FAQ

What does CARA stand for?
Child Adoption Resource Association, Inc.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:26 pm by nicole
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How do I Contact CARA?
Click here for CARA's Contact Information
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:27 pm by nicole
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What is CARA?
CARA is a fully licensed, full service, non-profit adoption agency that can help with closed, open, intrastate, interstate, and international adoptions.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:30 pm by Fran
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What types of adoption are there?
There are several types of child adoption from which you can choose. Your choices include open or closed adoption, private adoption or agency adoption, and domestic or international adoption.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:06 pm by Fran
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What is the difference between
Open adoption is where identifying information is shared between the birth mother and the adopting family. Closed adoption is where specific identifying information is not provided to either party.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:07 pm by Fran
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What is the best way to select a child adoption agency?
Agencies come in a variety of forms. They can be for-profit or non-profit. They can be public or private. They can be licensed or unlicensed. The most important thing for you to remember is that you are advised to only work with a fully licensed non-profit child adoption agency.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:28 pm by Fran
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Are we limited to only adoption agencies in our state or can we work with an adoption agency not lic
You are not limited to only those adoption agencies within your state of residence. Finding the one adoption agency that meets your needs and desires is an important early step. Agencies come in a variety of forms.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:28 pm by Fran
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How long will it take to adopt?
It depends on what type of child adoption you want and which agency you select. It can vary from a few months to two years. Our current waiting time for the placement of a healthy U.S. born Caucasian infant is estimated to be approximately 12 months, and approximately 4-6 months for a healthy U.S. born African American or bi-racial (Caucasian/African-American) infant. With domestic adoption, it is estimated that 56% of prospective adoptive parents are matched with a birth mother within 6 months.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:28 pm by Fran
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Is financial help available to cover some of the cost of a child adoption?
Yes, resources to help defray adoption costs for many types of adoptions are available through state grants, loans, employer benefits, adoption tax credits, and federal adoption subsidies, but not directly through CARA.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:28 pm by Fran
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What is a Homestudy?
The homestudy is completed through a process of interviews conducted in the agency office and your home. Homestudies include gathering social history information, personal and employment reference checks, and background checks with the Connecticut State Police, child abuse, vulnerable adult and sexual offender registries. Homestudies also assist families in clarifying preferences for the child they are to parent.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:28 pm by Fran
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How common is a disruption?
Disruptions do occasionally happen. The term disruption, as related to a domestic adoption, is used to describe an adoption process that ends after the child is placed in an adoptive home but before the adoption is legally finalized. A disruption results in the child's return to the birth mother, birth father, entry (or re- entry) into foster care, or placement with new adoptive parents.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:29 pm by Fran
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How common are “false starts”?
It is more common, however, for there to be “false starts” with private infant adoption. This occurs when a match with a birth parent does not end up becoming an adoption. It is estimated that one third of domestic adoptive parents may experience a false start. These families then go on to become matched with another birth mother.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:29 pm by Fran
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As a single person will I be able to adopt a child?
Yes, you can adopt a child either domestically or internationally, but the ease will depend on other variables including your sex. A single male will usually have a more difficult time adopting, especially internationally, while a single female can pursue either option with equal probability of success.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:29 pm by Fran
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What are the costs in adopting?
Determining child adoption costs depends on the type of adoption you want and the agency you select. It can vary from $0 to in excess of $50,000. Nearly all U.S. states and territories have enacted statutes that provide some regulation of the fees and expenses that adoptive parents are expected to pay when arranging an adoptive placement. In a domestic adoption, fees can be almost nothing (through state foster care program) but on the average they vary from about $15,000 to $30,000. International adoption expenses, depending on the agency and country involved average from about $20,000-$40,000.
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:29 pm by Fran
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Private Domestic or International Specific Adoption Questions:
•How many children did you place last year?
• How many children from each of the programs in which I am interested?
• How long have you been placing children from each program?
Adapted from “Shopping for an Adoption Agency,” Adoption Information Service, Seattle, Washington
• (For singles) How many children did you place with a single parent?
• How soon after I apply will my home study begin?
• If I am not approved, can I find out why? Is there an appeal process?
• How long will it take from home study or dossier approval to the referral of a child?
• How much time do I have to decide on a referral? What happens if I don’t accept the referral?
• Can I get a written breakdown of fees and a payments schedule?
• Does the fee cover the homestudy, all post-placement visits, fees to the placing agency (international or in-country), international processing, transportation, and miscellaneous fees (visa, dossier preparation, notarization, medical exams, document translation, exit tax)?
• Do you have programs in other countries I could switch to if regulations change or if a moratorium is declared?
• Are the international agencies you work with licensed in their own countries? How long have you worked with them?
• What information do we receive about a referral before we travel? How thorough and accurate is the medical information?
• What are the travel requirements? Do you help with travel arrangements?
• Do you have bilingual representatives respected by the authorities in each foreign country to obtain or assist with the referral of a child?
• Is there a written policy of quality assurance that will address my concerns during the process?
• What are the post-placement requirements, and what support services do you offer before, during, and after placement?
• What happens if I find I can’t parent the child I adopted?
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:29 pm by Fran
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Adoption of Foster Children from State Care Specific Questions
1.How do children become freed for adoption while in the care of DCF?
2.Why are children freed for adoption through the DCF considered as having "special needs"?
3.How does a family begin the adoption process?
4.How is the application processed?
5.I think that adoption is "right" for me, but what if I change my mind?
6.What type of matching takes place in adoption?
7.How long will a family wait to be matched with a child?
8.When can a child be legally adopted?
9.What is a "legal risk" placement?
10.How does a family become eligible to accept a "legal risk?"
11.What is the cost of adoption through the Department?
12.Is "private adoption" legal in Connecticut?
13.What is the role of the department regarding private adoptions?
14.What services does DCF provide to families adopting children of the child welfare system?
15.Do foster parents ever adopt children placed in their care?
16.How do I learn more about becoming an adoptive parent using CARA as my agency?
Last modified: April 7, 2008 12:29 pm by Fran
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Agency News

Sep 16, 2009 - Families Needed:
We are now looking for Connecticut parents to adopt infants of all races, including African-American, through private domestic adoption. The waiting period has become much shorter over this past year, so domestic adoption has become a more viable option for many. As always, we are also seeking families to adopt CT state foster children through our grant-funded program "Project CT's Child".
May 1, 2009 - Check out the Heart Gallery
If you are considering adopting a child from the state foster care system, please visit the "Heart Gallery", a moving exhibit featuring portraits of waiting children. We can help you adopt these and other foster children. You can view these photos at: www.heartgalleryct.org
Apr 17, 2009 - Visit Us on Cable TV
If you live in Southeastern CT, please check out our public access TV show "Families in the Making". The schedule is listed on the section of this website titled: Visit Us on Cable.

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Child Adoption Resource Association :: Eastern CT: 2 Union Plaza; Suite 300; New London, CT 06320; 860-444-0553; director@adoptacarakid.org