Adoption

What is Adoption?
What Kinds of People Adopt?
Am I Ready to Adopt?

Frequently Asked Questions
For More Information
 

What Is Adoption?

     Adoption is the permanent, legal transfer of parental rights and responsibilities from a child’s birth parents to the adoptive parents.

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What Kinds of People Adopt?

• Adoptive parents don't have to be perfect.
• Adoptive parents don't have to have a certain minimum income level.
• Adoptive parents don't have to have their own home.
• Adoptive parents don't have to be the same race or ethnic background as the child they adopt.
• Adoptive parents can be married or single.
• Adoptive parents have a love of children and parenting.
• Adoptive parents share a strong desire to help a child grow up to reach his/her potential and to be happy and fulfilled adults.
• Adoptive parents may be first-time parents or may have already had children but feel they have room in their homes and hearts for more.
• Adoptive parents have patience and perseverance.
• Adoptive parents have a good sense of humor!
• Adoptive parents love unconditionally.
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Am I Ready to Adopt?

• Do I have a clear understanding of why I want to adopt?
• If there are infertility issues, have I worked through this enough to understand that an adopted child cannot replace the child I could not have biologically?
• Do I understand the concept of the child being shared – that the child will always have birth parents too, even if he/she never has any contact with them?
• If I am married, do my spouse and I work as a team? Are we BOTH committed to adoption?

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For More Information

     MBCH Children and Family Ministries has regional offices in Jefferson City, Joplin, Lee’s Summit and Springfield. These offices focus on foster and adoptive parent recruiting, training and placement and case management for children needing homes around the state.

11300 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, Missouri 63044

3628B West Truman Blvd., Jefferson City, Missouri 65109

4037 E. 7th Street, Joplin, Missouri 64801-9185

4001 NE Lakewood Way, Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64064

1837 East Cherry Street, Springfield, Missouri 65802

     To discuss the possibility of becoming an adoptive parent, call the MBCH Children and Family Ministries Foster/Adoptive Department at 1-800-264-6224. You can e-mail us at foster.adoptive@MBCH.org. You may download the Foster/Adoption Application form to print and complete on paper or use the on-line version of the Foster/Adoption Application form. If you elect to download the form, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and print the form.
Download Foster/Adoptive Application

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© MBCH 2002 * Last Modified 5/8/2009 * Webmaster