Florida Adoption Services
PROVIDING HAGUE-ACCREDITED ADOPTION SERVICES IN FLORIDA
America World Adoption - Florida is a licensed and Hague-accredited adoption agency in Florida that provides adoption services for families. Although our primary role is to provide home study services for families adopting through America World's international adoption programs, we are also able to prepare a home study and post-adoption reports for families using other placement agencies and who meet America World's agency requirements. Our office is located in Orlando, but we are able to provide Florida adoption services for families living throughout the state.
Florida Adoption Home Study Services
The Home Study is a major part of the international adoption process designed to help you, America World Adoption, the US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), and the foreign government assesses your ability to provide a loving home for an orphan. A home study is an assessment process that provides a written report that is a comprehensive picture of your background, current family life and how this new child will be integrated into your family. It is designed to be a non-judgmental, educational and fruitful process. Some of the topics discussed during the home study process are motivation for adoption, expectations regarding adoption: short-term and long-term, attitude towards biological parents, type of child desired: age, sex, medical or emotional concerns, and attitudes of extended family and non-resident siblings.
Your Florida adoption home study coordinator will also explore your values related to parenting, marriage, finances, spiritual beliefs, and child-care plans. These discussions will all take place during four face-to-face visits, one of which must be in your home. For residents in the State of Florida, state and local criminal record checks, child abuse registry checks and references will be obtained. You will need to provide a copy of your birth certificate, marriage license, financial documentation and medical statements for all members of the family. All of these items will be collected and reported in the home study. You will be provided with a Home Study Manual, along with some beginning forms and materials you will need to get started. Our goal is to help you through the process on a timely basis and with as little stress and anxiety as possible.
Florida Post-Adoption Services
America World Adoption Florida also provides post-adoption services for your international adoption. Post-adoption visits are vital to helping an adoptive family adjust and transition to a new family unit. We will visit your family in your home to assess your transition and write a post-adoption report. Each country and even some states have their own post-adoption requirements. For families who are going through the domestic adoption process, post-placement visits will be conducted every 30 days after placement until the adoption is finalized in a court of law. Your social worker will ensure that all state, agency, and country requirements are met in your post-adoptive reports. At a minimum, you will be required to have at least two post-adoption visits. In addition to post-adoption visits and reports, we will be available to offer support and referrals for special services, education and/or training.
How to Begin Your Adoption
If you are adopting through America World, you will begin by completing an application online. Once your application has been approved and we have received your program agreements, Amy Kryszan will contact you to initiate the home study.
If you are not using America World as your placing agency but would like to use our Florida adoption social services, you may fill out the application online and choose "Social Services Only" under Application Type. The application fee for a social service only case is reduced to $295. Once the application is processed, Amy Kryszan will contact you and will work directly with you and your placement agency to ensure all requirements are met in your home study and post-adoption reports. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Kryszan.
Contact Info
America World Adoption - FLORIDA
Orlando, FL 32837
9 AM - 5 PM ET
Phone: 800-429-3369 ext 110
Fax: 888-466-8922
florida@awaa.org