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How Long Does Adoption Take? Data from the 2006 Adoptive Families Timing Survey
The results of our annual poll are in! Good news: Most parents, whether they adopted
domestically or internationally, brought their children home within a year. Here, you'll find
breakdowns of referral and at-home times by the five major countries of origin.
| U.S.A.: Surprise,
Surprise!
The wait for a domestic newborn is shorter than you think. More than half of
prospective parents (59%) were matched with a birthmother within six months. Nearly a third
(29%) got "The Call" after birth, without a prematch. About one third (31%) of families
experienced one or more failed adoptions before adopting.
Average time from preparation of portfolio to match with birthmother of adopted child
(excludes time spent in failed adoption):
- 6 months or less: 59%
- 12 months or less: 82%
Time from birthmother match to birth of child:
- less than 3 months: 51%
- matched after birth: 29%
Time between birth and the day that baby came home:
- less than 1 week: 57%
- less than 2 weeks: 71%
Families that experienced one or more failed adoptions before successfully
adopting: 31%
Of the 31% that experienced failed adoptions, proportion that failed after birth:
22%
Ethnicity of baby:
- Caucasian: 50%
- African-American: 16%
- Asian/Bi-/Multiracial/Other: 28%
- Latino: 6%
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| China:
Consistency Is Key
This country's orderly process makes start-to-finish times most predictable. Although
families may wait seven to 12 months for a referral, most (95%) met their children just there
months after receiving it. No parents spent more than three weeks overseas.
Average time from completion of dossier to referral:
- 3 months or less: 6%
- 6 months or less: 21%
- 9 months or less: 60%
Time from referral until child came home:
- 3 months or less: 95%
- 6 months or less: 98%
Length of time spent in China:
Made gender a requirement and specified a:
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| Russia:
Travel Takes Time The two visits required for adoption could add up.
More than a third of parents' stays totaled three weeks or more. Most referrals (71%) came
within six months of completing the paperwork. And, just three months after that, 72% took
their child home.
Average time from completion of dossier to referral:
- 1 months or less: 26%
- 3 months or less: 48%
- 6 months or less: 71%
Time from referral until child came home:
- 3 months or less: 72%
- 6 months or less: 90%
Length of time spent in Russia, including both trips:
Made gender a requirement and specified a:
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| Guatemala:
A Later Wait Quick referrals delight parents-to-be, but then comes the
wait. Although most (83%) learned their baby's identity within three months, another four to
six passed before their travel date.
Average time from completion of dossier to referral:
- 1 months or less: 54%
- 3 months or less: 83%
- 6 months or less: 91%
Time from referral until child came home:
- 3 months or less: 8%
- 6 months or less: 58%
- 9 months or less: 82%
Length of time spent in Guatemala:
Made gender a requirement and specified a:
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Korea: Home
Delivery
Wait times are about average. Although adopters don't need to
travel, a third of the parents we surveyed made the trip. Of these travelers, most stayed
less than a week. Almost three-fourths (71%) had their referral six months after completing
their paperwork.
Average time from completion of dossier to referral:
- 1 months or less: 13%
- 3 months or less: 41%
- 6 months or less: 71%
Time from referral until child came home:
- 3 months or less: 41%
- 6 months or less: 84%
Of those who traveled, length of time spent in Korea:
Made gender a requirement and specified a:
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Source: AF online survey of about 2,000 adoptive parents, conducted February
through April 2006.Back To Home Page ©2013 Adoptive Families. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. |
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