Q:  What is the cost?  A:  The fee for a Snowflakes Family Evaluation (SFE) is $1,500 plus the social worker’s travel expenses.  These travel expenses could range anywhere from just a few dollars for families who live near one of our offices to several hundred dollars for families who live outside the U.S.  The average […]

Success. Some facilitators of infant adoption will continue working with a birth mother, even if they think she will ultimately change her mind about placing her child for adoption.  They operate on wishful thinking and want to collect fees throughout the process.  Non-profit adoption agencies are more interested in the well-being of the child than […]

  Having a prospective birthmother choose you to raise her child is a priceless gift that you can never truly repay. Many adoptive parents choose to express their feelings for a birthparent by giving them a meaningful gift at the hospital when the baby is born or at placement- something a birthparent can treasure for […]

The National Council for Adoption answers this question, in a blog post. Written by Daniel Nehrbass, Ph.D. I was speaking on a panel about intercountry adoption recently at a conference, and during the Q&A time an adoptive mom in the audience asked, “where does all the money go?” She was wondering in particular about how […]

  The Indian Child Welfare Act was enacted in 1978 as a response to the crisis affecting Native and Alaskan American children who were separated from their families, communities and cultural heritage.  To best understand why this law was necessary, it is important to know the practices leading up to the passage of this federal […]

Our staff at Nightlight often are asked, “Why isn’t adoption free? As wonderful as that would be, in order for an agency to process an adoption in such a way that all parties involved are assured ethical treatment, adequate training, and proper legal oversight (not to mention the cost of licensing, liability insurance, international accreditation, and […]

Open adoption looks different for every family. The relationship between an adoptive family and birth family is a special relationship, in which you are connected by the child. Each adoptive family and birth family is unique and therefore, the relationships are unique. There are a few things that adoptive parents should keep in mind when […]

  “I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now.” “What a hard decision you are making.” “Thank you for trusting us with your baby.” “You are so brave.” “I admire your strength.”   These are all statements that one might hear being said to a birth mother in the hospital or at placement. How many […]

In my career as a licensed clinical social worker, I have been honored to counsel women walking through the process of grief after placing a baby for adoption.  One such woman, Mary (name and information used with permission) captured her journey in a heartfelt essay entitled “The Beautiful Side of Grief,” which she wrote shortly […]

  Every once in a while in this field, you meet a family who really touches your heart.  The Jones-Moreno family is one of those families.  When going through the adoption process, there are always delays and difficulties, especially in international adoption.  Alex and Shunna were always patient, gracious, and positive throughout it all.  Alex […]