificate application.   How much are the Birth mother expenses? Birth mother expenses can vary depending on when the Birth mother presents herself to the agency and what her needs are. In Texas agencies can assist the birth mother with her living expenses to include; medical, housing, utilities, transportation and food through 6 weeks postpartum. Adoption Services Worldwide provides the "Parents-in-Waiting" a detailed Estimated Expense Invoice so they are aware of the birth mother's needs and estimated expenses. the Agency will also provide monthly updated reports if any changes occur.   What does it mean when we sign the Corporal Punishment form? Texas standards state that no form of physical punishment is allowed when interacting with the child. This includes spanking, hitting, slapping, shaking, sit-ups, push-ups, holding or sitting in an unnatural position, unproductive work or the use of mechanical and personal restraints. No verbal abuse will be allowed (i.e.) yelling at children, calling them humiliating or embarrassing names, making negative remarks about their birth family, making threats of loss of placement.