Aside from childbirth, one of the most popular ways you can welcome a new family member is through adoption. Adoption is such a life-changing moment for both the child and the adopting parents. You get an opportunity to give another child a new home and a new family. Being the adoptive parents, you also get that pure happiness with having your own child to love and take care of. The emotion you get from it is heartwarming.
Before you and your partner decide on growing your family and adopting your child, it’s essential that you’re aware of the various methods of adoption. This way, you can compare each of them and see which one fits your preference. Keep in mind that fostering a child is a lifetime commitment and responsibility, so make sure you get the best option for both you and the child.
Read on below to know more about the five methods of adopting a child:
- Agency Adoption
When it comes to agency adoption, the arrangements are made either by a licensed private or public agency. Adoption agencies exist solely for the purpose of arranging a child’s placement by conducting a thorough investigation of the potential adoptive parents to see if they’re capable and suitable. Adopting through agencies is beneficial as they’re skilled in matching children to eligible parents. Moreover, they also know about the legal issues involved in adoption.
Private adoption agencies are commonly run by charities or organizations. Their children are from parents who purposely brought their children to the agency for adoption. Meanwhile, public adoption agencies handle children who are under custody because they’ve been abused, abandoned, or orphaned.
- Individual Adoption
The second common method of adopting a child is individual adoption. This involves a direct arrangement between the adoptive parents and the birth parents with a lawyer’s presence to handle the paperwork. This is also sometimes referred to as an open adoption plan due to its delicate nature in which the real parents still have limited communication with the adoptive parents even after the adoption process.
For some adoptive parents, going through this method is the best option so that the adoption process won’t be too hard to explain for the adoptee as the child can still have contact with his or her biological parents. Plus, it’ll also be easier for the adoptive parents to access any vital medical information of the child from the birth parents. You can learn more here about the benefits of an open adoption to the adoptive parents, birth parents, and the child.
- International or Foreign Adoption
Among all the adoption methods, foreign adoption is the most complicated. When you’re adopting a child from a different country, you must comply with both the adoption laws from your country as well as the country where the child is from. Adoptive parents must also apply for an immigrant visa for the child so that he or she can be granted citizenship once approved.
When it comes to foreign adoptions, it’s most often handled privately. Some countries will permit their children to be escorted on the way to the adoptive parent’s country. On the other hand, the adoptive parents can also stay in the child’s country for a few weeks or even months until the paperwork has been completed. The costs will also vary, depending on the country.
- Relative Adoption
Relative adoption, or kinship adoption, is available in some states. This happens when the child’s relatives will volunteer to adopt the child as their own. The most common candidates for this type of adoption are the aunts, uncles, or grandparents. Relative adoption usually occurs when the child’s birth parents had an untimely death or the parents have been incapacitated. This adoption method is way easier to process than the rest of the plans as the law supports the relatives’ raising the child due to familiarity or blood ties.
- Adult Adoption
This method is not too common, but many states still provide this option. The typical requirement for this is that the adoptive parents and the adoptee must have, at least, a 10-year difference in age. The most common reason some people go through this method is to settle inheritance rights, especially when they have no children of their own.
Final Thoughts
Every adoptive parents’ needs are different. Thus, there are numerous adoption methods available for them to choose which one best suits their needs. If you find it challenging to figure out which way is best for you, don’t hesitate to contact experienced adoption lawyers. They’ll guide you through the adoption process until every paperwork has been completed.
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