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Our Services
Information and Q&A meetings
We provide multiple in person opportunities to explore the possibilities of adoption. It is our goal to provide accurate information for making an informed decision as a lifetime commitment. Every family circumstance is different and evaluating your resources of time, energy and finances all must be part of determining the best possibilities of the available choices in adoption.
Home Study and Approval Process
All adoptions require a home study. Our home studies focus upon your personal strengths once accepted into our program. We approve our families as private adoptive parents. A completed written report is held in the file to be submitted to appropriate agencies or entities by way of informed consent. Your Home Study is valid for 2 years before requiring an update if there are no changes in that period of time. Any life changes, such as moving to a new location, a new job or other life change must be added to the current Home Study.
Matching Families and Children
Infants and children are most often referred to us through local hospitals, pregnancy resource centers and community health clinics. We have birth parents seeking advisement as part of their decision for carrying a baby to term with an adoption plan. Other families come already having made connection with the birth parents and the adopting family to gain the needed legal services for freeing the child and finalizing the adoption. We represent our approved families to hopeful birth parents through prepared family profiles to determine the best matches possible.
Foster Family Coaching and Training
A majority of families accept children into their homes without a mindful understanding of the challenges adoption will have for their lifetime. You can be certain you will benefit from having a working knowledge and understanding of core subjects in adoption, specifically the Adoption Triad, Openness, Impact of Trauma, Loss, Attachment Styles and Developmental Stages. Even if you have a working knowledge you will benefit from the practical application that comes by coaching to your specific needs. Becoming a a mindfully prepared family gives the best gift of all you wish to provide into your child's life. We come along side our families to coach them through the phases leading to a successful adoption.
Interface to Courts and State Agencies
Working within the boundaries of the legal processes of State laws, regulated by The Department of Social Services and finalized by the Courts can be overwhelming. We have found there is greater safety for all involved as we cooperate toward achieving the same goals of building strong and loving families. It is our reputation among many adoption workers through out the Bay area that has resulted in smooth and successful adoptions. You don't have to be alone.
Interstate Child Placement Compact (ICPC)
Many families seek the services of adoption facilitators who often work or are located outside of California. The matching a family who resides in California to a child from out of the State requires meeting the regulations of the ICPC. This regulated compact is the agreed process to ensure children are being supervised between the two states involved through each state's identified agencies. In California that can be any licensed full-service adoption agency which Hand In Hand Foundation is. If you have questions please call us to discuss the many challenges you will want to anticipate if ICPC is part of the matching process.
Adoption Finalization
Our greatest joy comes in sharing the day of finalizing our families adoptions. Each one is unique, but all are meaningful. It is our hope to maintain ongoing relationships with our families. They are invaluable assets for encouraging our ongoing families at various phases of the adoption process.
