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>> About FAC > Mission Statement > Board of Directors > Legislative Support >> Additional Resources >> Frequently Asked Questions >> Member Directory >> Apply for Membership >> Back to Homepage	Some commonly asked questions regarding the adoption process in the State of Florida What is a home study? What information will I have on the birth parents? What information will the birth parents have about me? What tests will be run on the birth mother? What tests will be run on the baby? What kind of contact will we have with the birth parents? What should we say -- or not say -- when communicating with the birth parents? Will the birth mother receive counseling? How and when will we know the baby is born? Will I receive a refund of living expenses if the birth mother does not place? When will the consent for adoption be signed? Can a birth parent change his/her mind once a consent for adoption is signed? What rights do birth fathers have? Can birth mothers receive living expenses? Will my insurance cover the baby? What is post-placement supervision? When will my adoption be finalized? Where can I obtain a birth certificate? Where can I obtain a Social Security card? Is there a tax credit for adoption? How and when can I take the dependency deduction? Is the earned income credit and child tax credit available for adopted children? Should I update my will? How much does adoption cost? What is the Indian Child Welfare Act? What Is the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children? How does the Interstate Compact work? What are the ICPC Safeguards? What time is needed to process ICPC? Are there age, marital, religious or other restrictions? Will adoption professionals work with military families? Will adoption professionals work with out-of-state families? Disclaimer: The information provided above is an overview of Florida's adoption law effective June 2, 2003. It is a brief introduction to a complex topic. This is not a complete dissertation of the law, is not tailored to a specific case, and you should not rely on this document. Moreover, the adoption law is new and untested; therefore, this information may change as the courts interpret the law. When you have specific questions regarding your particular adoptive placement, please address them with your adoption professional.	In order for ICPC paperwork to be filed, all required documents must be submitted together. ICPC cannot begin until one or both birth parents' rights have been surrendered, depending on the situation involved. In addition, some of the items required for submission are not available until the day the baby is released from the hospital, including discharge paperwork and medical records. Only when these items become available can the ICPC package be completed and sent out. Once the ICPC paperwork has been submitted, it takes an average of 7-10 business days to process. This is an average time frame and some ICPC offices can take longer. Adoptive families should make the necessary arrangements to stay in the state for at least 2 weeks. Only one parent must stay with the child. Foster care can be arranged if necessary.

	Executive Office • 418 W. Platt Ave., Tampa, FL 33606 • Ph. (813) 258-3355 • Fax (813) 258-3373
	State Capitol Office • P.O. Box 10728, Tallahassee, FL 32312 • Ph. (850) 577-3077

>> About FAC

> Mission Statement

> Board of Directors

> Legislative Support

>> Additional Resources

>> Frequently Asked Questions

>> Member Directory

>> Apply for Membership

>> Back to Homepage

Some commonly asked questions
regarding the adoption process in the State of Florida

What is a home study?
What information will I have on the birth parents?
What information will the birth parents have about me?
What tests will be run on the birth mother?
What tests will be run on the baby?
What kind of contact will we have with the birth parents?
What should we say -- or not say -- when communicating with the birth parents?
Will the birth mother receive counseling?
How and when will we know the baby is born?
Will I receive a refund of living expenses if the birth mother does not place?
When will the consent for adoption be signed?
Can a birth parent change his/her mind once a consent for adoption is signed?
What rights do birth fathers have?
Can birth mothers receive living expenses?
Will my insurance cover the baby?
What is post-placement supervision?
When will my adoption be finalized?
Where can I obtain a birth certificate?
Where can I obtain a Social Security card?
Is there a tax credit for adoption?
How and when can I take the dependency deduction?
Is the earned income credit and child tax credit available for adopted children?
Should I update my will?
How much does adoption cost?
What is the Indian Child Welfare Act?
What Is the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children?
How does the Interstate Compact work?
What are the ICPC Safeguards?
What time is needed to process ICPC?
Are there age, marital, religious or other restrictions?
Will adoption professionals work with military families?
Will adoption professionals work with out-of-state families?

Disclaimer: The information provided above is an overview of Florida's adoption law effective June 2, 2003. It is a brief introduction to a complex topic. This is not a complete dissertation of the law, is not tailored to a specific case, and you should not rely on this document. Moreover, the adoption law is new and untested; therefore, this information may change as the courts interpret the law. When you have specific questions regarding your particular adoptive placement, please address them with your adoption professional.

In order for ICPC paperwork to be filed, all required documents must be submitted together. ICPC cannot begin until one or both birth parents' rights have been surrendered, depending on the situation involved. In addition, some of the items required for submission are not available until the day the baby is released from the hospital, including discharge paperwork and medical records. Only when these items become available can the ICPC package be completed and sent out.
Once the ICPC paperwork has been submitted, it takes an average of 7-10 business days to process. This is an average time frame and some ICPC offices can take longer. Adoptive families should make the necessary arrangements to stay in the state for at least 2 weeks. Only one parent must stay with the child. Foster care can be arranged if necessary.

Executive Office • 418 W. Platt Ave., Tampa, FL 33606 • Ph. (813) 258-3355 • Fax (813) 258-3373

State Capitol Office • P.O. Box 10728, Tallahassee, FL 32312 • Ph. (850) 577-3077