Category: Adoption

Adopting a child in the UK, US, Australia or elsewhere in the world? Here is expert legal advice and guidance to adoption laws from family and adoption lawyers.

Categories
Adoption

Florida Needs to Open Its Doors to Adoption Info

Florida Adoption Laws

Photo source : http://bit.ly/1dxAtqR

We have all heard the old saying: “when one door closes, another one opens.” However, when it comes to Florida adoptees finding their birth parents, it seems that too many doors are slammed shut.

The Internet has made it easier than ever before for adoptees to find their birth parents. There are numerous Florida adoption registries and databases that can be used as references and social media has provided another great way for birth parents and adoptees to connect. In many states, birth records that were once sealed are now open, giving full access to adoptees to find out vital information about their birth parents.

However, Florida doesn’t happen to be one of those progressive states.

The History of Open Adoptions

Actually, most adoptions used to be open adoptions until the twentieth century. Adoption was seen as a process where one family who potentially couldn’t afford to house and feed all their children had them adopted by another family as “an apprentice.” The families met each other and often stayed in contact. Adoptions were very informal – if a woman unexpectedly became pregnant, she could give the child to whomever she wanted. There were no adoption agencies or intermediaries who facilitated the process. No legal papers were signed and there was no government involvement. However, there was also no way to check on the welfare of the child.

During the Victorian era, everything changed. An unwed mother was often sent away from her family to have her baby in secret. She was perceived a “loose” and “immoral” and her child was often taunted with names like “illegitimate” or “a bastard”.

In 1941, the US Children’s Bureau adopted a practice where birth records were sealed for confidentiality reasons, including the child’s original birth certificate. Another birth certificate was issued with the adopted parent’s name only and the original adoption record was sealed. Often adopted children didn’t even know they were adopted and grew up believing their adoptive parents were their biological parents.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the shame placed on unmarried women began to ease and women started wanting to choose the adoptive parents. At the same time, many children who were adopted wanted to know their medical histories and began to search for their biological parents. Societal rules changed once again and the trends began to move toward more “open adoptions” which in fact was a new term for an old practice.

According to the Adoption Institute, 40% of adoptions are now mediated, 55% are open and only 5% are closed. In fact, it has become so prevalent that 95% of adoption agencies now offer open adoptions.

Florida’s Views on Open Adoptions

Although open adoptions have become more popular, birth mothers in Florida and many other states have no legal rights to have ongoing contact with their children. Instead, what is known as an Ongoing Contract Agreement is formed, which is an agreement between the biological parents and the adoptive parents to have informal ongoing contact. This arrangement is not a legal binding contract. If the adopted parents decide to move or change their contact information, they are under no legal obligation to update the biological parents.

Why?

Because some people still hold to the notion that openadoptions will lead to an increase in abortion rates or that “closed adoptions” are better for women victimized by rape or incest. According to Jeanne Tate, a Tampa adoption attorney, “we have to balance the rights of adoptees to know about their past with the rights of the birth parents to confidentiality and anonymity when they chose adoption.” However, this type of rational makes it more difficult for children who are adopted to find their birth parents.

Only four states – Kansas, Alaska, Oregon and Alabama – allow unconditional adoptee access.In Scotland, adoptions have been open since 1930 and in England since 1975. Sweden, The Netherlands, and Germany are just a few of the countries that don’t prevent adoptees from accessing their own birth records. Without a doubt, Canada and the United States are far behind in opening adoption records.

A Case for Open Adoptions in Florida

Currently, Florida only has four types of adoption that are legally recognized: the entity adoption (where an agency or intermediary is involved), the step-parent adoption, the close relative and an adult adoption. Although more and more adoptions are conducted with an Ongoing Contract Agreement, Florida and many other states have yet to legalize this process even though studies show that open adoptions are preferable.

This antiquated thinking works to the disadvantage of all parties. Children who are adopted do not have access to their medical histories and too often grow up feeling abandoned, with no answers to some important questions and no contact with birth relatives. Birth mothers feel guilty and depressed if they can’t keep tabs on the welfare of their child moving forward. And for the adopted parents, they may be left to wonder what the birth mother’s intentions are moving forward.

Since adoptions are controlled at the state level, adoptive parents often have to gain approval from the state in which the child is being adopted and the state where the child will reside. This creates legal confusion.

Ideally, there will be federal laws governing adoptions that allow both open and closed adoptions. There should be a single standard for adoptions nationwide to eliminate the stress and confusion that currently plagues the adoption community.

**Disclaimer: Under Florida State Law, there is no such thing as “Open Adoption”, “Closed Adoption”, or “Semi-Closed Adoption”. We use these terms herein since they are popular terminologies, however again, they have no legal meaning under Florida State Law**

About The Author
Jeffrey A. Kasky, Esq. is a Florida adoption lawyer and Vice President of One World Adoption Services, Inc., a Florida-licensed not-for-profit child placing agency. Jeff’s diverse career experiences include co-authoring the book, “99 Things You Wish You Knew Before … Choosing Adoption” with Robert A. Kasky, Florida-certified law enforcement officer, and involvement in the autism community, including a TV show focused on helping families with legal issues related to autism called “Spectrum at Law” on The Autism Channel. A practicing attorney since 1995, he has worked on more than one thousand adoption cases.

Categories
Adoption Children

Charged With a Sex Crime: Can I Still See My Kids?

(U.S. Family Law and generally) Being charged with a sex crime will impact every area of your life, including visitation rights with your children. How it impacts your visitation rights will most likely depend on the seriousness of the conviction.
According to the Orlando Criminal Team, a law firm in Florida, being convicted of a sex crime can lead to very serious consequences. This can range from fines to jail time or probation over a long period of time.

In most cases, visitation privileges will be limited to supervised visits with your children. This may mean hanging you with them at the house of your ex-spouse, or visiting them in the presence of a counselor. If your sex crime was considered heinous, your visitation rights may be denied altogether.

Many Different Points To Consider

This is a very broad subject, and many of the points will be based on local ordinances and state-specific laws. It is very hard to give one “over all” answer to this scenario because so many different factors come into play.

For instance, in some states, if the sex offender was convicted of committing an act upon a minor that was outside of the marriage or on an adult, they cannot be denied visitation rights. In other states, visitation rights are automatically suspended with any type of conviction.

In most cases, sex offenders that commit crimes against children less than 14 years of age seem to have the most difficulty in establishing visitation rights with their children. Additionally, those who are convicted under any child pornography laws, even if they never touched a real person, will have a very hard time getting the Court to approve visitation.

Visitation rights may also be changed if an additional offense occurs after the person has been convicted or paroled.

Role Of The Ex-Spouse

The ex-spouse or partner in this relationship may also play a very large role in the decisions of the Court. If the former spouse feels that regardless of what the legal status is of the conviction the other parent poses a threat to the child(ren), the Court will consider their opinions above the convicted offender.

On the other hand, if the former partner believes that the convicted offender does not pose any real harm to the children, the Court will also take this into consideration. One classic example of this is a man who is 44 years old and is convicted of having sex with a 16 year old girl that he believed was 18 at the time. This is considered statutory rape, even though it was under false pretenses and consensual at the time. In the eyes of the Court, he is now a convicted sex offender. However, in the eyes of his ex-spouse, he is just a fool and no danger to her children.

Sex offenders who want to be a part of their children’s life should not give up hope. They will need to seek a defense attorney that is familiar with sex offender cases and approach the Family Court to request that their visitation rights be granted or restored. According to the Orlando Criminal Team, a law firm that specializes in this type of situation, ”sex crimes are aggressively prosecuted.” Those seeking representation should look for an attorney that is equally as aggressive for the best results.

Categories
Adoption Child Custody Child Support Children Civil partnerships Cohabitation Law Divorce Law Family Law Marriage Property issues Separation Law

Florida Same Sex Separations and Collaborative Family Law

Though the U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down portions of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”), state DOMAs were not affected by the ruling.  This means that same sex couples cannot get legally married in states, such as Florida, that enacted a DOMA.

This also means that gay and lesbian couples cannot get divorced in many DOMA states and oftentimes do not have any legal remedy to separate.  If the domestic partners did not adopt each other’s children, even if both partners had been considered the parents of the children, then child custody, visitation, and child support laws usually will not apply.  Equitable distribution laws (laws related to division of marital assets and debts) do not apply, so separating property and liabilities can get real messy, real quick.  Further, alimony and spousal maintenance laws do not apply, so a partner who spent years homemaking and taking care of children may suddenly become destitute.  So what are separating same sex couples to do?

Domestic partners who are dissolving their relationship should seriously consider entering into a collaborative family law process.

Collaborative family law is a form of private dispute resolution that allows clients to enter into agreements and achieve results that could never be attained through a court process. Each client retains a separate attorney who advises and counsels the client and helps in the negotiating process.  A neutral facilitator, who is a mental health professional or mediator, helps the clients focus on their interests, such as the welfare of clients’ children, continued relationships with each other’s family members, or financial stability.  If there are substantial assets or debts or a business, a neutral accountant or financial planner will be brought in to educate the parties in finances, help fairly and cost-effectively divide property and liabilities, and, if requested, develop a budget for the clients’ future.

As you can see, collaborative family law is a holistic process that takes into account not only the legal, but also the emotional and financial needs of the clients.

The crux of collaborative family law is that the clients agree at the beginning that they will not seek to resolve their dispute through court battles, but rather they will come to a mutually agreeable settlement through this private process.  The clients, and their attorneys, enter into a participation agreement which disqualifies the attorneys from representing the clients in any contested court action.  This provides a safe space in collaborative meetings because each client knows that the other client’s attorney is not conducting opposition research and is committed solely to helping the clients reach a mutually acceptable agreement.  This allows clients to feel more comfortable offering and listening to potential solutions.

In truth, the disqualification clause has much more of an effect on heterosexual couples who are getting divorced, rather than homosexual couples who are separating.  This is because, as stated above, most DOMA state courts just do not have remedies that would properly address the clients’ concerns, and so attempts to fight it out in court will oftentimes be dismissed.

If you are experiencing a same sex separation, make sure to speak with an attorney who offers collaborative family law, and check to see whether the attorney has received collaborative law training that meets at least the minimum Basic Training standards of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.

—

If you have questions regarding a Tampa Bay collaborative family law process, or you want to learn more about your Florida family law rights, schedule a consultation with The Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover, P.A., at (813) 443-0615 or fill out our contact form.

Adam B. Cordover currently serves as Research Chair of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Florida and Vice President of the Collaborative Divorce Institute of Tampa Bay.  Adam successfully spearheaded an effort of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida to draft an administrative order safeguarding the principles of collaborative family law (just the fourth such administrative order in Florida) and has completed over 40 hours of basic and advanced collaborative family law continuing legal education credit.

 

Categories
Adoption

Adoption Survey shows children over 5 years take a year longer to be adopted

The Department of Education has published a survey which shows that children over 5 take much longer to be adopted than children under the age of 5.

The Adoption Survey (released quarterly by the Department of Education) provides analysis of data which covers the adoption process in general, the characteristics of children during the adoption process and analysis of the progression of children through the adoption system at any given stage.

The statistics showed the following (from Quarter 4 of 2011-12 to Quarter 3 of 2012-13):

  • There was a decrease of 18% in the number of decisions to adopt children but it was found – on the positive side – that there was an increase of 13% in the number of matches and an increase of 15% in the number of placements
  • On average a longer a time is taken to adopt older children, disabled children, children from black and minority ethnic groups and sibling groups.
  • It takes over a year (13 months) longer for a child aged 5 or over to be adopted, as compared to the time that it takes for a child under 5 to be adopted
  • It takes over 2 months longer for a child to be adopted who is disabled, part of a sibling group or from a black and minority ethnic group
  • The time taken for a child to be placed with adoptive parents dropped by 7% to approx 43 days
  • There was a 4% increase in the number of applications to be adopters and the number of approvals for adopters has increased by 25%
  • There has been an overall increase in the number of enquiries to adopt children (a 10% increase)

The survey also showed that there was currently approximately 5,000 children involved in some way in the adoption process from quarter 4 of 2011-12 to quarter 3 of 2012-13. Across the period, 2,050 new “placement orders” (i.e. a decision to adopt) were made, 1,750 children were matched with prospective adopters and 1,700 were placed with an adoptive family.

Information from the quarterly survey also suggested that children aged under 5 years old take approximately 1 year and 8 months to be placed with an adoptive family, whereas children aged 5 or over take on average 2 years and 9 months to be placed with an adoptive family. This survey also found that there had been a 10% decrease over the entire period of the survey in the number of older children being placed with an adoptive family. However, the survey urged caution with this last statistic as there were less than 100 older children being placed each quarter and therefore the numbers could be subject to variance.

Redmans Solicitors are employment solicitors who offer employment law advice to employees and employers

Categories
Adoption Children Family Law

The Adoption Process: Will Your DUI Conviction Affect The Outcome?

Lourdie Adoption Ceremony August 11, 20104

A DUI conviction can have repercussions that go beyond the stigma of having a criminal record. For instance, a drunk driving charge can affect whether a person can continue on with school, get employment, make purchases that require loans like real estate and vehicles, and even rent an apartment. Another thing that a DUI can affect is the ability to adopt a child since quite a few investigating agencies use DUI convictions against parties desiring to adopt. Below are some steps that individuals may take in order to help their cause with adoption authorities.

First – Hire a DUI lawyer

If you are considering adopting a child and you have a DUI conviction, a DUI attorney can assist you with several key steps that may make you a more desirable candidate for adopting. Katz & Phillips, a law firm in Tampa, offers this about defense against DUIs, “…you really might have been perfectly fine to drive, but something went wrong during the arrest process to convince the authorities otherwise.” A critical defense such as this could be the key to getting a DUI conviction expunged from your criminal record. Your lawyer can assist with the following steps:

1. Gather court and Department of Motor Vehicles records to review exactly what anyone who is performing a basic background check will see.

2. Ask a DUI attorney if an appeal is possible on a conviction. While this may not entirely clear a record, it could still be beneficial.

3. Consider having a DUI conviction expunged from the criminal record. While it is no guarantee, this process can help other things besides adoptions, so it is worth the time and effort. Contrary to popular belief, DUI convictions do not automatically clear from a criminal record once seven years have passed. Unless it is expunged, the conviction will appear on most any criminal background check. However, keep in mind that felony DUI convictions are rarely expunged. Also, some states disallow expunging misdemeanors as well.

Ensure that the court record as well as the DMV record is cleared. Otherwise, there is a risk that it will still show up in a background check. Also, while the conviction may not appear on a background check, it may surface during the course of a more thorough investigation. Because adoption agencies operate under more stringent guidelines, they may have access to this information in the same way that a police department or the FBI would. This is because once a DUI is on a record, law enforcement can become aware of it even after expungement when they are checking for prior arrests and convictions.

4. Have the court record examined thoroughly as well as the DMV record to ensure that the conviction was actually expunged.

5. Arrange to complete a homestudy program with regard to the DUI. This will help convince an adoption agency that responsibility was taken for the situation to increase the possibility for a successful adoption.

6. Consult with an adoption lawyer and explain the entire situation so that he or she may recommend how best to proceed.

7. Try speaking with several adoption agencies about the situation. While some agencies require several years after a DUI before they will consider an application, others may have different guidelines to deal with the situation.

8. Consider Disclosing DUI Information because, in the end, if a DUI arrest is not disclosed and is later discovered, an adoption agency may have the right to deny the application automatically. However, if it is explained that the matter was expunged from the record, there could be a possibility that the agency will consider the adoption application.

Both DUI convictions and adoption are complex processes. Therefore, regardless of which avenue is pursued, it is best to first clear the DMV and court records as well as possible with the help of a DUI lawyer. Then concentrate on the adoption process with an expert family lawyer guiding you through the process.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4886622275/

Categories
Adoption Child Support Family Law

The Different Types of Cerebral Palsy

cerebral palsyCerebral palsy is a broad term for a condition that affects an individual’s posture, muscle tone, balance and movement. Cerebral palsy can result during embryonic development or it can be the unfortunate result of a traumatic birth injury. Often, cerebral palsy results from inadequate blood or oxygen.  Other possible causes can be seen here. There are five different types of cerebral palsy, each explained below.

 

Spastic Cerebral Palsy

When children are diagnosed with cerebral palsy, most children will be diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy. In fact, spastic cerebral palsy affects between 80 and 90 percent of cerebral palsy sufferers. This type can affect one side of the body, it can affect two limbs, or it can affect all four limbs. When two limbs are affected, this is known as spastic diplegia. When four limbs are affected, this is known as spastic quadriplegia.

Spastic cerebral palsy causes muscle tightness and can sometimes cause an individual to have difficulty communicating. The symptoms of this type of cerebral palsy are treated with physical therapy, stretching, exercises, and sometimes, Botox. It is important to note that this does not affect an individual’s intelligence.

 

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

Athetoid cerebral palsy affects about 20 percent of cerebral palsy sufferers and the symptoms are slightly different from the previously mentioned type of cerebral palsy. Athetoid cerebral palsy can cause slow, involuntary muscle movements, especially of the torso and of the extremities. Sometimes this type of cerebral palsy also affects face and tongue muscles, in which case drug and speech therapy is required. Muscle tone with this type of cerebral palsy is mixed; it can either be too high or too low.

 

Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy

Hypotonic cerebral palsy results in very uncontrollable, floppy arms and legs. It also tends to affect the individual’s posture, so they will often slouch or lie down. Trouble controlling and holding the head in a neutral position is also difficult for individuals with this type of cerebral palsy. Additionally, fatigue is a very common symptom of hypotonic cerebral palsy.

 

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

Ataxic cerebral palsy is the least common type of cerebral palsy, and less than 5 percent of individuals with cerebral palsy will have the ataxic variety. This type of cerebral palsy affects how well an individual can balance and coordinate their muscles. Individuals will have poorly defined muscle tone and will have difficulty moving.

 

Mixed Cerebral Palsy

It is possible for individuals to be affected by a combination of different types of cerebral palsy, which is known as mixed cerebral palsy. When this presents, it is most common for the spastic and athetoid types to be mixed together, although mixing of any of the types of cerebral palsy is possible.

Sometimes cerebral palsy cannot be prevented, as it can occur during embryonic development. However, sometimes cerebral palsy is the result of a traumatic birth injury. Again, this can be unpreventable or it can be result of medical negligence.

If you or someone you know has a child with cerebral palsy, and you believe it could be the result of medical negligence, consider seeking the professional help of an experienced birth injury lawyer. Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C. is a law firm comprised of cerebral palsy injury and birth injury lawyers located in Illinois.  For more information about birth injuries and cerebral palsy, visit the website at www.CerebralPalsyInjuries.com.

Categories
Adoption Children

Things You Need to Know About Adopting a Child from Abroad

AdoptionThe process of adopting a child can be simultaneously complicated, intense, rewarding, exciting and even frightening at times. Regardless of the particular circumstances surrounding your individual adoption, there are a few key aspects of the process that, when kept in mind throughout, can help you and your family avoid complex legal and emotional issues in the near future.

Government Resources for Prospective Parents

On the official website of the United States Department of Homeland Security, prospective adoptive parents can gain quick and easy access to free, downloadable forms that are necessary in the establishment of immigration status for the child. This step is mandatory and should be carefully considered before an adoption agency is contacted.

Your choice of agency is also a very important aspect of the adoption process. If you happen to know someone who has experienced an overseas adoption firsthand, ask for information about the organization they used. Online reviews and testimonials from previous parents can help you determine which agency best fits your personality, values and lifestyle. For added reassurance, contact the Better Business Bureau and request information on accredited adoption agencies that process international adoptions.

Determining Eligibility to Adopt Internationally

Your eligibility status is one of the most critical components of the entire process. Before you can adopt a child from another country, you must be approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS. The information that will be requested of you in order to determine eligibility will be evaluated by a social worker or state official, depending on your state’s individual laws. References from professional and personal contacts, fingerprint checks and verification of health insurance are typically included in these home studies, as are verification of employment, sufficient income and proof of a healthy, safe environment in which the child will reside.

If your eligibility application is approved, it will be forwarded to either the United States Embassy or the government organization in charge of adoption procedures in the country from which you plan to adopt your child.

It is important to remember that, depending on the type of adoption and the country involved, the process can be incredibly time-consuming. Many individuals and couples who wish to adopt internationally find that a number of very long months and, in some cases, years pass between the time that the first pieces of paperwork are filed and the adopted child is finally scheduled to come home.

Preparation for Parenthood

During the period of time that passes between application, approval and international travel to retrieve the adopted child, adopting parents must complete at least ten hours of pre-adoption training, as according to The Hague Adoption Convention of 1993. The Convention is designed with the legal protection of the child in question, the prospective parents and the adoption agency through which the process is completed in the foreign country.

Financial Considerations

Though the joy of finally meeting the newest member of your family is an experience that you will always cherish, the lingering effects of the financial expenses involved can induce stress in even the calmest and most collected of individuals. Considering the impact of these factors before, during and after the adoption process can help make managing it far more feasible and considerably less stressful. Talk to an experienced attorney with a proven track record of success in adoption cases, set aside money for translation documents (if required) and the future costs of childcare. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of what the process entails will better equip you with the confidence and forward thinking you will need throughout the process of your child’s adoption.

 

Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC is a Family and Cerebral Palsy law firm located in Baltimore, Maryland/Columbia, South Carolina/Asheville, North Carolina.  For more information, please visit www.cerebral-palsy-injury.com.

Categories
Adoption

Three Helpful Tips When Choosing an Adoption Lawyer

Adoption There is no greater joy in life than starting a family and many couples choose to do this, whether by choice or by necessity, through adoption. Going through with adoption can be long and tedious due to the complicated nature of the process, but this also acts as a way for agencies to weed out any parents who are not dedicated. The best way for prospective parents to adopt is to find a professional adoption lawyer who is familiar with the process and who can assist them every step of the way. Your choice of adoption lawyer can affect the entire outcome of the adoption, so it is important to properly vet the candidates to make sure you end up with the right one. But what should you look for in an adoption lawyer? Follow these three tips for choosing an adoption lawyer to end up with the best results.

Speak With Parents Who Have Adopted to Get Recommendations

The best way to find an adoption attorney is to speak with parents who have already successfully adopted. Check with friends and family members to see if they know anybody who has adopted and then try to be put in contact with them to talk about the process and their adoption lawyer. If you do not know anybody who has gone through this, there are always adoption support groups and meetings that you can attend to meet new people and find out the information you want.

Ask Difficult Questions to see How the Lawyer Responds

When you meet with other parents who have adopted try and get a list of questions they wish they had asked their adoption attorney and then, during the interview process, ask each of them these questions. If an attorney shies away from answering some of the more difficult questions, especially if they deal with cost, then there’s a good chance they don’t want you to know the answer. Find a lawyer who is completely honest during the interview and you’ll have an adoption lawyer that will always be completely open with you.

Choose a Lawyer Who Specializes in Adoption

This may sound like a no-brainer but you would be surprised how many parents assume that a lawyer specializes in a subject just because they are willing to represent somebody. Many lawyers dabble in different areas of the law and split their time between these focuses. When choosing an adoption lawyer you want to be sure that they spend the majority of their time on adoption law so that you can guarantee they are as knowledgeable as possible on the subject. Do a little research into the firm and the lawyer you meet with to make sure that adoption is the primary focus of their company, and doesn’t represent a small minority of their work.

The process of adopting a child can be physically and emotionally draining, but it is well worth it once it’s complete. Adoption agencies make the process difficult on purpose to make sure only the most sincere and dedicated people make it through to become parents. A great adoption lawyer can make the process that much easier while a bad adoption lawyer can send you back to square one. Following these steps will help you find an adoption lawyer that can assist you with starting your own family.

If you are adopting a child, hiring an adoption lawyer would be beneficial to you.  For more information about what an adoption lawyer can do for you, visit the website for The Law Offices of Brian M. Moskowitz, an adoption lawyer located in Boca Raton, Florida at www.Mosklaw.com.

Categories
Adoption

Adopting a Child

For some people, children are not an option. You may really want them, but for one reason or another you cannot have children of your own. Do not ever think that because you can conceive a child of your own, you are out of luck and will never have a family. There are many things you can do to ensure that you do have a child. It may not be your own, but have you ever considered adopting? There are many other people just like yourself out there that for medical reasons cannot have a baby of their own. There are also many children out there in other countries that are looking for people just like you to take them in and love them as your own. Want to know more about adoption? Here’s the inside scoop.

Helping a Child

When you adopt a child, you are in many ways being a savior for a child. Many children are born in third world countries and do not have families that can take care of them. You have surely seen the ads on TV for the children who have nothing to eat and nowhere to live. They can be heartbreaking. In China, there is still a one child per family rule, so many Chinese children are sent to orphanages waiting for someone just like you to give them a place to belong. There are also many young American girls who find themselves pregnant and are unable to give a child the life he or she deserves. These girls have the best intentions for their babies and want the best for them, so they decide to carry them to term and then put them up for adoption. If you are considering adopting a child, the first thing that you will want to do is to get in touch with an adoption agency.

Places You Can Go

Get your name on a list or even post an ad in your local newspaper. Chances are that you will have to participate in a home study to see if you can actually care for a child. If you choose to adopt a child without an agency, that is fine as well. Keep in mind that when you adopt, there may be fees for you to do so, but many times, adoptive parents want to help the mother of their soon to be child out. You may want to retain an attorney who can advise you on the best steps to take.

Please do not ever think that because you cannot conceive a child of your own you are out of luck when it comes to having a family. There are many people out there, who for one reason or another, cannot take care of their child but still want the best for them, so they allow them to be adopted. If you are looking to adopt a baby, know that you are doing a wonderful thing and you are giving a child in need the life he or she deserves.

Lacey D. is a writer for AspiringNurse.com. Adopting a child can be a great step for you. Make sure you have your newly adopted child to a pediatric nurse practitioner.