LDS Family Services is a non-profit corporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that provides a variety of social services, including unplanned pregnancy counseling and arranging LDS adoptions. Mormon adoption is one of the more well-known undertakings of LDS Family Services.
Objective of LDS Family Services Adoptions
The ultimate goal of LDS adoption services is to create "forever families" with each and every adoption through a sealing ceremony intended to cement family ties for eternity.
Alisha Hopkins of Ohio, who adopted a baby through LDS Family Services in 2010, says that she was told by the agency that 100% of the placements made through LDS Family Services are sealed in the temple.
LDS Adoption Services Requirements
All adoption agencies must follow state requirements, which may vary from state to state but in general include home visits, fire inspections, state and federal fingerprint background checks, reading and questionnaires, interviews, and physical checkups for adoptive parents.
In addition to state requirements, LDS Family Services also requires each couple to be married at least two years and sealed in temple. They also must be active members of their local ward or branch and have current temple recommends. LDS Family Services requires four letters of recommendation from non-family members plus a letter from their bishop.
LDS Family Services works with birth mothers of all religions and backgrounds. Both Mormon and non-Mormon women facing an unplanned pregnancy are eligible for free pregnancy counseling through LDS Family Services.
Cost of a Mormon Adoption with Family Services
According to its website, LDS Family Services Adoptions as of 2011 cost a minimum of $4,000 and a maximum of $10,000, up to 10% of your gross annual income. Even with the additional costs such as lawyer fees and an optional $3,000 to help the birth mother financially during the pregnancy, Alisha says that "all in all it is still cheaper than if a couple went through another agency."
Family Services adoptions are less expensive than most public and private adoption agencies because they are subsidized by LDS church funds. The family-oriented LDS church wants to make adoption more affordable and accessible to Mormon families. When asked why she thought the LDS church subsidizes Family Services adoptions, Alisha answered, "To make eternal families - what a blessing on both sides!"
LDS Adoption Process and Wait Time
Nevertheless, Alisha calls the adoption process with LDS Family Services "very tedious... Not knowing whether someone will like you or not, what if you don't have enough pictures or you answered a question wrong? If someone does choose you will they like you? Will they change their minds when the baby comes?"
After being approved for an LDS Family Services adoption, the fastest placement is around 2 months and the longest wait is 5 years. Alisha says that "we waited exactly one year once we were approved," which is less than LDS Family Service's average wait of 18 months.
Mormon couples considering adoption, or birth mothers of any faith searching for an adoption agency, should familiarize themselves with LDS Family Services adoptions. The main focus of these Mormon adoptions are giving opportunities for babies to be sealed to eternal families in the LDS temple.
Sources:
Official website of LDS Family Services
Personal interview with Alisha Hopkins, January 14, 2010.
Jenny Evans - Jenny Evans is a freelance writer and editor specializing in parenting and the family. She is also the Mormonism Topic Editor for ...
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