In times past, it has been difficult, if not impossible, for a single person to adopt a child. They just couldn’t do it. Before the 1970s, many states actually had laws that specifically forbade a single person from adopting a child. In the last couple of decades, there has been a steady increase in the number of adoptions that single people have been allowed to do. It is estimated that around one out of twenty adoptions occur when a single person adopts a child.

Still, there may be some difficulties when a single person wants to adopt a child. Family and friends, for example, may not be able to understand why it is that you would chooose to raise a child alone. In many cases, you might not be able to change their minds ahead of time, either. However, once you have adopted your child, you may find that friends and family are just as involved as they would be if you were not single and adopted a child.

Different adoption agencies may also have different procedures and policies when it comes to adopting a child. Some agencies ay not accept adoption applications from a single person at all. In other case, the adoption agency may prioritize couples who want to adopt over and above a single person who wants to adopt a child. If the agency specializes in open adoptions or semi-open adoptions, the birth mother may also object to you being a single person.

Demonstrating your ability to care for a child as a single person will be an important task as you seek to adopt a child. You will need to convince not only your friends and family, but probably the adoption agency or adoption lawyer, the birth mother or birth parents, and even the court. Still, by demonstrating that you have realistically planned out your finances, and that you can provide for an adopted child, it will demonstrate your ability to handle the responsibilities of being a parent. In addition, you should be ready to discuss how your social life will be handled after you become an adoptive parent, in a realistic and straightforward way.

Ultimately, if you are a single person who wants to adopt a child, it is going to be an uphill battle, but it is definitely something that is possible.

Posted in Adoption

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