Beacon House has many years of experience with the domestic adoptions of children of all ethnic backgrounds. Requirements and procedures for all the programs are very similar. Placements are made nationwide, and this agency has placed in a number of other countries.

• Birth mother location: Beacon House uses a variety of methods to locate and attract birth mothers. Internet, yellow pages, classified advertisements, and of course word of mouth – birth mothers refer others to us!
  
  
• Birth Mothers: Birth mothers are treated with great care and understanding of the courageous plan they are making. This is critical for successful placements.
  Requirements for adopting families: Beacon House is primarily interested in making an adoptive placement that fits your family and fits the birth mother’s wants and needs.
  
  
• Open vs. Closed: This agency does not promote either totally open or totally closed adoptions. Instead, we provide extensive counseling with the parties to the adoptive process to determine their expectations. Throughout the process, various options are discussed and considered to assure that no person involved in a particular adoption feels compelled to enter into an arrangement that makes them uncomfortable.
  
  
• Interstate Placements: Beacon House is very experienced in working with interstate placements. Any time a child is moved across state lines for adoption, approval must be obtained from the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children, an office in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands.
  
  
• Execution of Consents/ Surrenders: The consent that allows Beacon House to place a child with approved adoptive parents is called different things in different states. Regardless of the terminology, it is the timing of the consent/surrender and its revocability that are important. Adoptive parents will be apprised of the appropriate information when considering a match with a birth mother.
  
  
• Bonding: Bonding is a process that can begin at any time after a child is united with parent(s), and continues throughout the years of the relationship. Early bonding is important, and can begin as soon as the child is placed in the physical custody of the adopting parents.
  
  
• Waiting Time: The time frame from application completion, to match, is generally 3-6 months. Naturally, this time can be extended by the requirements of the adoptive family, or the needs of the birth mother.

Birth Mother location: Perhaps the single most difficult thing about adopting domestically today is the location of a birth mother who is considering adoption. With the easy availability of birth control and now the “morning after pill”, which can be obtained at local health clinics, the search for a birth mother who is considering adoption is taking longer and is more expensive than ever. It is more important than ever that agencies reach potential birth mothers on a large scale through advertising efforts in many geographic areas. Beacon House works with birth mothers and adoptive parents nationwide.