Christian Adoption Service

An adoption in North Carolina cannot be processed without the development of a Preplacement Assessment, more commonly known as an adoption home study. Through a series of three meetings with the prospective adoptive applicant, trained workers conduct criminal and child abuse clearances and will discuss in great depth the applicant’s background that often influence their philosophy of children rearing. Perhaps more importantly, the adoptive applicant will be led to assess his own strength in parenting and to help them determine the type of child that they are most prepared to parent.

Adoptive applicants are required to become engaged in one of several adoption-training activities depending on the type of adoption that they pursue. Through a thorough assessment of the adoptive applicant, both the prospective parent and agency become personally involved in the adoption journey. Support to the family is encouraged throughout the adoption process.

Independent Studies

CAS provides studies for the public without imposing a religious criterion on the adoptive applicants. Often such studies are coordinated in conjunction with another agency or facilitator in another state. CAS adheres to guidelines that are offered by the party making placement. In all cases, studies are reviewed by the adoptive applicant and placing agency before the studies are finalized.

Adoption Summaries

The adoption of a child by a member of his or her extended family or by a step-parent involves a special proceeding that is often referred to as a kinship or relative adoption.

Because the child’s family is closely involved in the process, it is they who generally file their own legal paperwork in court. The Adoption Summary provides the court a summary of the case with verification that the social, medical and child abuse clearances have yielded negative findings that safeguard the well-being of a minor child by his new legal parents.

Based on the special circumstances that surround the adoption, there is only one visit by the agency representative at the family’s home at which time the basic facts are recorded and the motivation of the adoptive placement is explored.

Post Placement Services

Once a child enters his/her adoptive family, the same caseworker who conducted the parents’ home study, is available to provide appropriate support services. The assimilation of a new member in the family unit can often be a challenging time. New eating and sleeping schedules have a direct impact on daily routines, for example: added to sleep deprivation, those first few days and weeks are challenging.

By having an experienced social worker visit with the family within two weeks of placement, new parents have the opportunity to ask questions that may concern them about their child, his/her behaviors, diet and overall health. Subsequent visits are generally availed to the adoptive family on the third and sixth month or as needed until the adoption is finalized or, in the case of an intercountry adoption, the child is re-adopted. Through this process, the child’s adoption will be recorded in the office of NC Vital Records so a new birth record can be obtained.