I Want to Make an Adoption Plan

The National Down Syndrome Adoption Network was created to offer hope to expectant and birth parents who felt they would not be able to parent their child, and wanted a loving alternative – adoption.

You are here because you love your child. You have reviewed the information about parenting a child with Down syndrome, you have educated yourself on what Down syndrome is, and after many sleepless nights and heart wrenching talks with your family, you feel that the best choice for your child is a family who is ready, and who wants to adopt a child with Down syndrome.

If you have not reviewed the information about parenting a child with Down syndrome, expectant parents go here; birth parents go here.

How we work. The NDSAN has a registry of families who are approved and licensed for adoption. They currently have what is called a home study – a document that verifies the family has passed background and fingerprint checks, medical evaluations, home checks, and referrals that were submitted on their behalf. These families are comprised of:

-Parents who already have a child with Down syndrome
-Parents who work directly with children with Down syndrome
-Parents who are siblings, nieces, cousins, or other family members of someone with Down syndrome
-Parents who babysat, attended church with, went to school with, or were friends with someone with Down syndrome
-Parents who feel called to adopt a child with Down syndrome

These families reside within the US, all across the country. They are licensed to adopt within the United States.

When a family is interested in joining our registry, they must have their social worker email their completed, signed, and updated home study to us. We then email a registration form to the family. They tell us about their family as far as location, employment, faith, present children, etc. They then tell us what they are looking for in a child – what medical conditions they can accept, how much they can pay in adoption fees, the ages, gender, etc. they are looking for in a child.

After you talk with us, and after we have counseled you on parenting a child with Down syndrome and provided you with updated, positive information on Down syndrome…if you feel an adoption plan would be the best choice, we will honor your request and walk you through the process of connecting with an adoption agency, and connecting with families on our registry.

You will give us information on the child, and we will create a query in our database that will kick out a report of potential families who would be a best fit of what you may be looking for in an adoptive family. Families on the report will be contacted, and I will send you the profiles of families who wish to be considered for your situation.

A family profile will show you pictures of the family, and it will tell their story of who they are, why they want to adopt a child with Down syndrome, and what experience they have with Down syndrome.

You will review family profiles, and when you are ready, a family will be chosen, and the adoption agency will step in and take care of the legal aspects of the adoption.

The National Down Syndrome Adoption Network is here to honor you, your family, your child. We will provide you with ongoing support as you walk this path of adoption. We will answer your questions, and just be there as support as you go through this journey.

If you are ready to talk with someone about the adoption journey, contact Stephanie Thompson via voice or text at 513-709-1751, or email her here.

We also created a list of resources that will support at this time. You can view that list here.