Is there anything I can do now towards adopting?

[LessTraveledBy]

I realize that this is something no one here may have experience with, but thought I would ask anyway:

We have one dd (5 y.o.) and would like to adopt internationally. However, we have just moved (within Northern Europe) and will likely move again within two years (to the UK). Is there any possible situation in which we might be able to adopt soon after the move?

The only thing that comes to my mind, as unlikely as it is, is that we would end up adopting a baby whose mother was a relative of a friend or something. In that case I think the time needed in any single country might be shorter, as we would not need to wait so long after the home study, etc. Am I way off here?

I realize the rules are different in every country. The problem with not starting the whole process until we are settled some years from now is problematic, as our daughter is getting older every day and we would like to adopt a toddler or a young child when our daughter is still a child. (She has hoped for a sibling for a loooong time.)

How I wish the systems within different countries worked together somehow, so we could start the process now and not have to restart after the move.

[tiffani]

I think that if I were you, I would start now and try to complete the adoption before you move to the UK. Do you have to move at a certain time? What are the possibilities of adopting like in your country? The odds of a friend of a relative situation happening (or anything like that) are slim to none, but the sooner you put yourself out there, the sooner it will happen. Adoption takes a long time, start now and don't move until you have your baby.

[LessTraveledBy]

Thanks for the response.

The problem is that we will definitely have to move... my dh is a student here, whereas he will be working after the move. I just found out what an international adoption costs in this country and, frankly, it is completely impossible. I think the matter might not change after the move, though, so I think we will most likely just need to forget this idea. It is quite frustrating, really.

[Polliwog]

Would you consider non-international adoption?

[alinae]

I would talk with different adoptions agencies where you live and gather information. You may be very surprised about what option are available to you. Many international adoptions are completed within 2 years.

Don't get discouraged about the finances yet. There are many grants that maybe available to you. With your DH in school, this maybe a huge advantage to you when applying for grants. Also, just start saving as much money as you can. Sell things that you don't need, haven't used in awhile, etc. An agency would also probably be able to tell you about what grants would be available.

Where there's a will there's a way!

[LessTraveledBy]

Thanks, alinae.

The thing is that I am not in the US and there are no grants here. It is very frustrating, as it seems almost as if only rich enough parents are good enough, if you know what I mean.

We would not qualify for non-international adoption here, as we don't speak the language and don't plan to stay.