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  • By: Robert Maines, Esq.
A person with a laptop and a family symbol paper, focusing on Tennessee adoption case strategies - Maines Legal

In this article, you will discover:

  • How background checks affect the adoption process.
  • The importance of being prepared for the home visit.
  • Common misunderstandings about open vs. closed adoptions.

Why Is Choosing The Right Adoption Agency So Important?

You get what you pay for in this situation. Whether you’re using a national or a local adoption agency, sometimes the most successful are the priciest. It’s best to work with someone reputable and with a record of proven results.

With international adoptions, you need to do a lot of homework because there are different rules and costs.

How Do Background Checks Impact The Adoption Process In Tennessee?

Because a home study and background check are required of a prospective adoptive parent to see whether they’re suitable to adopt a child, certain things will disqualify you. If you have any history of child abuse or neglect that rises to the level of severe abuse or certain felonies related to children, you’re not going to be able to adopt.

Be honest and upfront about issues in your past. The adoptive home study includes a caseworker’s evaluation of the applicant’s suitability as an adoptive parent. The court is going to look at that caseworker’s recommendation.

Don’t hide your criminal offenses. They’re not necessarily a bar to adoption, and they will be found. Be honest and truthful in your home study: This happened then. That’s where I was in my life. This is where I’m at today.

A criminal record can be a negative, but embracing that negative to show the positive may help you adopt.

How Can Being Unprepared For The Home Visit Can Affect My Adoption?

If you are not prepared with the documents and information you need at the time of your home visit, it’s going to delay the process, and you’re going to incur more costs.

Your adoption depends on the recommendation of the individual who comes to do the home visit. If you’re wasting their time, they are less likely to approve the process, and you can end up with a denial.

What Are Common Misunderstandings Over Open Vs. Closed Adoptions?

Many adoptive parents misunderstand how easy or difficult it can be to obtain information on a child’s family depending on which type of adoption is chosen. With open adoption, if there’s any question about health, family history, or what the child needs, the open adoption process allows an avenue to get that information quickly and readily.

Open adoption also allows birth parents to have some contact, whether it’s getting pictures once a year or more active involvement if you feel comfortable allowing that. Sometimes, families assume that if the adoption is open, it’s always open, and the birth parents have a right to maintain contact. That’s not necessarily true, and biological parents may lose the right to contact their biological child if further contact is deemed to be unsafe or not in a child’s best interests.

Misunderstandings regarding closed adoption also exist. Some believe that a closed adoption is safer or less risky. However, you may later need familial information, especially regarding health-related issues, which will not be as easy to obtain if the adoption is closed.

Can A Lack Of Documentation Cause Adoption Delays?

Yes. You want to ensure you have all documentation, including health information, financial information, and background checks, together before you even have the home study. If you’re working with an agency, most of your documents will be handled before having that home study.

If you don’t have the information gathered, it will cause delays all along the way. So, before you begin the adoption process, start collecting the necessary documentation. A family law attorney can help you determine which documents you’ll need and can work with you to compile them.

How Do You Help Families Stay Positive When Setbacks Occur During Adoption?

If a child has already been placed with you, sometimes setbacks are simply a matter of courts finalizing all paperwork and procedures. Such delays won’t result in the removal of children or the adoption process ending.

If there hasn’t been a placement yet, I help families stay positive and focus on continuing to build a relationship with the child. This situation is more typical when it comes to infants or young children, and the best strategy is to allow your attorney to focus on legal challenges while you continue to love, care for, and support the child.

Positive attitudes are always key, and always encouraged. Because if we haven’t had an outright no, then I’ll help you and your adoptive child press forward regardless of setbacks. I’ll keep you informed at each step, make sure you understand the legal process, and represent you deftly as an adoptive parent.

Still Have Questions? Ready To Get Started?

For more information on Top 5 Mistakes To Avoid In Your Tennessee Adoption Case, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (423) 456-4778 today.

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