ADOPTION ATTORNEYS

There are thousands of children in Florida who unfortunately feel unloved, worthless, and unwanted, as they travel between foster homes or family members who cannot offer them a permanent home. According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, there are nearly 23,000 children and young adults in Out-of-Home Care as of January 2020. That fact breaks our hearts.

For this reason, we truly admire and respect men and women who open their hearts and homes to children who have been abandoned, abused, neglected or forgotten by their birth parents. Not only do we respect their dedication and capacity for love, but for their courage in embarking on the process of adoption, which is no small task.

Work with Experienced Florida Adpotion Attorneys

The legal process of adoption can be overwhelming. To better understand the steps you need to take and expectations to have along the way, it’s essential that you rely on the support, guidance, and expertise of knowledgeable adoption attorneys. No matter what type of adoption you’re seeking to accomplish, Fournier Law, based in Tallahassee, is here to help.

Types of Adoption in Florida

Do you know which type of adoption is right for you and your family? There are four types of adoption recognized in Florida:

• Entity Adoption (an agency or intermediary-facilitated adoption)
• Step-parent Adoption
• Close Relative Adoption
• Adult Adoption

While adult adoptions do occur, they are generally less frequent and due to the maturity of the person being adopted, do not require the consent of the biological parents. The adoption of minor children, however, does — and, because of that, the process can be daunting. By choosing to work with an experienced adoption attorney at Fournier Law, you will have a supportive legal advocate guiding you towards a successful, joyous outcome.

Understanding the Florida Adpotion Process

Generally, you can expect the following steps to occur in the process of child adoption:

• The prospective parents participate in a training course to learn about issues parents of adoption may face.
• The prospective parents complete an application, undergo a physical examination, health screening, background check, criminal record check, employment verification, and reference check.
• There will be a home-study of the prospective parents’ home on more than one occasion to determine if your home is safe, suitable for all children, or perhaps, better suited for one child, multiple children, a particular range of age, etc.
• Once the prospective parents’ application is approved, they will need to be matched with a child (or children) that is (are) available for adoption. The prospective parents participate in this process but are generally guided by an agency affiliate.
• If an agency is involved, they may have obtained the consent to adoption from the biological parents in advance. If they have not or if there was no agency involved with the child, a child cannot be adopted until there has been notice of an intent to adopt and consent by the biological parents or termination of their parental rights.
• If a child is matched with prospective parents and there has not been consent by the biological parents, the child may still be placed with the prospective parents during the pendency of the proceedings.
• During this placement, a counselor/social worker will conduct regular visits to the home to ensure the child’s needs are met, the family is bonding, and the child’s best interest is being protected.
• After parental rights have been terminated, the prospective parents will be required to file a Petition for Adoption. At a final hearing scheduled before a Judge on the prospective parents’ petition, the Court will award the prospective parents full legal rights of the child and they will become the child’s legal parents.

When Parental Rights Have Already Been Terminated

When children are adopted by relatives or step-parents and when the parents’ parental rights have already been terminated, the process moves much more quickly and may not require home studies after placement and before the adoption hearing. Regardless, the process is not for the faint of heart. As in any proceeding affecting the structure of one’s family unit, emotions play a role… good and bad… sometimes at the same time.

The Benefits of Adpotion

At the end of the process, however, adoptive parents have given the gift of family to children without one. They give children a home, a place to belong and people to whom they belong for the rest of their life. That is the most precious and enduring gift a human can give.