For instance, there are not as many flower rituals in Africa, as residents here are more concerned with local barks and trees. After all, these things are sources of both medicine and food. That does not mean, however, flower rituals did not exist.
The Child Welfare Information Gateway, a U.S. government-funded adoption information service, estimates that the average U.S. adoption costs $8,000 to $40,000. If you're adopting a child from another country, the range is $15,000 to $30,000. If you're adopting through foster care, which generally involves becoming the parent of an older child, the cost is much lower: zero to $2,500.
Agency adoptionsâ costs may be higher because of the amount of support and counseling offered to both adoptive families and birth parents. Adoptive Families Magazine surveyed 1,100 families who adopted a child in 2012-2013 and reported: Average Total Cost: Adoption Agency - $39,966; Independent Adoption - $34,093.