Click to open each section of the process.This is a generalised overview. Each country, and indeed each adoption, is different. We give you detailed information as you work through the process with us.
Whichever organisation you use, this steps involves
-police, medical and referee reports to check your legal eligibility
-an education/preparation course on adoption
-social worker visits to your home for interviews to assess your suitability to become an adoptive parent
-the social worker's report called a Home Study Report
-review of the Home Study Report by the NZCA (New Zealand Central Authority) and issue of an approval certificate to adopt a certain number of children, of a particular age range, from one specified country.
If you use Oranga Tamariki, their education course, called "Ways to Care", starts with a short information session, covering fostering, long term shared guardianship ("Home for Life"), NZ adoption, plus inter-country adoption. You then attend 3 workshops, referred to as Day 1, Day 2, Day 3. Be aware that there are two versions of Day 3 - one to prepare you to go into the pool for local "Home for Life" children and one to prepare you to adopt a child or children intercountry. Make sure you know which one you've chosen to attend.
If you use AFS, their course involves online education that you can complete at home in your own time, followed by a workshop run by AFS.
For most countries you'll also need a report from a psychologist.The NZCA will send your Home Study Report to ICANZ provided you've told the AFS or OT social worker you wish to use ICANZ. We'll then work on your behalf to prepare an application and make the arrangements that lead to you being offered a child to adopt into your family.
In all cases you'll have visits by an ICANZ social worker, with reports sent back to the child's country of origin. This may be for up to 4 years, depending in the country.