If you’re considering expanding your family, adoption is one way to accomplish this. Many U.S. families have adopted children, and the numbers are growing. While this is a beautiful way to add more loved ones to your family, you may not know much about the process. If you’re a Texas resident and looking to be an adoptive parent, here are answers to some common questions.
What is involved in a domestic adoption?
Domestic adoption, also known as private domestic adoption, means that the birth parents, child, and adoptive parents all live in the United States. The entire process of adopting a child, which includes background checks, initial placement of the child, consent from the birth parents, and the finalization process, is subject to the laws and policy where the adoption is taking place.
For this process, biological mothers are often able to select the adoptive family for their child. The birth mother can also decide whether they will have a relationship with the child once the adoption is final. If the biological mother and adoptive parents agree to open adoption, the parents can decide how often the birth mother will see the child and whether she will communicate with the child via text or by sending and receiving photos.
How is domestic adoption different from international adoption?
In international adoptions, families from the U.S. adopt children who live in other countries. The process can be more complex because international and U.S. laws are taken into consideration for adoption finalization. When a U.S. family decides to adopt a child from another country, it may not always be possible for the birth parents to maintain a relationship with the child.
Not all domestic adoptions involve communication between the birth mother and adoptive parents. The prospective parents should decide what they would prefer as they learn more about the adoption process.