Adoption Law

Concerned with the operation and effect of the statutes, regulations, judicial decision, rules of court, new directions for legal development and recommendations with regard to adoption of minor children (including those born by natural means as well as by means of artificial insemination and surrogate motherhood as well as parental loss of rights to said children).

Adoption law is largely state law. The parent-child relationship established by adoption, however, may have direct consequences in areas of Federal law affected by family status such as Social Security. All 50 states have statutes governing adoption as defined under the Uniform Adoption Act.

Adoption Services is a full service, non-profit child adoption agency that is licensed in multiple states. Adoption Services provides help to birth mothers, birth fathers and adopting family living in any state in the U.S. or living in any foreign country.

The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 allows certain foreign-born, biological and adopted children of American citizens to acquire American citizenship automatically. These children did not acquire American citizenship at birth, but they are granted citizenship when they enter the United States as lawful permanent residents (LPRs).

There are several options open to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and couples interested in starting a family through adoption. These options vary depending on the parenting laws in your state.

The Indian Child Welfare Act was enacted to ameliorate the problem of the massive removal of Native American children from their homes by both state welfare agencies and private agencies and to ensure that those children, once removed, would be placed in homes that reflect their cultures and traditions.

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) is statutory law in all 52 member jurisdictions and a binding contract between member jurisdictions. The ICPC establishes uniform legal and administrative procedures governing the interstate placement of children.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in the United States have evolved over time and vary on a state-by-state basis. Unlike some other developed nations, the United States does not extend complete legal rights to its LGBT citizens on a national level.

The guiding principle of the Uniform Adoption Act is a desire to promote the welfare of children and, particularly, to facilitate the placement of minor children who cannot be raised by their original parents with adoptive parents who can offer them stable and loving homes. The Act is premised on a belief that adoption offers significant legal, economic, social and psychological benefits not only for children who might otherwise be homeless, but also for parents who are unable to care for their children, for adults who want to nurture and support children, and for state governments ultimately responsible for the well-being of children.

The LawSite is a single online source of child welfare and adoption law information for adoptive and foster parents, biological parents, child and family lawyers, juvenile and family court judges, agency personnel and child advocates of all kinds. The LawSite provides statutes, regulations, key cases, and explanatory materials, and many other resources for child welfare and adoption information.

Adoption law differs from state to state, and federal laws also affect many procedures connected with the adoption process. It's important that adopting and placing parents, as well as those searching for family members, learn what these laws allow.

The purpose of these AAOAA pages is to give you the best information possible about adoption. The information here will help you find the agency providing the highest quality of infant and older child adoption services.

These resources provide State, national, and international data and statistics on private, public foster care, and intercountry adoption. Research findings present trends and analyses in the field of adoption.

Nonprofit public charity dedicated to dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 150,000 children in North America's foster care systems waiting to be adopted. Created by Wendy's founder, Dave Thomas, who was adopted as a child, the Foundation leads signature national service programs and works to streamline the adoption process and make adoption more affordable for families.

The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute periodically publishes Policy Perspectives briefs focusing on important and timely questions in adoption. By examining key issues the Institute furthers its effort to provide accurate, research-based information, enhance understanding and perception of adoption, and work for better laws, policies and practices.

The Office of Children's Issues (CI), part of the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, plays an active role in the intercountry adoption process.

The National Center for Adoption Law & Policy seeks to improve the law, policies, and practices associated with child protection and adoption systems. Every day we work towards realizing the goal that all children -- especially those who have been abused or neglected or are dependent on the state for their care -- have safe, healthy, permanent homes. Our primary tools in this regard are education, advocacy, and research.

Articles written by attorneys and experts worldwide discussing legal aspects related to Family Law including: adoption, alimony, child support and custody, child visitation, collaborative law, divorce, domestic violence, elder law, juvenile crime, juvenile law, juvenile probation, paternity, pre-nuptial agreement, separation.