Adoption First Steps’ fees are based on recovering the costs of managing and undertaking the various checks, assessments and tasks required for during the process to gain Government Approval. However, there is no fee for a general enquiry and we offer a Free Introductory Course
AFS fees are charged progressively so this means you can budget and progress at your own pace and you will not pay for services you don’t use should the process not continue at any point.
Placement Agencies also charge fees which vary from agency to agency and you should check these with the relevant organisations.
AFS Fees
Fees cover the costs of Social Workers, education courses, assessments and report writing, administration, resources etc including:
- Completing documentation and facilitating police, CYF, reference and medical checks
- The approved Education Programme including a workshop
- Undergoing assessment by a professional Social Worker for suitability
- Providing a detailed Home Study Report in the format required by the country from which you wish to adopt.
These are detailed in the table below.
| Education Costs | Couple | Single |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | FREE | FREE |
| Registration, Police, Medical, Reference Checks | $750 | $750 |
| Online Education * | $US852 | $US426 |
| Education Workshop | $1,000 | $500 |
| Assessment ** | $3,500 | $3,500 |
| Home Study Report *** | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| Additional Costs *** | variable | variable |
* The online education covers a minimum of 6 online modules. If you purchase more than 1 module at a time you may qualify for a volume discount.
** Most countries now require a psychological report and you will need to arrange and pay for this separately in addition to AFS fees.
*** All travel costs. If you live outside the Auckland then reasonable travel costs for the Social Worker will need to be paid by the prospective adoptive parents. All travel costs will be itemized.
Note: If you require an updated assessment or change of details (addendum) to your Home Study Report, Adoption First Steps will give you an estimate based on an hourly rate.