Adoptions Huntington Beach CA

Adoption is much more than a legal process —it is a life-changing experience that helps hopeful parents build their families and allows expectant mothers to make loving choices for their children.Adoption laws do play an important role in every adoption experience. If you are considering adopting a child or placing a baby for adoption in California, find the information you need about state adoption laws below.

As hopeful adoptive parents, you want to make sure your adoption is completed safely and legally. Adoption laws in California regulate nearly every aspect of the process, including who can adopt, what expenses families can pay, and how the adoption is finalized.Here, learn more about some of the most important California adoption laws for new parents.

Do I meet the requirements to adopt a child in California?

‍Every state has laws regarding who is eligible to adopt. In California, hopeful parents must be at least 10 years older than the child they are adopting, with exceptions for stepparent or relative adoptions. All adoptive parents must complete a home study, including criminal background (fingerprint) checks, before they will be approved to adopt in California.

‍What should I expect during the California home study?

‍During the adoption home study, you will be required to:

• Submit fingerprints
• Complete a physical examination
• Attend adoption training classes
• Complete individual interviews with a social worker
• Complete an in-home visit and investigation with a social worker

More information about the elements of the California home study, as well as FCCA’s home study services, is available here.

‍Why would my home study not be approved in California?

‍Your home study will not be approved if you or any adult living in your home has ever been convicted of a felony for child abuse or neglect, spousal abuse, a crime against a child (including child pornography), or a crime involving violence, including rape, sexual assault or homicide. Additionally, the home study will not be approved if an adult living in your home has been convicted of a felony for physical assault, battery, or a drug- or alcohol-related offense within the past five years.

‍What are the legal requirements to finalize my California adoption?

‍Before your adoption can be finalized in California, you will need to complete the post-placement supervision period. This process lasts for at least six months and includes at least four interviews with your social worker, one of which must take place in your home with your child present.Additional information about legal adoption requirements and finalization in California is available here.

‍How are international adoptions finalized in California?

‍Adoptive parents usually “re-adopt” their child in California after adopting internationally. This process usually involves at least one post-placement home visit and a review of the foreign adoption by a state court. To re-adopt, adoptive parents will need to file the following documents with the court:

‍What are the legal requirements to finalize my California adoption?

‍Before your adoption can be finalized in California, you will need to complete the post-placement supervision period. This process lasts for at least six months and includes at least four interviews with your social worker, one of which must take place in your home with your child present.Additional information about legal adoption requirements and finalization in California is available here.

‍How are international adoptions finalized in California?

‍‍Adoptive parents usually “re-adopt” their child in California after adopting internationally. This process usually involves at least one post-placement home visit and a review of the foreign adoption by a state court. To re-adopt, adoptive parents will need to file the following documents with the court:

• An adoption petition
• Certified translations of the legal documents for the foreign adoption.
• Accounting reports
• The home study
• The final adoption order

You will be required to finalize your adoption in California if your child received an IH-4 or IR-4 visa; this means that your child came to the United States under guardianship and the adoption was not legally finalized in the country where he or she was born. If you received an IH-3 or IR-3 visa, re-adoption is optional but highly encouraged; this process allows you to obtain a state-issued birth certificate in English for your child.

What expenses can we pay for our baby’s birth mother?

California adoption laws regulate the birth parent expenses that can be paid during the adoption process. If you are working with an expectant mother who is making an adoption plan for her baby, you may pay her reasonable maternity-related medical costs and living expenses.Prospective birth parents must make written requests for payment and provide written receipts for any money exchanged; you will need to submit these receipts to the court before your adoption can be finalized.

Laws to Place a Baby for Adoption in California