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CHILD ADOPTION PROCESS:
ADOPTION HOME STUDY/ADOPTION HOMESTUDIES
The child adoption process
The governing law on child adoption process requires a written
consent from the birth parents of the child to be adopted. There are
however certain circumstances where the consent of birth parents are
not required. If the child to be adopted is 14 years of age or
older, written consent to the adoption may be required. If the
adoption involves a child who is 18 years of age or older, then only
the written consent of the child is required. Also the prospective
adoptive parents must obtain a favorable adoption home study or
adoption homestudies report from a state agency or a licensed social
worker before the court will give its approval to the petition for
adoption. The purpose of the adoption home study (adoption homestudies) report is to examine and study the home life of the
prospective parents to determine whether or not they are are fit to
adopt a child.
When is consent of the child's birth parents not required in child adoption process?
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When his or her parental rights have been
previously terminated pursuant to the law;
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When he or she has waived the necessity of his/
her consent to the future adoption of the child;
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When his or her identity is unknown and cannot be
ascertained;
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When he or she has a mental condition which is
either permanent or there is no reasonable likelihood that it
can be reversed and which condition renders the parent unable to
knowingly provide for the child; or
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When he or she has for six months immediately
prior to the filing of the Petition to Adopt willfully abandoned
the child or who has willfully, substantially and continuously
neglected to provide for the child. The period is reduced to 60 days if the
child to be adopted is below the age of one year.
The adoption home study (adoption homestudies)
report
Is adoption home study (adoption homestudies) compulsory?
If so, how do I obtain a favorable adoption home study (adoption homestudies) report?
Adoption home study or
adoption homestudies is compulsory in all states. Prospective parents must
undergo adoption home study (adoption homestudies), to ascertain that they
can provide a normal healthy life for the child, based on the criteria
established by state law. The
adoption home study or adoption homestudies process involves
educating the prospective adoptive parents about child adoption and home
life, and
evaluated in accordance with state laws. Adoption home
study (adoption homestudies) is conducted by a state agency or
licensed social worker, for the purpose of determining whether or not the
prospective parents are fit to adopt a child. The adoption home study or
adoption homestudies process involves the
examination and study of the adoptive parents' home life, educating them about
child adoption as well as the preparation of an adoption home study or
adoption homestudies report to be submitted to the
court for review for the purpose of determining the prospective adoptive
parents' suitability to adopt a child. Although adoption home study or
adoption homestudies is required in all states, submission of
adoption home study or adoption homestudies report is not required, and
the state agency and the decision regarding the suitability of the child
adoption lies with the state agency or the licensed social worker who
conducted the adoption home study and prepared the adoption homestudies
report.
An adoption home study (adoption homestudies) report usually includes the
following:
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financial stability
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marital stability
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lifestyles
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other children
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career obligations
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physical and mental health
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criminal history
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Should the result of the
adoption home study or adoption homestudies report be unfavorable,
the prospective parents may contest it as part of the child adoption hearing or
as a separate procedure, depending on your states rules on the matter.
Adoption process: Adoption home study (adoption homestudies) & getting the court's approval
The adoptive parents must
first file a child adoption petition with the
court before they can legally adopt a child. The court then sends notice
of the adoption hearing to the following:
If the judge finds that the adoption is in the best
interest of the child, he or she will then issue a final order or decree of adoption,
which legalizes the new parent and child relationship.
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