The Advantages of Private Adoption

The traditional U.S. adoption agency follows certain rules before allowing a child to be placed in private care. That usually means the perspective parents must be married and earning a certain income. That also usually means that the non-traditional parent - perhaps single or low income - is turned away. However, more and more non-traditional parents are finding another way to adopt a child. For them, the answer is Private Adoption. It eliminates the heartache of going through adoption agency red tape only to be turned down, and for many non-traditional parents, the end result is the child they have always wanted.

The traditional adoption agency is the link between adoptive and birth parent or parents. It arranges the transfer of the child's rights from birth to adoptive parents. In a non-traditional adoption, there is no agency. The transfer of rights is handled only between the two parties, the adoptive and birth parent or parents. This gives the adoptive parent(s) more control over the process since he or she can deal directly with the birth parent(s). This person-to-person process is thought to create a stronger bond between the two sides, ending in a more secure child.

The entire process of adopting a child may be shorter than with the traditional adoption. In most traditional adoptions, the child is taken from a foster home or other facility. With a private transfer of rights, the child is generally given to the new parents very soon after birth.

With the private adoption, the birth parent(s) can choose to have open meetings with the new family, meaning that the child, if he or she is old

enough to understand, can be present. It is thought that open meetings can reduce any psychological problems that often occur when a child is not told of his or her birth parents until some time after the adoption. At these meetings, the child may be given the option to keep in contact with the birth parent(s). However, the adoption is final, and the birth parent(s) may not later claim rights to the child.

The Private Adoption method may appeal to many people. If it involves a still pregnant woman, the adoptive family may have the opportunity to be with her through the pregnancy and at the birth. An unwed pregnant teen may choose this path because it allows her to continue the pregnancy with physical and financial support and with the knowledge that her child will be cared for immediately after birth. Same-sex couples may also choose this adoption method. Traditional U.S. adoption agencies generally deny the adoption process to same-sex couples, but privately, only the consent of the two parties is required.

The legal process in a private adoption may vary slightly from state to state. After the adoptive parent(s) locates a child to adopt, the state usually requires a review such as a home study of the new-to-be parent(s), conducted by a social worker. The fees will vary. Then the birth mother and father, if available, give consent. At that point, the child's rights are transferred to the new parent(s).

The private method may be the only route for some people who long to be parents. As with the traditional adoption, there will be fees involved for the transfer of the child's rights. However, with private adoption the new parent or parents can be involved early on in the transfer process, building a secure bond with the child who has just joined the family.