What Are the Common Steps in the Adoption Process?
You’ve decided that you want to adopt a child, but you’ve never done it before. What does the process look like? How do you initiate an adoption? What steps will you have to complete before the adoption is finalized?
The First Step in Any Adoption—Educating Yourself
If you’ve already started to explore the possibility of adopting a minor child, you’ve likely discovered that the process is fairly complicated, with a wide array of options. You can hire an adoption agency to handle most or all of the details, but you’ll typically pay a premium to do so. You can arrange the adoption so that you have regular and ongoing contact with birth parents or in such a way that there’s no contact at all. You can look for a child in your local community, across the country or around the world. Before you start the process in earnest, it’s essential that you educate yourself, so that you ultimately make the choices that are right for you.
Choose an Agency, If That’s Your Preference
If you decide to work with an agency, you’ll need to enter into an agreement with an agency licensed in your home state. You’ll likely find a number of agencies that will provide the services you want, so be willing to interview a number of agencies before you make your decision. Important questions include:
- What are all the costs associated with the adoption?
- Does the agency provide any financial assistance?
- What are the potential timelines for various milestones in the process?
Ask each agency for a couple of references to families they have helped.
Complete Your Home Study
As a general rule, all states require some type of a home study as a part of the adoption process. This will typically be conducted by a social worker, who will not only come to your home to determine that it’s suitable for a minor child, but will also want to know more about you and your spouse. Expect to provide copies of birth certificates, marriage license, employment information and personal references.
Find a Child to Adopt
If you hire an agency, this will typically be done for you. Agencies commonly have lists of children who are already awaiting placement, and will customarily work directly with birth parents as well as adoptive parents. If you are not using an agency, you’ll have to identify ways to locate a birth parent or child in need of adoption. That may involve networking with family, friends and co-workers, working with online directories, communicating with faith-based organizations, or using an adoption attorney.
Meet and Visit with the Child or the Birth Parents
If you are adopting a small child, it’s common to have a few meetings with that child before the adoption process moves forward. If you plan to adopt a new-born, you’ll customarily meet the birth parent on one or more occasions.
Receive a Placement
The placement takes place when the child comes to live in your home.
Complete the Legal Process to Finalize the Adoption
As a general rule, some paperwork is completed before the placement and some is finalized after the child comes into your home. Depending on the type of adoption and the state where you adopt, you may be required to attend a court proceeding.
Contact the Proven Adoption Attorneys at Bailey & Galyen
At the law office of Bailey & Galyen, we offer comprehensive counsel to help people across Texas who seek to build or create a family through adoption. We offer a free initial consultation to every client. To speak with a dedicated and knowledgeable adoption lawyer, contact us by e-mail or 844-402-2992 call our offices at one of the convenient locations listed below. We will take your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
