Types of Adoption

If you decide adoption is the right journey for you, The Village Family Service Center can assist you with a variety of options. Several types of adoption are available for you to choose from, and the process for each is a bit different.

Click on the type that interests you to learn more about it and the application, assessment, and placement process. To more easily compare the various types of adoption, download this chart.

We help families all across North Dakota. See our list of office locations.

North Dakota Infant Adoption

We place healthy babies and toddlers into adoptive families. When a birth family is considering an adoption plan, we are here as support through the whole journey. We approach the approved, waiting families who have successfully completed the preparation, training, and assessment process. A placement happens, on average, two years after assessment approval. This program is open to North Dakota families with one or no children. Children come from diverse backgrounds. We currently have a one year waiting list to begin this process.

Application: Payment of fee and completion of application. Waiting list is approximately 1 year.
Assessment Packet: The assessment packet will be sent to you as you reach the top of the list.
Adoption Preparation and Training Workshop: Payment of workshop fee. Attend two-day workshop with other prospective adoptive parents. Training is offered quarterly.
Assessment Process: Payment of assessment fee. Submit paperwork to social worker. Complete Taylor-Johnson and AAPI. Interviews with social worker (including at least one home visit and two to four additional visits as needed).
Selection Profile: Prepare profile and birth parent letter to be placed in selection book and website. Profile is shown to birth families making an adoption plan. The average wait time from assessment to placement is 1 to 2 years.
Referral of Child: You will receive all known non-identifying information to consider a specific opportunity.
Placement of Child: A formal placement occurs upon birth parent's legal relinquishment and termination of parental rights. (The length of time varies dependent on situation.) Make legal risk first then formal placement. A legal risk placement is often made from the hospital pending the legal process with birth parents.
Post-Placement Support and Supervision: 6 months required by state of North Dakota before legal finalization can occur.

Identified Adoption

Identified Adoption is when a direct connection with a birth family and prospective adoptive families is made, and all parties mutually agree to an adoption plan. We can assist you in working through the adoption process and creating a plan that is personalized and comfortable for all including your baby. We strive to be responsive to your particular situation and time frame.

One type of adoption that falls under the Identified Adoption law and process is Relative Adoption, when distant relatives wish to legally adopt a child in the family. Family members seeking to legally adopt a grandchild, niece, or nephew can do so without the use of a licensed child placing agency. More distant relatives require an agency like ours to assist in completing the adoption assessment process, as well as providing counseling services with the birth parents.

Application: Payment of fee and completion of application.
Assessment Packet: The assessment packet will be mailed directly to you.
Adoption Preparation and Training Workshop: Generally the timing of Identified adoption does not permit attendance. Should your desire to participate on the next available training, we can make arrangements.
Assessment Process: Payment of assessment fee. Submit paperwork to social worker. Complete Taylor-Johnson & AAPI. Interviews with social worker (including at least one home visit and two to four additional visits as needed.)
Birth Family: Relationship building with your identified birth family occurs on an ongoing basis. Future relationship and openness agreements are reviewed. You will meet with your attorney to initiate legal process.
Referral of Child: You will be involved in and receive all information from the hospital, regarding the child’s birth and birth family’s social/medical history, provided in accordance with the ND Identified Adoptive Parent Law.
Placement of Child: Placement occurs with a legal Temporary Custody Order. It becomes a formal adoptive placement upon birth parent's legal relinquishment and termination of parental rights.
Post-Placement Support and Supervision: 6 months required by state of North Dakota before legal finalization can occur.

Infant wrapped in blue blanket holding teddy bear

Baby wearing a blue onesie lying on a white sheet

Interstate Adoption

Interstate Adoption is for North Dakota families who plan to adopt a baby or child from another state in the United States. Families network with a licensed child placing agency in another state for the identification and placement of the child. Our staff can assist you in adoption preparation, training, and assessment services, in order to facilitate the placement of a child into your home, and then provide the required post-placement services. We will advocate for you and educate you on issues involved in the legal termination of birth parents' rights and a child crossing state lines.

Application: Payment of fee and completion of application.
Assessment Packet: The assessment packet will be mailed directly to you.
Adoption Preparation and Training Workshop: Payment of workshop fee. Attend two-day workshop with other prospective adoptive parents. Training is offered quarterly.
Assessment Process: Payment of assessment fee. Submit paperwork to social worker. Complete Taylor-Johnson & AAPI. Interviews with social worker (including at least one home visit and two to four additional visits as needed).
Selection Profile: Prepare profile and birth parent letter to be sent to your networking agency. This will be shown to their birth families. The average waiting time varies at each networking agency.
Referral of Child: Your networking agency will contact you to consider a specific adoption opportunity. You will travel to that state for placement. Returning home can happen once both states provide approval thru ICPC.
Placement of Child: A formal placement occurs upon birth parent’s legal relinquishment of parental rights. The length of time varies, dependent on state and situation. (ICPC) Interstate Compact process is required. Your networking agency and The Village will assist you in returning home as soon as both states approve.
Post-Placement Support and Supervision: 6 months required by state of North Dakota before legal finalization can occur.

International Adoption

We network with international adoption agencies for the placement of children. We are COA accredited, knowledgeable, and experienced in Hague and non-Hague adoptions.

We would be happy to assist you with the preparation necessary for completion of the adoption assessment. After placement we can complete any required post-placement visits and reports, and assist in re-finalization or validation. Our staff can assist you in finding a reputable, licensed networking agency. We can also connect you with other adoptive families who have added to their family with a child from China, Ethiopia, Russia, Guatemala, Colombia, Ukraine, Vietnam, and many others.

Application: Payment of fee and completion of application.
Assessment Packet: The assessment packet will be mailed directly to you.
Adoption Preparation: Training is offered online and needs to be Hague accredited. Your networking agency will have more info for you.
Assessment Process: Payment of assessment fee. Submit paperwork to social worker. Complete Taylor-Johnson & AAPI. Interviews with social worker (including at least one home visit and two to four additional visits as needed).
United States Immigration and Citizenship Service (USICS): Begin during assessment process. Your networking agency and The Village will assist you in this process.
Referral of Child: You will be given all known information about the child. Once you accept the referral, you will travel to the country for adoptive placement.
Placement of Child: If you travel to the country on an IR3 visa, placement will become formal in the country. Child becomes U.S. citizen upon return to U.S. If the child is escorted to the U.S or has an IR4 visa, placement day is arrival in USA, and upon finalization in the U.S. Citizenship becomes effective.
Post-Placement Support and Supervision: IR3 Visa-validation of final adoption and PP reports as required by country. IR4 Visa-6 month supervision and finalization.

Woman holds hands in heart shape on pregnant belly

Embryo Adoption

When couples go through in vitro fertilization (IVF), sometimes there are fertilized eggs (embryos) that remain and are frozen for later use. An estimated 700,000 to over 1 million human embryos are currently stored in the U.S. When this couple decides their family is complete but still have embryos remaining, there are a few options:

They can donate their embryos to a couple who is unable to conceive for the purpose of adoption.
They can donate the embryos to research.
They can thaw the embryos and let them die.
They can keep the embryos frozen and continue to pay storage fees.

Embryo adoption allows the genetic parents to give their embryos a chance for life. And it provides prospective adoptive parents with an opportunity to have children. Embryo adoption is an option for those who are able to medically carry a child through to delivery, allowing the prospective parents to experience pregnancy and birth. There is generally openness involved in these adoptions.

The National Embryo Donation Center is a non-profit organization that helps both embryo donors and recipients. Check out www.embryodonation.org to learn more. When someone donates embryos to the NEDC, they become the interim caregiver. The NEDC team works hard to match the right embryos with the perfect adoptive family.

We can get you prepared for adoption and complete your home study assessment for this type of adoption.

Application: Payment of fee and completion of application.
Assessment Packet: The assessment packet will be mailed directly to you.
Adoption Preparation and Training Workshop: Payment of workshop fee. Attend two-day workshop with other prospective adoptive parents. Training is offered quarterly.
Assessment Process: Payment of assessment fee. Submit paperwork to social worker. Complete Taylor-Johnson & AAPI. Interviews with social worker (including at least one home visit and two to four additional visits as needed.)
Embryo Selection: The embryo program will assist in the selection based on what is important to the donating families and adoptive families.
Referral of Embryo: Once the match has been made the embryo will be transferred to the adoptive family through a legal contract and a medical procedure.
Placement of Child: At the time of birth, the adoptive couple is fully recognized as the legal parents to any children who are born.
Post-Placement Support and Supervision: No supervision is required.