Adoption is a wonderful way to bring together parents and children who need them. Parents wishing to create or expand their family through adoption can welcome a child from another country, but they also can pursue a domestic adoption of one of the many children in the United States who are looking for a loving home.
Types
According to American Adoption, adoptive parents have two main decisions. First, you must choose whether to pursue a closed adoption or an open adoption. In closed adoptions, birth parents and adoptive parents do not exchange identifying information, and neither party has access to it after the fact. In open adoptions, birth parents and adoptive parents exchange information, and may even maintain contact in the form of letters, photos or visitation. Next, if your state allows, you must choose whether to adopt through an agency or independently. Agencies match you with a child and help you through the adoption, but the process can be slow-moving and tedious. In independent adoptions, adoptive parents generally find the birth mother on their own and hire an attorney to handle the legal issues. Independent adoptions are faster, but they offer adoptive and birth parents less protection and help.
Process
Before you can adopt, you must complete a home study. According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, in a home study a social worker comes to your home to evaluate your fitness as a parent, to help you understand the adoption process, and to gather information that will help with placement. After your home study is approved, your agency takes steps to place you with your child. If you are adopting independently, you begin your search for a birth parent. After your child is born, a court hearing finalizes the adoption and your child receives a birth certificate listing you as a parent.
State Laws
Adoption laws can vary significantly from state to state. Factors like termination of parental rights, the amount of time a birth mother has to change her mind, the birth father's rights and qualifications for adoptive parents are different from state to state. In the case of relative or stepparent adoptions, some states streamline or shorten the adoption process.
Benefits
The most appealing benefit of a domestic adoption is the option to adopt a newborn and raise her from birth. Also, there usually is good documentation of the health history of birth parents and children in domestic adoptions, so adoptive parents know the potential risks. In addition, you don't need to acquire a visa or travel extensively.
Considerations
In a domestic adoption, it's very important that you know and follow all your state regulations and guidelines, and that you thoroughly research every aspect of the process. If you have legal questions, it's best to contact an adoption attorney, who can help you understand your state laws and how they apply to your specific situation.
