Understanding The Different Types Of Family Adoptions
Across the country, children are being accepted into loving families that will care and look after them when their own parents cannot due to special circumstances. There are a variety of different adoptions that are allowed in states and local jurisdictions such as Kennett as parents should consult a family attorney who can help them through the legal process. Adoptions can consist of working through an agency, directly with the birth parents, working with another member of the family, adopting children through marriage or having an adult consent to be adopted for inheritance purposes.
Independent Adoptions Independent adoptions are often done when the birth parents agree to allow a family to adopt their child. Both sets of parents may agree to the adoption before the child is born or afterward. If the child in not born yet, the adoptive parents may stay in contact with the birth parent. After the adoption process, the birth parents may opt to stay in contact and receive updates in regards to the child such as photos or visitations. Often a family attorney in Kennett will be involved in filling out the adoption paperwork to ensure the process goes smoothly.
Agency Adoptions Agencies working with children who are wards of the state for various reasons can be directly involved in the adoption process. Birth parents may give up their child to the adoption agency or have their child taken from the home due to neglect or abuse. Some children whose parents have died and they do not have family members may also be placed with the agency. Some birth parents may also contact an agency to help with the adoption process in a hybrid process called a designated adoption. Kinship Adoptions Sometimes grandparents, aunts or uncles will adopt children from their family members when the birth parents are unable to take care of the child themselves or when the birth parents have died.
Kinship adoptions are often easier to perform than adoptions where the child is not a blood relative as the child still maintains a family relationship with known people. Adult Adoptions When an older person has no beneficiaries of their estate or assets, they may select a younger adult to adopt who will receive this inheritance. These types of adoptions may be abused to where a person may be trying to take advantage of the older person to receive such a windfall. Every state has protections in place to prevent such elder abuse from occurring. Stepparent Adoptions A person involved in a marriage where their spouse has children from a previous marriage may wish to adopt the children. Stepparent adoptions can get tricky when the ex-spouse does not agree to the adoption. Yet a family attorney kennett can explain the options and the paperwork needed for this process.