Agency And Private-Placement Adoptions

Agency and Private-Placement Adoptions

Agency and Private-Placement Adoptions

Adoptions by people who are not related to the child are more complicated. In the United States, people may seek to adopt through an agency or arrange an independent, or private-placement, adoption. In an agency adoption, the people who wish to adopt a child contact a state agency or a state-licensed agency and make their intentions known. The agency will then conduct a home study, a detailed investigation into the background of the applicants. In addition to screening for a history of child abuse or criminal activity, investigators usually examine the applicants’ personal relationships, social attitudes, medical records, and financial status. If the applicants are approved, the agency will then seek to locate a child available for adoption.

In an independent, or private-placement, adoption, locating a child is the responsibility of the person or persons seeking to adopt. A home study must be conducted by the appropriate state agency, a state-licensed adoption agency, or a state-licensed social worker authorized to conduct home studies. Some states do not allow independent adoptions. People who choose to adopt independently usually do so because agencies have no children available for adoption at a particular time or require long waiting periods. Many people seeking to adopt independently locate an available child by making contacts with others involved in the adoption process and exchanging information. Others locate children through advertising. Some people seeking to adopt install an unlisted toll-free telephone number in their home and place newspaper advertisements throughout the country. (1)

Types of Adoptions

Adoptions by Relatives or Stepparents
Agency and Private-Placement Adoptions
Adoptions: Intermediaries and Materially Assisting Persons
Open and Closed Adoptions

Resources

Notes and References

  1. Encarta Online Encyclopedia

See Also


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