How Many Adoptions Happen Per Year?

According to the most recent data from the Georgia Department of Human Services, 1,395 children were adopted in Georgia in 2021. Adoption is so much more than a legal process; it can transform the lives of the adoptive children, adoptive parents, and birth parents. There are various ways of adopting a child, so it’s crucial that you understand all the options available to you before moving forward.

Adoptions Through Adoption Agencies

An adoption agency can be a private or public agency that is approved and regulated by the state to help prospective adoptive parents find children they can adopt or foster. Public or government-managed adoption agencies typically work with kids who are wards of the state because they have been abused, abandoned, or orphaned.

Private adoption agencies, on the other hand, are typically managed by social service groups, religious organizations, and charities. They help place kids who are brought to them by pregnant mothers or parents who want to have their children adopted.

Stepparent Adoption

A stepparent adoption involves the adoption of a stepchild by their parent’s current spouse. If both of the child’s biological parents consent to the adoption, the entire process will run seamlessly. If not, the process can be quite complicated, as a termination of parental rights is required. In either situation, it is important to have a trusted Georgia adoption attorney by your side.

Adopting Relatives

A relative adoption occurs when a child’s relative wants to adopt them. Sometimes known as kinship care in Georgia, aunts, uncles, and grandparents often adopt a child when the parents die or become incapable of caring for the child. If the child has siblings who were not adopted by the same relative, rules for kinship adoption typically allow regular contact between the siblings following the adoption.

Open, Semi-open or Closed Adoption?

More and more adoptive parents are opting for open adoptions mainly due to the ongoing research that found how open adoptions are beneficial for everyone involved. The openness of the arrangement will be negotiated between the biological parents and the adoptive parents, and generally involves regular holiday or birthday visits, and sometimes includes phone calls.

A semi-open adoption generally allows the birth parent to send letters during birthdays and holidays, and requires the adoptive parents to send updates on birthdays for some portion, or all, of a child’s minority.

With a closed adoption, all personally identifiable information will remain confidential, and the adopted child will not have contact with their birth parents. However, the child may be able to obtain information regarding their biological parents once they become an adult.

Seek Legal Advice From an Experienced Georgia Adoption Attorney

Deciding to adopt a child and exploring your options for adoption is an overwhelming and exciting journey that involves navigating and understanding the various pathways available to your family. At Banks, Stubbs & McFarland, our Georgia adoption attorneys can help you understand what you can expect with each type of adoption option and ensure that you choose one that’s best for you.

To find out more about the adoption process in Georgia, please send us an online message to schedule your case consultation with our Georgia adoption attorney.