Adoption in California

Agencies that handle adoption in California can range from government-funded agencies that place California children at little of no cost, to attorneys who arrange private adoptions, to international non-profit adoption agencies. Total adoption costs may run from under $1,000 to as much as $40,000 depending on the type of adoption parents choose.

California's adoption agencies can conduct four main types of adoption services: relinquishment or domestic agency adoption, independent domestic adoption, international adoption, and stepparent adoption.

Second-parent adoptions were designed for same-sex couples. A second-parent adoption is a legal procedure that allows a same-sex parent to adopt his or her partner’s biological or adoptive child without terminating the legal rights of the first parent. It protects both parents by giving both of them legally recognized parental status. [ [http://www.thetaskforce.org/reports_and_research/second_parent_adoption_laws Second-parent adoption laws map] National Gay and Lesbian Task Force]

California adoption law

Like most family law, adoption law is mostly state law. States license and regulate adoption agencies, create state adoption law, and generally administer adoption matters within their geographic boundaries.

California adoptions are covered by California civil codes 224o; 227b, 224v, and 230.6 - 230.8.

While there is little federal regulation of adoption in general, international adoption is an exception to this rule. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS; formerly the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service) has a number of requirements and regulations governing international adoption. For example, at least one of the adoptive parents must be United States citizens.

Most of the laws and regulations concerning adoptions are applicable to so-called stranger adoption or unrelated adoption. That is, people seek out a child to adopt through an acquaintance or an agency. Intercountry adoptions are similar to adoptions completely within the United States, but additional requirements and procedures apply.

Most adoptions are completed with little conflict. However, the occasional, dramatic conflicts between adoptive and biological parents raise questions about how to balance the best interests of children with the rights of families.

Key agencies

Key agencies for California adoptions include:
*California Adoptions Branch
*California Department of Social Services Adoptions Branch
*California Department of Social Services (CDSS)
*U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) handles international adoptions
*many licensed public or private adoption agencies

Requirements to adopt

The requirements to adopt depend on what agency the adoption is being conducted through. In general, a potential adoptive parent:
*does not have to own a house
*does not have to be married (approximately one-fourth of the children adopted from the public foster care system are adopted by single individuals [ [http://hss.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/DCS/Adoption/faq.htm Questions About Adoption] San Bernardino County Department of Children's Services (DCS)] )

Home studies

A home study is an evaluation of the future residence of the child. Some of the issues a social worker explores with parents when conducting a home study include:
*Is the house safe?
*Are both spouses eager to adopt?
*Is there adequate room for the child?
*How long has the couple been married?
*Does the couple or prospective adoptive parent have any experience with children?
*Can the prospective adoptive parent afford to have the child?
*Will one parent stay home with the child or will they use day care?

tepparent adoption

A probation officer, county clerk, or some other employee of a county welfare department conducts a study and reports about the adoption and gets the adopting parent and the parent relinquishing custody to sign a consent form.

Information about birth parents

Though there is now a growing trend towards open adoptions, most California adoptions involve the sealing of identifying information about birth parents. All adoptees can request "non-identifying background information" on birth parents including general facts about the birth parents and their medical history. In addition, letters, photographs or otheritems of personal property in the possession of the agency are to be released to the person for whom they were intended after the adoptee turns eighteen.

Adoptions prior to 1984 require all parties to file "waivers of confidentiality" to release contact information. Identifying information is available to adoptive parents any time theDepartment of Social Services or other adopting agency determines that "medical necessity or other extraordinary circumstances justify the disclosure."

Mutual consent registry

California does not have a mutual consent registry. However, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) operates a "Consent Program" for adoptees age 18 and over, birth parents, and siblings of adoptees who are 21 years of age or older. In addition, adoptees can register with an adoption reunion registry.

References

ee also

*Adoption in the United States

External links

California Government Links

* [http://www.childsworld.ca.gov/ California Department of Social Services, Children and Family Services Division] - Children and Family Services oversees adoptions within California. The division coordinates public adoptions; maintains lists of [http://www.childsworld.ca.gov/res/pdf/Docaa.pdf licensed adoption agencies] and [http://www.childsworld.ca.gov/res/pdf/ASPContact.pdf adoption service providers] ; and provides several adoption FAQs.

* [http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/family/adoption/ California Courts Self-Help Center: Adoption] - This site, maintained by the California court system, provides links to legal forms required for adoption and contains several adoption FAQs.