If you are interested in learning more about our program and feel you meet the minimum requirements as listed above, please call Pregnancy and Adoption Services at 619-231- 2828.
Requirements for Couples
- Must be residents of San Diego or Imperial Counties.
- Must be married at least two years.
- Must have a religious affiliation, not necessarily Catholic.
- Catholic Charities is committed to openness in adoption, including meeting with birth parents and sending letters and pictures. Couples must be willing to embrace this open adoption policy.
- Catholic Charities serves children of a variety of ethnic backgrounds and seeks adoptive couples who value this diversity. Couples must be willing to accept a child who represents one quarter of any ethnicity that is not their own.
- Childless couples are our primary clients. We will accept a small number of couples who already have children.
Other Information
- Total fee: 12% of gross annual combined income.
- Fee range: $7,000 -$15,000. This amount includes the application fee, seminar series, a full homestudy, waiting couples' support meetings, post-placement visits, pre- and post-birth parent counseling, termination of birth parents' rights and professional consultation for individual case issues. Note: You are not asked to pay any fee until you have been invited to attend the Adoption Seminar series.
- Age: The agency will not reject applicant couples based solely on age. However, please be advised that birth parents select adoptive couples based on a wide range of criteria that definitely includes age, perceived marital and financial stability, perceived health and wellness, etc. Catholic Charities encourages couples over the age of 45 to truly reflect on these variables when considering the application process.
- Approximately ten to fifteen newborns become available for adoption each year through our agency.
- Average wait after approval: One and a half years.
Next Steps
- Couples must participate in Catholic Charities' Recruitment I, Recruitment II and, by invitation, a six-week series of seminar classes focused on adoption issues.
- If you are interested in learning more about our program and feel you meet the minimum requirements as listed above, please call Pregnancy and Adoption Services at 619-231-2828.
