Which Kind Of Adoption Do You Need?

Adoption is a beautiful thing. After all, every child deserves a safe environment and a happy home. But you might find yourself perplexed by the complexities of it all. As great as adoption is, it can be a lengthy and confusing process. There are more than six types of adoption in Oklahoma. If you’re adopting in Oklahoma and you want to know which form is best for you, keep reading.

What Are Agency Adoption Types?

Agency adoptions are some of the most common adoption types. Usually, a foster child might end up at an agency if the child’s parents:

• Abandoned the child
• Were found to be abusive or unfit
• Died, leaving the child orphaned

There are two types of agency adoptions—public and private. Public agency adoptions must abide by the laws and policies of the state. Private agency adoptions are typically through churches or social services organizations. In this case, the child becomes a ward of the state because the parents voluntarily surrendered their rights, giving the child up for adoption. This is unlike public agency adoptions, where the state takes the child away from the parents.

Under this adoption type, you can always expect an agent to help you along the way, telling you about children who meet your desires (i.e., race, age, behavior), telling you about their background, and how they came to be a ward of the state. An agent will also do a thorough background check on you, including making pre and post-home visits. More than that, though, your adoption agent will offer counseling to you regarding how best to parent a foster child. If you want an expert opinion on which child is best matched with you or have any questions, this type of adoption might be ideal.

What Are Independent Adoption Types?

If there’s a particular child you would like to adopt, and you already know that child’s parents, then this adoption type might be most suited to your needs. There’s often no need for an intermediary with an independent adoption, and so agents aren’t involved. Instead, you work directly with the child’s biological birth parents. Of course, you can have an intermediary present if you’d like. Also, the child doesn’t have to be born for you to have an independent adoption, although you will have to wait until the child is born to finalize the adoption. What matters is that you and the parents agree that the child will be yours after birth.

Open adoption is another form of independent adoption. Here, you and the birth parents agree that, although you are to be the child’s legal parent, the birth parents are still allowed to contact and communicate with your child.

It’s always best to have a written contract for independent adoptions. But this isn’t a contract you should draw up hastily. You want to ensure that your rights, the child’s best interests, and the birth parents’ desires are communicated clearly and respected. Even though its an independent adoption, you will still have to file the adoption with the court and go through the court process to finalize the adoption. You’ll want an experienced Oklahoma adoption attorney to help you. Contact Inner Vision Legal for a consultation today at (405) 724-2525 or contact us online.

Can I Adopt A Foreign Child?

The short answer is, “Yes.” This option might strike you if you’ve read devastating international news and would like to help. Perhaps, you simply fancy the idea. Whatever your reason, be forewarned that this adoption type is more tedious than the others. You must abide by Oklahoma and American laws as well as the laws of the country from which you’ll be adopting. Regardless, the benefits of becoming a parent and giving a child a family make it all worth it.

What Else Should I Know?

This is not a comprehensive list of adoption types. For example, there are:

• Adoptions by stepparents
• Adoptions by same-sex couples
• Adoptions by blood relatives
• Adoptions of adults

Oklahoma Family Law Lawyer

To learn more about adoption in the state of Oklahoma, you should talk with a family law attorney. Inner Vision Legal is focused on helping clients in matters involving child custody, child support, divorce, and more. With 17 years of experience,  Inner Vision Legal is one of Oklahoma’s best divorce law firms. Contact us at Inner Vision Legal by calling (405) 724-2525 or contacting us online today.