People hoping to expand their families and share their goodwill with children may decide to adopt. There are several options available for prospective adoptive parents in Louisiana. They can either seek certification for foster care placement or begin working with a private agency for an adoption.
Many people have a hard time choosing between these two options, which can leave them stuck at the very beginning of the adoption process. How do families determine whether private or foster care adoption is the best means of growing their families?
The private adoption process
Private adoption involves working with adoption agencies. It is an entirely voluntary process where an expectant mother chooses to place her child for adoption. In many cases, the expectant mother may select the adoptive parents.
There is the option of requesting an open adoption, which means that the birth parent(s) may still play a role in the child’s upbringing. Private adoption can be a relatively costly process, but it can also be faster than foster placement and adoption. Additionally, many parents may prefer the voluntary nature of private adoption and the ability to raise an infant from their earliest days.
The foster adoption process
Louisiana actually allows people to secure dual certification for both adoption and foster placement at the same time. That way, if the foster parents develop a strong bond with the children placed in their care, they can feel confident about proceeding with an adoption.
Typically, foster placement begins with the involuntary removal of children from a home. However, the death of a parent or a child’s abandonment because of medical issues, such as substance abuse, may also lead to minors requiring foster care.
In some cases, foster placement and adoption can involve entire sibling groups and older teenagers. Families adopting through foster care typically do not have to pay large amounts for that privilege. However, they often need to have patience and compassion for the children who may have experienced unstable living arrangements, neglect or abuse previously.
Regardless of which option aspiring adoptive parents choose, they typically need an attorney familiar with Louisiana’s adoption and foster care laws. The right legal support can take much of the risk and uncertainty out of the adoption process.
Legally adopting a child can be beneficial for everyone involved. Adoptive parents help fill a social need, and adopted children benefit greatly from securing new homes while also enriching the lives of their adoptive parents.
