Contrary to popular belief, a single, unmarried person can adopt a child. Just over a decade ago, around 1,400 men and 13,000 women – all single – adopted a child successfully.
Bringing up a child doesn’t have to be done as a traditional two parent family. In fact, there is no difference between a child being brought up by two parents or just the one parent.
If you are single and looking to adopt a child, then you may want to read on to find out more information about adopting a child as a single parent (see also “How To Adopt A Child In California“).
As A Single Person Are You Ready To Adopt A Child?
Single-parent status has increased since the early 1970s. Due to this, it has helped pave the way for allowing single status people to adopt a child.
In fact, to put into perspective, in the years 1980 all the way to 2008, the number of single parents changed from 6,000,000, to 10,000,000.
What has contributed to this is women being able to join the job market and fight for equality, the increase in divorces, contraceptive advancements, and the changes within society.
While adopting a child as a single parent is legal, it does not mean that you are ready. Here are some things to think about before you start the process of adoption:
Relationships
If you are seriously considering adopting a child, then you may want to consider holding off any dates or potential relationships. During this time you will want to feel stable when it comes to your relationship status.
Once you bring a child home you will need to spend time bonding with each other. Spending time dating or being in an early relationship may not provide you with the right space to start building your new family.
When you feel ready, you can then start the process of adopting a child.
Time
It does not matter whether you are married or not, having a child can make time management very difficult. While you may have had plenty of time to fit in your daily routine pre-child, once a child comes along it all changes.
Having a young child means that you will always need to tend to their needs. This doesn’t just include the obvious things either – for example feeding – you will also need plenty of time to bond with your child.
If you are working long hours each day and barely have any time for yourself, you may want to consider how you can cut back on the hours. However, what may help is a support system.
Having friends and family you trust can be an invaluable way of receiving the help you need to care for a young child as a single parent.
Even so, do always make sure that you are in a space where you feel comfortable and ready enough to bring up a child on your own.
Finance
Bringing up a child can be costly, even when they are young. In fact, you may have an unexpected financial requirement which can cause difficulties if you are struggling to pay it.
Before you go through the adoption process, make sure that you are financially stable. You will also want to make sure that you plan for the future, whether that is three weeks down the line or three years.
Planning your finances means that you will be able to pay for something unexpected without any worries. You may also want to figure out how you receive finances if you need to take some time away from work while you bond with your new baby.
What Are The Requirements Of Adopting As A Single Parent?
The requirements of adopting a child is practically the same as if you were adopting as a married couple. However, here are some things to consider:
Sexuality – all states now allow same-sex couples to adopt. This also includes any LGBTQI+ single parent too. There are no special forms or requirements needed.
Your age – depending on the state you live in, there may be a minimum age in which you can adopt a child. You will need to check beforehand to make sure you meet the age requirement.
Criminal status – a criminal record doesn’t always disallow a person from adopting – it just depends on what the offense is. However, if the person has any history of sexual offenses, then they cannot adopt at all.
Residency – there are some states which require a person to be a current resident to be able to adopt a child. The only times this requirement may change is when the child has special-needs.
What Is The Best Way To Adopt As A Single Parent?
There are many different types of adoption. Here are some that you may want to consider as a single parent:
Domestic – adopting in your domestic country is the best way. You may find a mother is looking for a single parent to bring up the baby. Some adoption agencies specialize in this area.
International – not all countries allow single parent adoption. If you want to adopt from abroad, check out local laws first.
Foster Care – you can also adopt a child from foster care, which is another common way of finding a child. This is the best option for those who are looking to adopt a child who is older.
Final Thoughts
As a single parent, you are able to adopt a child. The process is exactly the same as adopting if you were a married couple.
Before you start the adoption process, you may want to consider whether you are ready to adopt. As a single parent, you will not have a helping hand from your partner.
However, this does not mean that you can not have a support system in place. Instead this may be a family member or close friend.
Even so, you may also want to think about whether you are currently dating, how to manage your time, and whether you have the finances to support bringing up a child.
Hi, I’m Joan Crassel, and I started my firm in 2006, with the goal to help and represent clients in a range of adoption-related matters.
Since then, the firm has gone on to aid hundreds of clients in adoption proceedings, and in other areas of family law.
With this site, I hope that you can find all of the answers that you are looking for, with in depth guides and informative articles from lawyers, not bloggers or social media influencers. We have actual first-hand knowledge of the adoption process, and can provide you with insight that no one else can.
