Benefits Of Private Adoption

16 April 2016
 Categories: Law, Blog

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Adopting a child is a huge decision. So, you need to make sure your adoption is completed correctly. However, this doesn't mean that you need to adopt a child through an agency. Family lawyers that specialize in adoption are able to show your family's profile to expectant parents and work with you through the entire adoption process. Before you start calling agencies, learn more about how private adoption works.

Fewer Requirements

When you adopt a child through an agency, you're required to meet the agency's qualifications before you're even considered. Depending on the agency, the requirements could consist of any number of things. For example, some private adoption agencies might work exclusively with couples who have infertility problems, while others may be faith-based and only work with couples with specific religious beliefs. There are also public adoption agencies, which don't have requirements as stringent. However, public adoption agencies typically work with children who have special housing needs. So, there's little chance that you'll be able to adopt a newborn child through a public agency.

Less Chance of a High-Risk Adoption

An adoption is considered a high risk if a child is adopted before the parents have relinquished their parental rights. This may happen if the child was removed from a household by child protective services and then placed in foster care for an extended period of time. Adoptions can also be contested if the birth father wasn't properly notified about the adoption. You can prevent this by hiring a good adoption lawyer. If the birth father cannot be located, a good adoption attorney will know what steps you can take in order to make the adoption legal without his consent. For example, some states allow adoptive parents to place advertisements in the newspaper or online so that the birth father can come forward.

More Flexible Process

When you adopt a child, you're required to complete parenting classes and a home study program. This ensures that the child you're adopting is being placed in a good home. However, most agencies who are working with families looking to adopt have waiting lists. So, they won't even show expecting parents your profile until all of your requirements are completed. Private adoptions don't need to follow this process. Yes, you'll still be required to complete any classes and home studies required by your state, but adoption lawyers are able to show expecting parents your profile before the process is complete. Then, you can complete your requirements after you've been chosen by an expecting mother.

The adoption process can take a very long time, especially if you adopt a child through an agency that has a waiting list. To speed up the process and make sure it's completed correctly, you should talk to a family lawyer like Jeffrey T Bitzer about a private adoption.