Domestic Adoption Requirements
St. Mary’s takes great pride in finding loving, stable homes for infants. We ask that all couples interested in adopting from the agency meet the following requirements:
- Be in a stable marriage for at least two years.
- Be at least 23 years of age.
- Practice a religious faith.
- Demonstrate financial stability.
- Have a healthy lifestyle.
- Experience infertility or an acceptable medical condition that impairs your ability to have a biological child. Fertility treatments should be discontinued for at least six months.
- Participate in an initial meeting with a St. Mary’s counselor.
- Complete all adoption and licensing paperwork.
- Adhere to the following correspondence requirements.
Minimum Correspondence Requirements
The adoptive couple will provide pictures and letters to their child’s birth parents at the following intervals as well as a video at the end of the first year.
- Placement
- First month
- Third month
- Christening
- Sixth month
- Nine month
- First year
Correspondence levels vary and are based largely on the wishes of the birth parents. Typically, adoptive parents will provide at least yearly pictures and letters to the birth parents until the child is 18 years of age. In keeping with birth parents’ wishes, adoptive parents agree to one supervised visit with the birth parents prior to placement and at least one supervised visit post placement with the baby each year – again, if the birth parents desire this level of communication with the adoptive family and child.
