The Adoption Process

1. Contact Us

Before submitting your official application, please contact us to discuss if the Ecuador adoption program is right for your family. We are seeking families who are willing to be flexible and patient as we navigate this new program.

2. Adoption Specialist Assignment and New Client Packet

If this program is a good fit, you’ll submit the application documents and fee and be assigned an adoption specialist. Your adoption specialist will be your primary contact, providing support, answering questions, and offering additional information. You will also receive step-by-step instructions for the initial stages of the adoption process such as the home study, pre-adoption training | New Window, US immigration application, and dossier preparation.

3. Complete Pre-Adoptive Training

Training and preparation are absolutely essential for a successful adoption, and at Gladney, we’re proud to offer some of the most comprehensive and meaningful training opportunities available. As part of your adoption process, you’ll complete both pre-adoptive training, child specific training, and participate in Gladney’s exclusive Pathways training | New Window held at our Fort Worth campus.

These trainings are a true benefit—an investment in your family’s long-term success. They deepen your understanding of the adoption journey and the unique needs of children, while equipping you with the skills and confidence to provide a safe, nurturing, and stable home. Our approach is trauma-informed and child-centered, ensuring you receive the very best preparation possible. We take great pride in empowering our prospective adoptive parents with the tools they need to thrive as they welcome a child into their lives.

4. Home Study

Begin your home study as soon as possible. A current, valid home study is required to pursue a specific child. Depending on where you live, you may be required to use a Gladney home study partner. Check with your adoption specialist about where and how to complete a valid home study.

5. Preparing Your Dossier

To be matched with a child, prepare a comprehensive dossier, according to Ecuador guidelines.

All documents must be notarized and apostilled, or in the case of vital records, certified copies. The dossier may also include two pages of photos of your family and home (which do not need to be notarized). Your adoption specialist will have all documents apostilled, unless issued by another country.

6. Adoption Travel

Adoptive parents are permitted to travel after the Hague process is complete and they have received Article 5 and a confirmed appointment with MDH, Ministry of Human Development. Both parents must travel to Ecuador to meet the child. The stay in the country ranges from 8-10 weeks, depending on the administrative process duration. One parent may leave after a period of time at the discretion of the central authority and then return for specific appointments. Families are encouraged to travel together and often find the trip to be a culturally rich experience.