ADOPTION IS YOUR CHOICE

Intra-family adoption includes:

• step-parent adoption
• grandparent and great grandparent adoption
• aunts, uncles & cousins.

A criminal background check will be still be necessary but Judges can waive a criminal background and state background check.

Private adoption is with an attorney between private individuals. Prospective parents can be family friends, church members, neighbors or strangers selected by interview. Adoption attorneys can locate prospective adoptive parents who are pre-qualified to adopt. To pre-qualify the prospective parents will need:

• a criminal background check
• a state background check for any incidents of child abuse or neglect
• a home study to insure that the adoptive home is clean, adequate, safe and stocked with food.

The surrendering parents can interview prospective parents. Private adoptions can be either closed or open. Adoptive parents can legally pay for:

• medical care including pre-natal care, dental care, delivery expenses, opthomology,
• transportation including: airfare, rental cars, car payments, cab fare, gas per diem,
• living expenses including rent, utilities, groceries,
• attorney fees for both birth and adoptive parents,
• counseling expenses.

There are requirements for the birth parents as well:

• No sooner than 72 hours after birth, both birth parents must execute Surrenders. If the father is unknown, only one surrender is necessary.
• Both biological parents, if known, must have three counseling sessions before surrendering, but the father’s can be waived.
• Both surrendering parents, if known, must complete family health histories.
• Both birth parents, if known, must be represented by attorneys.

Agency adoptions can be state or private agency. State agency adoptions occur when parental rights are terminated because a child was in need of care due to alleged neglect or abuse, or parents are deceased and the state takes custody and seeks a placement.

Call 985-892-1955 if you want to put a child up for adoption, have found a child to adopt, or are a step-parent or relative who wants to adopt. Ellen Cronin Badeaux, LLC, with 27 years of adoption experience, is experienced to represent surrendering or adoptive parents in Amite, Baton Rouge, Bogalusa, Chalmette, Clinton, Covington, Denham Springs, Donaldsonville, Franklinton, Gonzales, Greensburg, Gretna, Hammond, Harvey, Kenner, Livingston, Madisonville, Mandeville, Metairie, New Orleans, St. Francisville, Slidell.