Since 2000, Buckner has been providing aid and supporting programs to serve needy children in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. In 2007, Buckner Adoption and Maternity Services, Inc. was approved by the Ministry of Justice, to begin providing adoption services for those children in need of a permanent family. Buckner Adoption and Maternity Services, Inc. operates a children's home in Addis Ababa to care for children until they can be placed in permanent families, in addition to the other programs Buckner provides to children and families in Ethiopia."
To learn more or to speak to an adoption professional, please call 1-866-236-7823 or 214-319-3426.
Buckner Adoption
5200 S. Buckner Blvd.
Dallas, Texas 75227
Children available for adoption in our Ethiopia program:
• Single children and sibling groups
• Children ages 4 months to 3 years old at the time of referral
• Older children ages 3 to 9 years old
• Some children with special needs
A recent UNICEF report states that more than 4.5 million of Ethiopia’s children are orphaned due to poverty and illness. This means that more than one child in 10 is an orphan. Additionally, the maternal mortality rate for pregnant women is very high – one in fourteen women will die in childbirth.
- Families complete a home study and then submit their dossier for the Ethiopian government's approval.
- Wait time for a referral once a family's dossier has been submitted is approximately 6-8 months.
- After acceptance of a child referral, a family can anticipate traveling to Ethiopia in approximately 3-6 months to receive their child after the adoption has been finalized in a court hearing prior to the family's arrival.
- Both parents must travel together to receive their child.
- Only one trip is required to receive the child.
- Families should plan on a 1-2 week trip to Ethiopia to bring their child home.
- Families are responsible for their own travel arrangements to & from Ethiopia. Buckner will arrange for all in-country travel and lodging through our Buckner contacts.
- Families will travel individually.
- Families will have the opportunity to visit the orphanage where their child lived and meet his/her caregivers and friends.
- Families will have opportunities for sightseeing and shopping to learn more about their child's culture and birth country.
- Register the child's adoption in the U.S. after completing three post-placement visits with the family's caseworker, which usually takes 12 months
- Provide annual post-placement reports to Ethiopia until the adopted child's 18th birthday.
Heterosexual married couples between the ages of 25 - 50 years old are eligible to adopt. There should be no more than 40 years age difference between the parents' age and the age of the child whom they are adopting.
Couples must have been married a minimum of two years. Second marriages must be a minimum of five years.
No more than 15 years age difference between husband and wife.
Families may not have more than five children under the age of 18 already living in their home to be able to adopt.
U.S. citizens in all 50 states are eligible to adopt from this program.
• Both parents must travel.
• There is one trip required to Ethiopia that lasts approximately one to two weeks in which the family travels to pick up the child.
• The adoption is finalized in a court hearing before the family travels.
• Buckner Adoption staff in Ethiopia will arrange all in-country logistics.
• Parents will have the opportunity to visit the orphanage where their children lived and meet his/her caregivers and friends.
• Parents will learn about child’s culture and country.
Specific fees are only due after a particular service has been rendered in the adoption process and are considered non-refundable after payment has been received. All fees are subject to change and services are charged at the rate that is current at the time of billing.
ESTIMATED ETHIOPIA PROGRAM ADOPTION COST:
For a complete breakdown of expected fees and services for Buckner's Ethiopia program, please contact our office at 1-866-236-7823 (toll-free) or 214-319-3426.
Other fees and expenses families will incur during the adoption process include:
home study and post-placement services, USCIS fees, refundable deposit,* and out-of-pocket expenses related to the family's state of residence and the country adopting from.
Buckner has relationships with licensed home study providers across the U.S. and can assist families living outside our service area in locating a licensed agency near them for these services. For families living in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and southern California (counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial), Buckner will provide their home study and post-placement services through our affiliation with Dillon International. Buckner's home study & post-placement fees = $3,150 (in California slightly higher)
The follow up reports, as well as pictures, are required for Ethiopia at:
- Three months after placement
- Six months after placement
- One year after placement
- Yearly reports until the child’s 18th birthday
Monthly medical and progress reports are required for Buckner during the first six months of post adoption support. The following is the required number of face to face contacts Buckner will make with families during the six months, depending on the needs of the child and/or family:
- Infants to 2 years: two visits
- Children 2 years to 15 years: monthly visits for the first six months
