Adoption lawyer: Have you ever needed to hire an adoption lawyer? Do you want to know several common myths about adoption? Read on to learn more.
The decision to expand your family by having a child is a daunting one that should not be made lightly.
This is only made more complicated if you choose to go the adoption route.
Today, adoption is much more common than it may have been in the past, and we’ve seen strides made in improving the adoption process.
However, adopting can still be complicated and nuanced.
This is where the best adoption lawyer can help you navigate the system and build your family.
Many myths surround the adoption process and scare off potential adoptive parents.
Read on to uncover and debunk the most common adoption myths!
Myth 1: Adopting Internationally is Easier
Many hopeful parents may have heard the misconception that adopting a child from outside of the country is easier than adopting within the United States.
This chain of logic states that adopting internally may allow couples to bypass certain red tape or will allow them to adopt a child more quickly. After all, being open to a child from any country significantly widens your pool of potential matches.
While adopting internationally may be right for certain families, stating that it’s easier than adopting domestically is a myth.
For one, adopting internationally may be more expensive because you would need to factor in travel fees. If adopting from a country where you don’t speak the language, it may be difficult to communicate with the adoption agency.
There may be fees, customs, or nuances surrounding international adoption that you may not be aware of when you start the process.
Therefore, adopting if you’re only looking toward international adoption with the hope that the process will be easier. You may need to reconsider.
Yet, if, despite the above information, adopting internationally is still the best choice for your family, it’s even more important that you hire an adoption lawyer.
An adoption lawyer will help steer you toward reputable adoption agencies and protect you from getting scammed.
Myth 2: Birth Mothers Can Change Their Mind
The idea that after adopting your child, their birth parent can change their mind and ask for the child back is a common fear amongst adoptive families.
However, it’s important to note that adoption is a permanent legal process. Therefore, once a birth mother has signed the adoption paperwork, the process cannot be reversed.
There is a period after which the adoption is legally binding and therefore, irreversible. In the eyes of the law, the child is legally yours once the process is complete and cannot be taken away from you.
Choosing an adoption lawyer that can explain this process to you and assuage any fears you may have is key.
Additionally, giving up a child for adoption is a very serious decision that birth mothers do not make lightly. Therefore, it is unlikely that the birth mother will suddenly change their mind.
Myth 3: Adopted Children Will Never Know Their Birth Families
Throughout the last few decades, there have been times in which open adoptions are more or less common and you certainly have the choice of either.
However, it’s worth noting that open adoptions currently make up about 60%-70% of domestic adoptions in 2022.
An open adoption means that the adoptive parents and birth parents are in contact with each other and are aware of each other’s identities.
This does not mean that the birth mother will necessarily be involved in the child’s life. That choice varies from family to family.
Some children of open adoptions never meet their birth families. Other children maintain close relationships with their birth families. This decision is up to the parents and is not legally mandated.
Myth 4: The Adoption Process is Long and Expensive
Many hopeful parents avoid adoption simply because they’ve heard rumors that the process takes many years, is highly expensive, and is generally difficult to navigate,
Although adoption is a complex process, there are options for people of diverse backgrounds to pursue parenthood.
For one, most adoptions are complete within 2 years from the beginning to the end of the process. Also, there are steps that hopeful adoptive parents can take to cut costs.
This is where you should hire an adoption lawyer that is aware of your budget and financial situation. They can make specific recommendations for how to make the process work for you.
Myth 5: Only Traditional Couples Can Adopt
Adopting a child should be focused on finding a loving home for every child. Therefore, adoption agencies and birth mothers will consider parents of every background, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.
It may be intimidating to start the adoption process if your situation is non-traditional or if you don’t see a lot of representation of your identity in the adoption process.
However, your identity should not prevent you from adopting. Today, many interracial, LGBTQ, or single parents adopt and make great adoptive parents.
Discrimination in the adoption world is always possible, but it should not be the norm.
An Adoption Lawyer Can Help You
At the end of the day, adoption is not for the faint of heart. The journey can be trying at times. However, having support through this process can make it infinitely easier.
If you’ve decided that adoption is right for your family, check out our blog for more legal tips and information on the adoption process. There, you’ll find resources that will walk you through the adoption process.
And, if you decide that an adoption lawyer is right for you and your family, you can schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced lawyers. Our team can facilitate the adoption process for you so that you have peace of mind while you expand your family.
While there are many steps to the process, it will all be worth it to give a home to a child. Working with a trusted adoption lawyer will ensure that you complete the adoption process in the easiest possible manner.