When you know that you want to grow your family, then you may be interested in adoption. Whether you cannot have any children of your own or you would like to help a child in need, adoption can be a fantastic way to add a new family member and help a child.
Adoptions vary significantly, so there is not one single process that you’ll go through to adopt. Depending on how you’d like to adopt, and who you want to adopt, the process will be different. Some of the different types of adoptions include:
- Stepparent adoptions
- Foster parent adoptions
- Single parent adoptions
- Agency adoptions
- Private adoptions
- Open adoptions
- Semi-open adoptions
- Closed adoptions
- International adoptions
Each kind of adoption has its own requirements and different people that you’ll work with. Since this can be a complex and confusing issue, it’s a good idea to talk to your attorney about the steps to take to move forward with the adoption of the child you’re interested in.
Adoptions can take months or years, depending on the child and situation, but with support, the process may go faster. The legalities of adoption can be complex, so your attorney will talk to you about what to expect, an estimated timeline based on their knowledge of the system and be there to represent you in the case that anything goes wrong or you need to be seen in court.
Our website has more information on adoption and why it’s a good idea to work with your attorney from the start. This process can be trying, but in the end, the time it takes will be worth it.
