| Adoption creates a new and permanent family for a | | | | communicate. The judge will then make his/her |
| child. The adoption process takes place in a | | | | decision and approve or disapprove the petition to |
| courtroom with a judge. The adoptive parent or | | | | adopt. |
| parents are given all the rights and responsibilities of a | | | | If the judge approves the adoption, it is finalized and |
| biological family member. | | | | an Adoption Decree is issued. |
| Before the parents are given the rights to the child, | | | | In the US, when the adoption is finalized, the child's |
| the court decides if the biological or placing parents | | | | name is legally changed and the child receives an |
| have legally, with full understanding, either voluntarily | | | | amended birth certificate on which the adoptive |
| given up their parental rights or the rights have been | | | | parent(s)' name replaces that of the biological or |
| terminated by the court. Either one of these actions - | | | | placing parent(s) and the child's birth name is replaced |
| the cutting away of the biological or placing parents' | | | | with his/her new name. |
| rights and the conference of parental rights on the | | | | All documents and the original birth certificate are |
| adoptive parents, will finalize the process. Both | | | | sealed and not usually available to the parties of the |
| actions may be done at the same time. | | | | adoption, as per the state law in the US. |
| The judge reviews information about the child, the | | | | When adopting from other countries, the laws and |
| biological parents and the adopting parents during the | | | | regulations of the countries involved are observed as |
| finalization of the court hearing. The information that | | | | well as the laws and regulations of the US. |
| is reviewed can include some of the following: | | | | People Who Can Adopt |
| - Whether the adopting parents and the child are | | | | - People who adopt may be married or single and |
| suited for each other | | | | already have children or may be childless at the time |
| - Reports about the adopting parents and placing the | | | | of the adoption. |
| child with them. | | | | - A person that adopts a child may have a disability; |
| - Notes and recommendations from the case | | | | this does not disqualify you from adopting. However, |
| workers. | | | | agencies want to ensure that a person can care for |
| Some of the people that may attend the finalization | | | | a child and meet the child's needs. |
| hearing may include: | | | | - If a person is divorced this does not automatically |
| - Adopting parent(s) | | | | disqualify them from adoption. |
| - The adopting parent(s) attorney | | | | - A person that adopts does not have to own their |
| - Biological or placing parent(s) | | | | own home or have a high income in as long as they |
| - The biological parent(s) or placing parent(s) attorney | | | | meet the needs of the child - permanence, stability, a |
| - The child or children to be adopted | | | | lifetime commitment and a chance to be part of a |
| - The child's case worker | | | | family. |
| - Case worker of the adoptive parent(s) | | | | One does not have to be a perfect parent to adopt. |
| - Biological or placing parents' case worker or | | | | The child needs caring and committed parent(s) who |
| advocate | | | | are willing to meet their needs and to incorporate |
| The judge may ask questions of all parties, including | | | | them into a nurturing family environment. |
| the child or children if they are old enough to | | | | |