Adoption
A large aspect of the Academy is attempting to find loving homes for all of the Companion children who are born there. This may not be the right path for every Companion, but it is the goal of the staff to find a respectable match for every child.
The history behind this effort really dates back to the very first Companions. Originally, Companions were seen as much more feral creatures, especially in their youngling and adolescent stages. With so many Companions inside the Facility, Dr. M decided that it would be most beneficial to the experiments to find them families. The hope was that these families would be able to teach them about human interactions, society, and instill a more human thought process into each Companion.
The reality that they soon came to realize was far simplier: Companions could process and empathize, rather like human children. This made adoption EVEN MORE CRITICAL as the Facility was not really equipped to handle the needs of children.
This was one of the biggest motivators for the creation and eventual move to the Academy. The Facility was not properly equipped to help these children that they had created, so they made a place that would be better equipped. They still heavily push for adoption, but now kids who do not choose that path have somewhere truly healthy to grow up (instead of underground with no windows).
The Adoption Process
There are many aspects to the adoption process, with two distinct sides to look at: The Adopter and The Adoptee.
The Academy is looking for safe, happy, healthy homes for their Companions. If you (the user) are looking to have a Companion adopted by someone more... sinister, please consider looking at Valcorp. You may find that they better suit your needs.
(Note: Most of these steps occur off screen, however if you have a character that has a history of illegal activities or is connected to people who may show up in a background check who have a record you may want to talk to a staff member first)
The Adopter
If you are looking to adopt a Companion there are numerous things you must do.
1) Pass a routine background check. Any ties to illicit activity or felonies can have you instantly disqualified from attempts to adopt. Exceptions have been made to this ruling (couples who have been banned from other adoption agencies because of a possession charge of weed in college at a party, etc) but they are few and far between, and they must still pass all of the other stages.
2) After you pass the check you will be taken through a psych evaluation from one of the psychologists on staff. They are looking primarily for people with the right temperament to deal with not only the unique challenges that a Companion child can pose (teeth, claws, shedding, poison, attempts at flight) but also the right temperament to be able to handle the hatred that will likely be tossed at their child. They are looking for adopters that will see these Companions as CHILDREN, not as designer pets.
3) Once these two stages have been cleared, the potential adopter will finally get an opportunity to come and look at the Companions. They will often get an opportunity to observe the children during an escorted tour before choosing to meet any of them. This is to hopefully cut down on the amount of Companions they end up meeting, because no one wants to get these kids' hopes up unnecessarily.
4) Once they have found a Companion they are interested in meeting, the family will be invited to meet the Companion. Previously this has been done in a very formal "adoption interview" format, and that is still a very valid way for a family to make their first meeting. However, some less conventional options, such as playdates have been used.
5) The Academy likes for potential adopters to meet with their hopeful Companion at least 5 times before a final decision is made on whether they would like to move forward with the paperwork. After the 3rd meeting, potential adopters are encouraged to take the Companion out of the Academy and away from the more formal interview to go on field trips, show the Companion what life will be like in their home, etc.
6) After at least 5 meetings, if BOTH the Companion and the family agree that this is the right fit, paper work can be drawn up to adopt your brand new Companion!
The Adoptee
Not all Companions wish to be adopted, but by in large it seems that all of them think about it at one point. Discussions have shown that most of them, deep down, do wish to find a home and a family to call their own. If your Companion is looking to be adopted, here is the process from their end!
1) Only Companions who have shown EXTREME aggressive tendencies are ever held on a banned list for adoption. Again, we believe that the best way for Companions to learn and improve is to be in a home with a family, so the goal is adoption, even for troublemakers.
2) A Companion will not be told about a potential adoption situation until someone wants to meet with that Companion (that means they have already cleared the first 3 stages of the Adopter process).
3) Companions will be encouraged to meet with a family at least twice before dismissing them. Even if they love the family, they must meet at least 5 times before they can give their approval.
4) Adoption for a Companion WILL NOT move forward unless the Companion consents to that adoption. It is as much their decision as anyone else's who will raise them.
5) Once adoption papers have been drawn up, Companions will prepare to leave the Academy. They will be given a psych evaluation to ensure they are prepared for the transition. This process usually takes a few days, which allows for the Companion to say goodbye to friends.
6) Before they leave, Companions must choose a 'safe word' that only THEY know. They are not to give this word to anyone, not even their families. Should the Companion ever be in distress this word will immediately indicate to the Academy that they are in danger and a recovery team will be sent promptly to that location.
Adopters and Companions may decide to continue utilizing the Academy for the Companion's education.