Types of Adoptive Families Looking to Adopt in Colorado
Due to lack of education and popular media depictions, it is very common to have preconceived images of what adoptive families look like. At Adoption Choices of Colorado, we desire to educate birth mothers about the myriad types of adoptive families that we assist in creating.
Adoptive parents of all backgrounds and beliefs work with our agency to be considered as wonderful adoptive parents. Understanding the types of adoptive families looking to adopt may give you a more open understanding of just how diverse adoptive families can be, and help you learn about what kind of life your child could have.
LGBT Adoptive Families
Fortunately, as legal constraints on LGBT adoption continue to loosen, there are more and more LGBT identified parents choosing to be adoptive parents. Within this umbrella, there are many different types of families. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people of all sorts have their own unique experiences of living as LGBT individuals in the world and have their own individual families. The backgrounds, beliefs, and values of these individuals may vary as LGBT is an all-encompassing term that applies to a lot of different types of people, and LGBT parents of all sorts make for wonderful, accepting families.
Single Parent Adoptive Families
While many still have images of adoptive families containing two parents, this doesn’t have to be the case. Single adoptive parents are incredibly committed to parenthood and are able to provide your child physically, emotionally and financially. They also have the necessary support network in place — friends, family, trusted neighbors, etc. — who will be there to step in to add an extra hand when needed. They don’t have to negotiate their values, rules, or parenting preferences with a partner or spouse.
Single adoptive parents will love and support your child, and help him or her to develop into a happy and healthy adult. Because they have prepared, single adoptive parents will be able to give your child quality one-on-one and teach him or her about independence. Concerns about getting divorced can be mitigated by choosing a single parent adoptive family. Countless adoptees have grown up to be successful and well-adjusted adults in single-parent homes.
Military Adoptive Families
Military families are devoted to serving our country, and this may mean they must face the added challenges of moving and/or one parent being on extended leave for long periods of time if deported overseas for instance. However, these environmental factors do not prevent them from being wonderful, stable and loving homes. These adoptive families understand the difficulties and strength that come with being in military service. These families are committed to service and providing exceptional love and care for your child.
Transracial Adoptive Families
Adoptive families can be created through different races, ethnicities and cultures. While transracial adoptions do create some unique concerns, with proper education and a diverse support network, children and parents of differently racial and ethnic backgrounds are able to come together to create beautiful and loving families. It is important to know a transracial adoptive family can give your child the opportunity to develop a more open-minded, respectful and accepting view of diversity and individuality.
Our adoption caseworkers are here to support you in voicing your concerns regarding transracial adoptive parents and to get the answers to any questions you may have in order to feel assured that your child will get the kind of support and love they need and will have a community that understands and holds space for their culture and heritage as well as experience of race as they grow up. Open adoption plans also allow you to be part of the rich network of support for your child throughout their life.
Types of Adoptive Families
There are many types of adoptive families to consider, all of which can offer your child a different kind of life. When considering who will raise your child, think about what opportunities you want to give your child. This will help you navigate through all the options and choose the best fit. Your adoption caseworker is there to support you as well.
Adoption Choices of Colorado celebrates all kinds of adoptive families — regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, religion or sexual orientation. We want you to feel confident and positive about who you choose to be your child’s adoptive parents, which is why we feel it’s important for you to know what varying types are like. This is a non-exhaustive resource, so please feel free to explore others and consult with your adoption caseworker about them. Adoption is not limited to a golden few that fit the stereotypes held up by popular media, but rather, adoption is truly for anyone and everyone who desires to be a responsible and loving parent.
If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and want to learn more about your adoption options, contact Adoption Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Kara Bringewatt is an English major and psychology minor at Queens University of Charlotte. She plans to get her masters in social work and work at a nonprofit as a case manager for at-risk youth. She loves using writing as a means of creating community and bringing attention to causes she’s passionate about.
Kara is particularly interested in educational and mental health interventions for young people in foster care. She’s worked as a tutor, professional caregiver, preschool teacher and acting instructor, and loves being able to utilize her wide range of passions to support young people and plans on being a foster and adoptive parent.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!