Talking About Family Attorney Services

4 Reasons To Hire A Family Lawyer To Represent You Through The Adoption Process

1 November 2017

Norman Kelly

Adopting a child comes with a myriad of benefits to take advantage of throughout the years, but the process can be pretty overwhelming, especially for first-time adopters. Here are four good reasons to hire a family lawyer to represent you throughout the process:

Find the Right Adoption Agency

Not all adoption agencies are created equal. In fact, many have their own unique requirements and process steps you must abide by when working with them. Adoption agencies tend to have different waiting periods too—one agency may be able to place a baby in your home within just a few short months, while others need at least a year to complete the process. Some of the aspects you'll need to consider when choosing an adoption agency to work with include:

• Protecting your finances

• Educational opportunities

• Extra fees not included in the base adoption cost

• Ages and backgrounds each prospective agency places

• Criteria used to match birth parents with prospective adoptive parents

To ensure that the adoption agency you work with meets your specific needs and expectations, your family lawyer will help you vet each prospective agency and offer expert guidance and advice that ensures that you make the right decision in the end.

Create a Memorable Adoption Profile

The agency you decide to work with will need an adoption profile for you and your family members that can be used to help match you with birth parents and children that are a good fit for your overall family dynamic. Your adoption profile will be shown to birth parents so they can make an educated decision as to whether they want you to adopt their child, so it's essentially a marketing tool. Following are some things your adoption profile should include:

• Profile and portfolio pictures

• Information about your family's hobbies and interests

• Insight into why your family wants to adopt

• In-depth information about your family's home and neighborhood

An experienced family lawyer who has worked with adoptions before knows what it takes to create a memorable adoption profile that will help catch the attention of birth parents and optimize your chances of being chosen as adoptive parents.

Rely on Home Study Support

No matter what state you live in, the law dictates that you and your family must undergo a home study before being approved to adopt a child of any age. While there are basic regulations that the agency you decide to work with must follow, they are free to develop their own specific home study processes. But you should expect in-home inspections, formal interviews, orientation sessions, and even training classes to be a part of the process.

Each member of your family will meet with a social worker one-on-one, and you'll likely be observed in your home so insight can be gained about your family life in general. The entire home study process can take a few months, and it can be both stressful and overwhelming, so it's a good idea to have a family lawyer represent you throughout the process. They'll help you build your profile and make sure that you are fully prepared for each step along the way.

Count on a Smooth Finalization Process

The finalization process is pretty straightforward, but having a family lawyer by your side throughout it will help keep stress levels low and ensure a smooth, timely transition for everyone involved. From the finalization hearing to the certification of a new birth certificate, your lawyer will take care of all the leg work so you can focus on preparing your home for your new family member.

For these reasons and more, it's in your best interest to consult with a family lawyer like Marlene Dancer Adams before choosing an adoption agency to work with and starting the official adoption process.  

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