Adoption Package for Prospective Parents

This information package contains summaries of state laws and links to resources to assist a prospective parent with an adoption. Purchase of this package is a savings of more than 50% over purchase of the informational documents individually!

This package contains the following information:

Who May Adopt, Be Adopted, or Place a Child for Adoption? - This briefing reviews state laws regarding parties to an adoption. General information dealing with who may adopt, who may be adopted, and who may place a child for adoption is identified. In order for an adoption to take place, a person available to be adopted must be placed in the home of a person or persons eligible to adopt. All states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands have laws that specify which persons are eligible as adopting parents and which persons can be adopted.

Standby Guardianship - This fact sheet defines the provisions of most standby guardian laws. Additionally, it broadly defines: how to establish a standby guardian, who can nominate a standby guardian, how the guardian s authority is activated, the involvement of the non-custodial parent, the relationship between authority of the parent and the standby, and withdrawing guardianship.

Placement of Children With Relatives - This publication summarizes state laws and statutes regarding placement of children with relatives when they are removed from their home and enter foster care. In order for states to receive federal payments for foster care and adoption assistance, federal law requires that they "consider giving preference to an adult relative over a nonrelated caregiver when determining placement for a child, provided that the relative caregiver meets all relevant state child protection standards." Most states give preference or priority to relative placements in their statutes. This publication discusses definitions of "relative," financial support for relative placement, and adoption by relatives.

Court Jurisdiction and Venue for Adoption Petitions - This informational guide provides the laws that specify the appropriate state courts, by type and location, for handling adoption petitions.

Consent to Adoption - This informational guide reviews state laws that specify the persons who must consent to a child's adoption, time frames for consent, and guidelines for revocation of consent.

The Rights of Presumed (Putative) Fathers - This publication discusses the rights of the alleged fathers of children born out-of-wedlock and whether states have registries for such fathers.

Online Resources for State Child Welfare Law and Policy - This guide provides links to websites where state statutes and regulations can be accessed and lists the parts of each state and territory's code that contain laws addressing child protection, child welfare, and adoption.