Procedural Overview for Adoptive Parents

8. In Colorado, the birth mother or birth parents execute their relinquishment of their parental rights and consent to adoption under the expedited relinquishment procedure without a court hearing for children under one year old. In the instance that the child falls under the Indian Child Welfare Act or the child is over one year old, the birth mother/parents must appear in court.

9. If you are from out of state you must stay in the state where the child is born until approval is received from the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children from the child's state, and from your home state. For Colorado babies, our office will hand deliver or overnight the packet to the Colorado Compact office in Denver for review, and when Colorado approves the placement they will overnight the packet to your home state for their review and approval. They have thirty days to approve it, but generally approval is received within seven to ten days from the day the child's state receives your packet.

10. Return home with your new baby!

11. Begin the six-month supervisory period, during which time three (3) post-placement reports will be sent to the Agency. The content of these reports must meet Colorado licensing requirements. If you or the agency performing these reports has a question about required content, please contact our Child Placement Supervisor.

12. If finalizing in your home state, contact your attorney and set up the Final Decree hearing.

13. Congratulations! You now have a new member in your family!