Which Type of Adoption Is Best for My Family?

 Posted on February 29, 2020 in Family Law

Just like every child and family, every adoption is unique. For those looking to expand their family, there are various avenues that they can take. Making the decision to adopt the beginning of many more large decisions that must be made in this lengthy process. After you have chosen to expand your family through adoption, you must then consider your various adoption outlets. In some cases, adopting parents may be set on one way to adopt their future child. While it is helpful to have an idea of how you wish to adopt, it is important to consider all of your options before diving in — you may be surprised by the adoptive path you decide to follow.

International Versus Domestic

The first choice that you should make before beginning the adoption process is where you are looking to adopt your child from. Americans are allowed to adopt children domestically or internationally. Those who are looking to adopt an American child will have the option of pursuing an independent adoption or agency adoption. Independent adoptions are completed with the help of an attorney while those who turn to an agency for help are committing to working with that agency throughout the process. Many will choose to work with an attorney rather than an agency to avoid additional agency fees and have a more private adoption with fewer professionals involved in the process. Depending on the situation, domestic adoptions may involve finding a family looking for an adoptive parent or a birth mother looking for parents for her child.

International adoptions have declined over the past decade as international governing bodies have put up additional regulations regarding their adoption policies. Typically, children being adopted internationally are from orphanages as their parents were unable to care for them. International adoptions are a good option for those who are open to adopting a child of any age. This type of adoption does not always include an infant, but a variety of ages. Anyone considering adopting internationally should work with an experienced attorney. Adoption laws vary from country to country, and it is crucial that you have a good understanding of your prospective child’s home country and its policies.

Open or Closed

After you have decided on your means of adoption, you will need to consider the relationship that you would like your child to have with their biological parents. Though some of these children may have lost their parents at a young age, many biological parents are still alive and would like to stay in contact with their child. During the adoption negotiations, this is one area that you will want to address: are you comfortable with your child speaking to their biological parents? This decision is known as choosing between an open and closed adoption. Open adoptions allow adoptive children to have a relationship with their biological parents, to a certain degree. You can determine what this connection will look like. Some adoptive parents want their child to actively spend time with his or her biological parents while others simply have the biological parents’ names in case their child asks. For those who do not want their child to have a relationship with their birth parents, they would look for a closed adoption. This means that their child will not have access to information about their biological family.

Contact a Will County Adoption Attorney

Expanding your family through adoption is a special experience in life. Not only are you giving a child a loving home, but you also gain a lifelong relationship that you would not have without them. As you can see, the decision-making process for adoptions can seem never-ending and requires attention to detail. At The Foray Firm, we are dedicated to helping every family grow regardless of the path that you select for your adoption. Our attorneys make your family our priority. For help with your adoption, contact our Joliet adoption lawyers at 312-702-1293.

Sources:

https://consideringadoption.com/adopting/types-of-adoption/what-is-international-adoption

https://consideringadoption.com/adopting/types-of-adoption/what-is-domestic-infant-adoption

https://consideringadoption.com/adopting/adoption-101/do-i-need-an-agency-for-adoption