Adoption can be viewed as a chance for a new beginning for children and those who are becoming parents. Through adoption you can be looking to start your family, continue to grow it, or add just one more child to complete your family, but either way if you are considering adopting there are many different things about the process you should be well read up on. Adoption can be defined as the act or fact of legally taking someone else’s child and bringing it up as your own child. We all know and have seen the dramatized process on television regarding adoption and while it is exaggerated on T.V. There are definitely many small things that play a factor in how decisions are made and we’re here to prepare you for this grueling but extremely rewarding decision.
The first step in learning about the adoption process overall is to understand this process will be an emotional transition when deciding to bring a child into your home can be the beginning of your beautiful family story but you must continue to be realistic and patient as this might be a long process according to a family lawyer with our friends at the Brandy Austin Law Firm. Although the overall adoption process is pretty much uniformed across the nation, the process in Texas may have slight differences. Under Texas law it is required for the parental rights of the birth parents to be terminated before the adoption process can begin. This can be either voluntary or involuntary. This part of the process is extremely necessary in order for the adoptive parent(s) to assume complete responsibility in assuming the child’s legal, financial, and emotional needs. One thing that is similar in every state across the nation is that you can be single or married when interested to adopt!
Different Types Of Adoptions:
Before we get into the real process of adoption, it is necessary to understand that in Texas and across the country there are different types of adoptions that exist. To begin with, when thinking about adopting and growing your family you first have to decide which type of adoption works best for you and possibly your family. The different types of adoption and their meanings are:
- Domestic Infant Adoption: a domestic infant adoption is where the birth mother gets to choose who the adoptive parents/family is going to be, she will ultimately decide where the child will be placed.
- Foster Care Adoption: through this adoption type it involves children who are currently in the foster care system due to their parents parental rights being revoked by the courts and foster parents or adopting parents can adopt these children who live in the foster system.
- International Adoption: this type of adoption is when the child you are adopting is from a different country. Normally children who are being adopted coming from another country live in orphanages due to their biological parents giving them up.
Although there are different types of adoption available for you to choose from. Another key step you should be well aware of is considering whether you would like to move forward with a closed or open adoption. It’s important to know these differences so let’s break it down! A closed adoption is where the biological mother may still choose which family will be placed with the child but once the adoption goes through then communication is over. An open adoption not only does the mother get to meet with families she might choose from and get to know them but when she decides they normally stay in contact with the family and have regular contact.
Home Study:
The next step in understanding the adoption process is learning about the home study that will occur in every adoption as it plays a crucial role in determining whether you’ll be approved or not. For a home study you will have to go through and will be questioned on:
- A background check
- A complete and detailed home inspection
- A personal interview
- Your parenting style
- Your ideal child
- Your career
- Financial situation and other things
In this part of the adoption process it helps let you talk about your hopes for parenthood and show your social worker how you are preparing yourself and your home for the welfare of your potential child.
Cost And Waiting Process:
Understanding when thinking about starting a family there will be a number of fees and paperwork that need to be finalized before you can bring your child home. We understand that you want to prepare in every way possible for your adoption process and a key part in that preparation is to know how much it will cost to adopt. When considering adopting in the United States you can expect to pay anywhere from $35,000 – $50,000 for the whole adoption process which will cover costs such as:
- Professionals you may hire for the adoption process and their fees
- Home study fees
- Any expenses from the birth mother that are in accordance with the law
- Travel expenses
- Court costs
The next part in this process includes understanding you are going to have to be patient and let the process work itself out. Because of how many different factors in the adoption it goes into determining how long you will have to wait to finalize the adoption process. Under Texas law, there is a mandatory 48 hour wait after birth before the birth mother can officially terminate her parental rights. But the range time you can be looking at for the adoption process can be anywhere from 9-18 months and even then an adoptive child must live with their adoptive family for 6 months before the adoption is completely and fully finalized. We know the wait is most likely the worst part in the process for many of you but it’s always a good idea to remind yourself who are doing this for and how happy your family can be!
If you are ready to start the adoption process, contact a lawyer near you for help.