5 guided lessons
A clear path, one stage at a time.
A place to begin
What do we need to know about adoption?
Five guided lessons to help you understand the process, ask better questions, and prepare for what comes next.
28 deeper answers
Open the questions that matter to you.
A certificate request
At the end of Lesson 5.
Your course, one step at a time.
Follow the lessons in order, or choose the place that meets you today.
- Begin here
How do we get started?
Adoption paths, readiness, uncertainty, and costs.
- Explore Lesson 2
How do we get approved?
Home study, application, and what follows approval.
- Explore Lesson 3
How do we prepare to be matched?
Your family profile and the waiting period.
- Explore Lesson 4
What happens from matching to placement?
Relationships, the hospital, legal steps, and traveling home.
- Explore Lesson 5
What happens after placement?
Support, finalization, and lifelong connections.
A moment to make it yours
What’s on your mind today?
Choose the question closest to where you are. Your starting point can change as you learn.
A useful place to begin
How do we get started?
Explore the paths to adoption, think about what fits your family, and understand the questions worth asking before you begin.
You can begin here and return to the other lessons whenever you need them.
Explore Lesson 1A useful place to begin
How do we get approved?
Prepare for your home study, understand the application, and know what happens after approval.
You can begin here and return to the other lessons whenever you need them.
Explore Lesson 2A useful place to begin
How do we prepare to be matched?
Introduce your real family, build a thoughtful profile, and make room for the waiting period.
You can begin here and return to the other lessons whenever you need them.
Explore Lesson 3A useful place to begin
What happens from matching to placement?
A new relationship. Important decisions. A team to help you take the next steps, one conversation at a time.
You can begin here and return to the other lessons whenever you need them.
Explore Lesson 4A useful place to begin
What happens after placement?
Settle into family life, stay connected with your support team, and understand the steps ahead.
You can begin here and return to the other lessons whenever you need them.
Explore Lesson 5A little practice. No score. Your responses stay on this page.
Looking for a particular answer?
Every question has a home within a lesson. Open a group below or search by topic. Find a question across the course
No answers match that search.
- What Types of Adoption Are There?
- Which Type of Adoption Is Right for Our Family?
- What is domestic agency adoption, and how does it work?
- Is Domestic Infant Adoption Right for Our Family?
- What Should Adoptive Parents Know About Prenatal Substance Exposure?
- What Is Birth Father Risk in Adoption?
- How Much Does Adoption Through Heart to Heart Adoptions Cost?
- How Does Adoption Matching Work at Heart to Heart Adoptions?
- What Happens After We Are Matched for Adoption?
- How Do We Build a Relationship With the Expectant Mother?
- What Should We Expect When We Meet the Expectant Mother?
- What Should Adoptive Parents Expect on Delivery Day?
- What Are Consent and Relinquishment in Adoption?
- What Rights Does a Birth Mother Have in Adoption?
- What Rights Does the Birth Father Have in Adoption?
- What Does Placement Mean in Adoption?
- What Is ICPC and Why Do Adoptive Families Have to Wait?
A few things before you begin.
Follow the five main lessons for the course. The deeper answers are there when you want more detail. You can open them without leaving the lesson.
Yes. These lessons are public resources you can revisit whenever a new question comes up. The lesson menu shows where you are; there are no locked lessons.
At the end of Lesson 5, use the certificate request form. You will enter your name and email and confirm that you reviewed the five main lessons. Heart to Heart can tell you how this course applies to your education requirements.
You can begin with one question.
You do not need to know every answer today.