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Oregon Adoption

Oregon Adoption

 
 
Guide to Oregon Adoption
 
 
If you are planning to adopt through the state of Oregon's foster system, you may be able to complete your OR adoption inexpensively and relatively quickly.  Many children are currently waiting in the foster system for an adoptive home, and the state offers Oregon adoption subsidies for parents who adopt waiting children.  This guide will give you a basic overview of the process of OR adoption from the foster care system.  If you need more information about how to adopt, you may want to consult with an Oregon adoption attorney.
 
 
Who May Adopt?
 
 
Just about anyone who can give a child a safe home is eligible for OR adoption.  Both single and married parents, gay and straight, are allowed to adopt a child in the state.  Homeowners and renters can complete the Oregon adoption process, and older families as well as younger ones are welcome to adopt.
 
 
The major factor that would preclude a person from being eligible for an OR adoption would be a criminal conviction for a violent offense or an offense against children.  People who have been convicted of these offenses are not allowed to complete the Oregon adoption process.
 
 
The Oregon Adoption Process: Training and Application
 
 
When you initiate the adoption process, you will fill out an application and will be able to ask questions from your local branch of the Department of Children, Adults, and Families.  You may, in many counties, be required to attend OR adoption training classes.  These classes can get you ready for some of the challenges associated with adoption, whether you are interested in adopting an infant or an older child or teenager.
 
 
The Oregon Adoption Process: Home Study
 
 
When you apply for an OR adoption from the foster care system, you must have a home study prepared.  Your home study is the portion of the Oregon adoption process where a case worker interviews you and your family, inspects your home, and completes a background check.  When the case worker for your OR adoption visits your home, they will check for safety hazards and potential issues, and can give you a chance to fix any problems that might preclude your adoption.
 
 
You may be surprised at how detailed and personal the questions are for your Oregon adoption home study.  You will be asked questions about your reasons for pursuing an OR adoption, and about your childhood.  You will also have to talk about your parenting style and philosophy, and what you might do in circumstances common to adoptive parents.  Your Oregon adoption home study will be subsidized by the state if you adopt through the foster care system.
 
 
The Oregon Adoption Process: Matching and Placement
 
 
After your home study has been completed, your OR adoption case worker will begin the work of matching your family to a waiting child.  You will be able to visit with the child before the adoptive placement is completed.  You may be eligible for post-placement assistance with your Oregon adoption in some circumstances.  Finalization of an OR adoption can only take place when a family court judge officially approves the adoption, but this is typically a formality and can be relatively fast.
 
 

Oklahoma Adoption

Oklahoma Adoption

Guide to Oklahoma Adoption

More families than ever are choosing to open their homes to an OK adoption.  If you are considering an adoption through the state of Oklahoma's foster care system, you may want to know more about the process you can expect.  This guide will explain how the Oklahoma adoption process works, from your initial inquiry until your new child moves into your home.  If you want more information on a specific aspect of the adoption process, you may want to contact the Oklahoma Department of Human Services or a qualified OK adoption attorney.

The Oklahoma Adoption Process: First Steps

In order to adopt a child from Oklahoma, you will need to start by making an initial inquiry to the Department of Human Services.  Once you have made an initial inquiry, you will be referred to a pre-service training class near you.  These classes typically happen once a week until you have completed the 27 hours of pre-service training required by Oklahoma law for adoption.  Classes will cover topics ranging from the adoption process itself to what you can expect from your relationship with your new adopted child.

The Oklahoma Adoption Process: Home Study

In order to determine whether your home would be suitable for a placement, an OK adoption case worker will perform a home study.  This involves not only a visit to and inspection of your house, but also interviews with all household members.  You will be asked about your reasons for wanting an Oklahoma adoption, as well as questions about your parenting philosophy.  You may be asked hypothetical questions about what you would do in situations commonly encountered by adoptive parents.

As part of your home study, you will be required to complete fingerprinting and a background check.  OK adoption law also requires all household members to have a medical examination, which can determine whether they may have health problems that would make caring for a child difficult or impossible.  There are no age requirements for completing an Oklahoma adoption, as long as a medical examination reveals that you are reasonably healthy and have no urgent or untreated medical conditions.

The Oklahoma Adoption Process: Matching and Placement

Once the home study is completed, provided it goes well and your background check does not exclude you from adopting, you will be qualified as an adoptive family.  You will be able to tell your OK adoption case worker what kind of child you are looking for.  Being matched takes more time for families who want an infant adoption or want to limit their adoption choices to children of one race or those with no siblings.

Once you are matched with a child, you will be able to visit with that child several times in order to see if the match is good.  If it appears that the placement would be successful, your Oklahoma adoption caseworker will recommend placement and finalization.  Your adoption will not be complete until it is finalized in a court hearing.

 

What are Adoption Agencies

What are Adoption Agencies

What is an Adoption Agency?
An adoption agency is an office, a court, or another entity that is authorized under the laws or statutes of a particular Commonwealth, a State, a Territory or a foreign country to delivery and performs various functions aligned with adoption. All adoption agencies in the United States and throughout the world are licensed by the coordinating state or governing body to prepare an subsequently initiate the adoption process.
Adoption agencies will prepare adoptive parents for the rigors and administrative formalities aligned with the adoption procedure. Without adoption agencies the process and ability to adopt a child would be nearly impossible, as a result of the ever-changing laws concerning adoption and the inability to connect prospective adoptive parents with those children who are up for adoption. 
In addition to connecting prospective adoptive parents with the eligible pool of children up for adoption, all adoption agencies provide counseling and professional help needed by both the birth parents of the child and the adopting party. Adoption agencies are comprised of numerous adoption professionals who will not only aid the individual in fulfilling the necessary requirements associated with affirming the adoption process, but also through the application of aiding individuals as it pertains to the adoption process. Furthermore, adoption agencies perform home studies to evaluate statistics associated with adoption to better allocate resources to the varying departments within an adoption agency. 
Adoption agencies, in general, are the foundation for initiating an adoption—all forms of adoption are streamlined through the resources and expertise of an adoption agency. Adoption agencies complete and subsequently file all necessary paperwork associated with adoption as well physically placing children in homes. 

Types of Adoption Agencies:
Adoption agencies, throughout the country, will vary in regards to how they perform and initiate the adoption proceeding. All adoption agencies must adhere to the specific adoption laws which are established by their residing government’s regulations and statutory laws. A failure to comply with such laws will result in the termination of licenses or the termination of the adoption agency as a whole.
With that in mind, all adoption agencies institute the adoption process that is considered legal in the underlying country, state or jurisdiction. Although these laws fluctuate based on the particular government’s interpretation of adoption laws, all adoption agencies aim to achieve a uniform goal—match those children who need to be adopted with the best-suited and most capable prospective adopting parties.

3 Easy Steps to Becoming Foster Parents

3 Easy Steps to Becoming Foster Parents

What are Foster Parents?
Foster Parents are individuals who undergo the process of fostering a child; the fostering process is undertaken within the realm of family law, which involves the placement of a an individual – who is typically classified as a child or minor – under the supervision of an individual or individuals not classified or identified as that individual’s legal guardian or birth parent.
Typically, Foster Parents enter into participation within the foster care system with the understanding that traditional foster placement exists on a temporary basis. Prior to the assignment of Foster Parents, a variety of relative family members – such as cousins and grandparents – may be sought out with regard to the attribution of supervision overan individual.
Furthermore, due to its temporary nature, Foster Parents will be made aware that the implementation of the Fostering process will be initiated only after the prospect of familial reunification has been overruled.

A ‘How-to’ Guide for Foster Parents
The following information may serve as a guide for individuals interested in becoming Foster Parents:

Step 1: Investigation
Prior to the commitment of fostering an individual, prospective Foster Parents are encouraged to conduct a substantial amount of research with regard to the circumstances, events, and conditions implicit within the fostering process. Potential foster parents are encouraged to investigate increased financial burdens, adjusted dynamics within one’s household, as well as the legislative obligation undertaken – subsequent to fostering an individual, Foster Parents will be required to participate in meetings, inspections, and correspondence with applicable legislative agencies.

Step 2: Understanding the Difference between Adoption and Fostering
While both prospective activities involve the placement of an individual under the responsibility of another individual or individuals not classified as birth parents, there exist a wide range of differences latent within the definition of adoptive parents and that of foster parents – while adoption maintains permanence, foster care typically does not. As a result, prospective foster parents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the expressed stipulation and statutes with regard to the duration implicit within fostering.

Step 3: Contacting the Applicable Institutions
Primarily, Foster Parents’ journeys will begin upon contacting the governmental department responsible for the placement, regulation, and oversight of family and human services; once this particular department is contacted, the following steps may be undertaken:
Upon contacting the applicable department, prospective foster parents will be given a list of accredited and participating foster care facilities
Applications will be required for submission; typically, these applications will include the medical records, professional references, financial records, and criminal records belonging to potential foster parents
Subsequent to the first of many required approvals, foster parents will be required to participate in a variety of interviews and meetings with government-appointed specialists; this may include an inspection of the home belonging to prospective foster parents, as well as a psychological evaluation undertaken
Subsequent to the satisfaction of these inspections and interviews, foster parents will be required to complete anywhere from 10 to 30 hours of instructional classes and information sessions; upon completion, potential foster parents will receive official certification permitting them to legally foster another individual
Upon the receipt of a foster certification, potential foster parents will be considered as eligible foster parents and commence in a discussion with the department responsible for fostering in their residential jurisdiction; this final meeting will determine the child whom will be fostered

Must Read Foster Care Explained

Must Read Foster Care Explained

What is Foster Care?
Foster Care is a process that is undertaken within the realm of family law, which involves the placement of a an individual – who is typically classified as a child or minor – under the supervision of an individual or individuals not classified or identified as that individual’s legal guardian or birth parent; in many cases, foster care implements the placement of applicable individuals on a temporary basis.

Foster Care vs. Adoption
While adoption is the legal transfer of guardianship from one entity to another, Foster Care constitutes legally-mandated supervision and conditional-responsibility allowed to an individual or entity. Due to the fact that Foster Care is typically undergone as a temporary measure, it differs from adoption not only in its presupposed timelines, but also within the notion of the attribution of guardianship:

Adoption
Adoption is the legal process within the realm of family law in which approved individuals who are not recognized as the birthparents of a child are permitted to assume guardianship of a child. Subsequent to the approval and authentication of legal adoption, parents undergoing the adoption process will be able to participate in the authenticity, substantiation, and validation concerning issues under the jurisdiction of paternity.


Foster Care
In contrast to adoption, Foster Care is typically not considered to be a primary option with regard to individuals who have been displaced from their respective guardians, be it through forced removal or abandonment. The notion of Foster Care is primarily imposed on a temporary basis in order to allow the jurisdictional legislative bodies assuming responsibility for fostered individuals to ascertain a long-term plan with regard to the future of that individual – this can range from an eventual return to that individual’s birth parents or guardians to the placement of that individual as a ward of the state.


Foster Care Facts
Within the United States, statistics show that upwards of 500,000 children are currently engaged within the Foster Care System; in addition, the primary catalysts for placement in Foster Care results from abusive and neglectful households:
The median age of an individual within the Foster Care system employed within the United States of America is 10 years of age
Within an individual breakdown of applicable demographics with regard to children in foster care, the following statistics have been made available: 6% of children in foster care are recorded as being below 1 year of age, 26% of children in Foster Care are between 1 and 5 years of age, 20% of children in Foster Care are between 6 and 10 years of age, 28% of children in Foster Care are between 11 and 15 years of age, 18% of children inFoster Care are between 16 and 18 years of age, and 2% of individuals in Foster Care are above the age of 19
The genders recorded with regard to individuals in Foster Care illustrate females undertaking 48% of fostered individuals, while males account for 52% of the total amount of individuals fostered
With regard to the breakdown of Foster Care demographics with regard to race and ethnicity, the following statistics have been made available as per the entirety of the population of individuals in Foster Care: African Americans account for 15%, Caucasians account for 61%, and  Hispanics account for 17%
The median duration of stays undertaken by individuals in Foster Care has been recorded as almost 29 months on an individual, case-by-case basis

South Carolina Adoption

South Carolina Adoption

 
 
A brief guide to South Carolina adoptions
 
 
"Family law" is a broad term referring to many different types of regulations involved in domestic law. One common aspect of legal practice in this field concerns South Carolina adoption of a minor child. This is not a process to be undertaken lightly. Not only do South Carolina adoptions require you to assume many responsibilities towards a child, you will need to undertake an extensive review process before you are allowed to do so.
 
 
There are four different types of adoption. A South Carolina adoption may fall into the following categories:
 
 
• Private adoptions involve a parent or parents voluntarily giving up their child, for whatever reason, into another couple or single parent's custody. These kinds of South Carolina adoptions will often require a lawyer who can draft the documentation necessary to ensure the process is completed in a legally correct fashion.
 
 
• Public adoptions concern children who are in the care of the state's child protective services. 
 
 
• Interagency South Carolina adoptions involve children who have been given up by their parents and given in custody to an agency responsible for finding a new home.
 
 
• International adoptions concern minor children from another country. A lawyer will almost certainly be necessary to make sure that this kind of South Carolina adoption follows the laws of the state and the other country in question.
 
 
Before undertaking any of these kinds of proceedings, you will need to undergo a "homestudy" process. This is designed to make sure that anyone who wishes to complete South Carolina adoptions is mentally and fiscally capable of taking good care of a minor child. You will need to make your medical and financial records available to the person appointed by the state to undertake this process. 
 
 
Additionally, in order to have your request to undertake a South Carolina adoption approved, you will need to undergo extensive interviews. During these sessions, you will be asked about your expectations as a potential parent, your upbringing and your views on parenting. You  may wish to consult with a lawyer to help guide you through this component of South Carolina adoptions. Until you have successfully completed the homestudy process, you cannot adopt any children.
 
 
You should be aware that the process of completing a South Carolina adoption can be very expensive. For example, if you enter into a private adoption agreement, you will have to sign a contract detailing your obligations to the birth parent. These kinds of South Carolina adoptions may obligate you to pay for all expense related to the process of giving birth, such as hospital bills. Do not commit to this process until you have estimated all the expenses which will be involved.
 
 
It may be possible to minimize some of the expenses involved in a South Carolina adoption. A federal tax credit is available for those who complete this process. Additionally, those who adopt children who are deemed to have "special needs" may be eligible for additional financial assistance.
 
 

Adoption

Adoption

What is Fostering?

The process of fostering another individual exists within the realm of Family Law; Fostering is defined as the procedure undertaken with regard to the granting of temporary supervision over an individual by an individual or entity who is not legally classified as maintaining guardianship or familial ties to the fostered individual.

Fostering vs. Adopting

In contrast with adoption, Fostering shares in in neither the permanence nor the assumed responsibility attributed within the adoption process. While the process of adopting a child is considered to be an immediate contingency plan with regard to children who have been abandoned or removed from their respective birth parents, Fostering a child is not typically considered to share in the urgency or contingency latent within adoption; governmental bodies responsible for the Fostering of children will typically consider the implementation of the Fostering process only after the prospect of familial reunification has been deemed not to be in the best interest of that individual:

Fostering a Child

Though rarely uniform, relative family members such as cousins and grandparents may be sought out with regard to the supervision of a child prior to the potential fostering of a particular child.

In certain cases, funding disbursed by the jurisdictional governing body responsible for the oversight of the Fostering of children will be granted to eligible foster parents.

Individuals fostering a child are considered to assume guardianship no paternity of the fostered individual.

Fostering a child occurs on a temporary basis; only subsequent to individual, judicial review of a particular familial setting or circumstance will a decision be rendered with regard to the permanency of a situation in which a child is fostered.

Adopting a Child

In contrast to the Fostering of a child, the adoption of a child allows the individual or individuals undertaking the adoption of the child in question to maintain legal guardianship in tandem with legal responsibility with regard to the adoptee.

Unlike Fostering as child, the adoption of a child is considered to be a permanent measure; the obligation undertaken by an adoptive parent – or adoptive parents – is considered to exist in the long-term.

In lieu of funding disbursed to individuals undertaking the Fostering of individuals, adoptive parents are typically ineligible to receive funding with regard to the costs of adoption, in addition to funding with regard to the cost of living implicit within an adoption.

Unless otherwise expressed, adoptive parents maintain established paternity with regard to adoptees; as a result, they are traditionally permitted to permit or prohibit visitation with birth parents – conversely, individuals Fostering other individuals are unable to assume the imposition of such measures regulating any such visitation.

The Legality of Fostering an Individual

Contact an adoption lawyer for legal advice and assistance.

Despite their latent differences, the screening process with regard to Fostering a child consists of similar guidelines, eligibility, qualifications, and standards as does the screening process required by prospective parents; typically, individuals interested in Fostering children will be required to:

Undergo thorough background checks, including the review of financial and criminal records.

Complete informational programs and instructional classes provided by the United States government

Adhere to a schedule in which inspections and interviews conducted by government employees may take place

Read this before an Open Adoption

Read this before an Open Adoption What is an Open Adoption?

An open adoption is a type of adoption in which the biological parents (particularly the natural mother) know, through contact, the adoptive family. Although contact is maintained with the natural birth parents, the parenting rights of the biological parents in an open adoption are terminated and the adoptive parents assume the legal rights of the child.

In an open adoption, the adoptive and birth parents may agree on various arrangements of contact between the youth and birth parents, through there are no guarantees that the adoptive party will permit this.

An open adoption is not legally binding; as a result, nearly 80% of all open adoptions assume a closed status within 3 months of the adoption assuming finalization in court. Similar to the majority of adoption procedures, the regulations and statutes which govern an open adoption will vary based on state and jurisdiction. That being said, in some jurisdictions, the birth and adoptive parents will enter into a binding agreement that will elucidate upon the exchange of information, visitation, or all interactions regarding the child.

As of February of 2009, 24 states in America maintained provisions for such agreements to be legally enforceable through the delivery of contracts, which will act as the finalization of the adoption. The majority of open adoptions are established as informal agreements, which will change over time as each set of parents’ lives progress and evolve. As a legal guardian, the adoptive parents are responsible for implementing such contractual arrangements in accordance with the child’s best interests. Through this characteristic, the adoptive parents in an open adoption maintain the final decision-making authority.

A semi-open adoption, which is another form of adoption, the biological parents may contact the adoptive parents one or several times and then cease contact after an agreed-upon time. Non-identifying information, such as letters and pictures, may also be exchanged in this procedure directly or through a third party, particularly an adoption agency.

The History of Open Adoptions:

Originally closed adoptions were the dominant form of adoption in the United States; closed adoptions protected the biological parents and adoptive parents from the negative impact of social stigmas that surrounded adoption. By the mid-1980s, the taboos surrounding adoption decreased and benefits of open adoptions became more desirable and better understood.

Access to Birth Records in an Open Adoption:

In nearly every state in America, adoption records are withheld from public inspection after the adoption has been affirmed. That being said, all states will allow the adoptive parents to access non-identifying information of the adoptee if he or she is still a minor. Nearly every state in the country, allows the adopted child, when he or she reaches adulthood, access to non-identifying information concerning their birth relatives.

Currently, 28 states allow birth parents to access non-identifying information; additionally, many states give this form of access to adult birth siblings. Additionally, nearly every state in the country permits the release of identifying information (any data that may lead to the positive identification of an adoptee, their birth parents, or other birth relatives) when consent is affirmed by the adoptee.

The Adoption Process in 4 Easy Steps

The Adoption Process in 4 Easy Steps

1. Initial Contact with Adoption Agency or the Adoptee

The first step of the adoption process requires you to educate yourself about adoption; this crucial step of the adoption process requires you to conduct research of all the adoption options in your country or jurisdiction. To expedite this portion of the adoption process, you can hire an adoption professional, who will streamline the procedure. When you have definitively decided that you want to adopt, you should contact an adoption specialist who will answer all your questions concerning the adoption process.

Adoption specialists are available 24 hours a day at 1-800-ADOPTION to answer all questions concerning the adoption process and to elucidate upon all the options available given your situation. Before contacting an adoption agency you must learn everything there is to know about adoption. Joining an adoptive parent support group, reading adoption books, magazines, websites and attending pre-adoption information sessions (hosted by local adoption agencies) will supply you with fundamental information concerning adoption. 

2. Obtain and Subsequently Analyze the Adoption Packet

After contact has been made with the coordinating adoption agency, you will receive, either by email or regular mail, fundamental information concerning the adoption process along with some preliminary forms to initiate the adoption process. These forms will typically contain medical background information and generic biographical information; all information required on these preliminary forms will be used confidentially to break ground on the adoption process.

The completion of these forms does not commit you to the adoption process; the forms are simply telling the adoption agency that you are ready to begin exploring an adoption plan. During this phase, you will no sign any legal adoption paperwork until the baby has been born or the adoption has been affirmed. 

3. Creating an Adoption Plan

If adoption is viewed as the best option given your current situation, then you and your adoption specialist will begin constructing your adoption plan. This part of the adoption process will elucidate upon the crucial aspects of the adoption including: the selection of the adoptive family for your baby or you can ask your adoption specialist to select a family for you. During this part of the adoption process you can also choose to meet the adoptive family or talk with them via email or on the phone.

The most crucial aspect of the adoption plan is deciding on whether you want a closed or open adoption; in an open adoption a continued relationship is developed between you and the adoptive family. Additionally, in this portion of the adoption process, you can set-up or decide whether you want to receive letters and pictures of the child in question, face-to-face counseling, help with medical bills, aid with living arrangements, or talk to other birth parents and/or adoptees to learn about their personal experience regarding the adoption process.

4. Placement

Once the baby is born or the child is selected for adoption, the adoption process has reached an ending point in regards to the adoption plan. At this time, you will sign the legal adoption documents to fortify the adoption. This process; however, will vary based on statute and state law as it corresponds to the locality in which you initiated the adoption. 

 

Quick Easy Look into Adoption Records

Quick Easy Look into Adoption Records

Adoption records are information-based documents, which are compiled, into a thorough report to include all biographical information as it pertains to a child up for adoption and the coordinating parents who adopt. In nearly all states throughout America, adoption records are sealed and subsequently withheld from public inspection after an adoption process has been finalized. The majority of states throughout the country have instituted procedures by which coordinating parties to an adoption may obtain both identifying and non-identifying information from an adoption record while still enabling protection regarding the interests of all involved parties. 
The traditional forms of adoption records will contain two forms of information: Non-identifying information and Identifying information. Both forms of information will be regulated based on the adoption laws of the particular jurisdiction in which the adoption records were produced and subsequently delivered to the prospective adopting parties.


Non-identifying Information:
Non-identifying information is typically limited to descriptive details about an adoptee and the adopted child’s birth relatives. Generally, this type of information is provided to the adopting parties at the time the adoption was finalized or agreed upon. 
Non-identifying information will typically include the following information:
  The date and place of the adopted child’s birth
  The age of the biological parents and the general physical description, such as the child’s eye and hair color
  The race, religion, ethnicity and medical history of the biological parents
  The educational level of the biological parents and their occupations at the time the adoption took place
  Any existence of other children born to each birth parent
  The reason for placing the child up for adoption
Each state in America will introduce provisions in statute that will allow for access to non-identifying information by an adoptive parent or a guardian of an adoptee who happens to be a minor. Nearly every state will allow the adoptee to access non-identifying information about birth relatives—typically administered upon written request. In most cases, the adopting party must be at least 18 years of age before the individual may access this information.
Approximately, 28 states in the country allow birth parents to access such information, generally concerning the health and social history of the child. Furthermore, 15 states will give such access to adult birth siblings. Policies on the information collected and how that information is maintained and disclosed will vary from state to state.

Identifying Information:
Identifying information pertains to the disclosure of records or other information that may lead to the identification of biological parents, other birth relatives, or the adoptee. Identifying information will include current or past names of the individual, any employment records, addresses, or similar information. Statutes in the majority of states will permit the release of identifying information when the individual whose information is sought will consent to the release.
If consent is not fulfilled with the appropriate party, the information will not be released without a court order, which documents a ‘good cause’ to release the information. A party seeking a court order must demonstrate through the delivery of clear and convincing evidence that there is a compelling reason for disclosure which effectively outweighs maintaining condfiendeitality of a party to an adoption.
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