What is Adoption?

Considering adoption is one of the most important decisions you can ever make in your whole life. It’s not an easy decision to make though as it involves a lot of things to be considered, emotionally, physically, and legally. This is basically the reason that most are hesitant to deciding on adoption, but in case you are thinking of it but not sure yet of what this process entails, then I bet it’s important for you to know first what adoption is.

Adoption, as commonly defined, is a legal process that builds a new and permanent relationship between parent and child. It is the process in which couples who have no children are matched with children who have no parents. So it’s simply a “matching” process.

However, there is something much deeper in adoption than it’s being a matching process. It is a legal process in which the parental rights and responsibilities are highly considered and bestowed to the adopting parents, so to hit the main aim of adoption – a parent-child relationship. So it is clear then that adoption has something to do not only with bestowing the rights and responsibilities to the adopting parents but also giving the child or children being adopted all the emotional, legal and social rights and responsibilities that every family member is entitled to enjoy. All the rights and responsibilities given to the adopted child are the same as with the biological child, and this may mean including the rights of inheritance.

Before adoption is decided, court proceedings take place. Well, this is basically how the adoption is decided and made. In court hearings, it is expected from the court to identify the biological parents of the child to be adopted. This must be determined lawfully and with full understanding, so to avoid conflicts. However, deciding on this depends greatly on the established state law and the circumstances. Usually, the cutting of the rights of the biological parents and bestowing those rights to the adoptive parents may be done at the same time at the finalization of the adoption.

Speaking of finalization, what usually happens in the court during the proceeding is that the judge reviews all the gathered information about the child, his or her biological parents, and the adoptive parents. The homestudy and other conducted evaluation of the adopting parents and their capability to take custody of the child are reviewed. Also included in the review are the reports of pre-adoption counseling, case worker’s recommendations and notes, and some other necessary, valuable reports.

During the finalization hearing, the adoptive parents and their attorneys are required to be present. This requirement also covers the placing parents and their attorneys, the children, the legal case worker or advocate of the child, and case workers of both the adoptive parents and the placing parents. With the presence of these personalities and the information gathered, the decision to approve or disapprove the petition for adoption will be made. And, once the adoption is finalized, the Adoption Decree is issued.