There are several different ways to add a new child to your family through the process of adoption. However, according to FindLaw, the laws that govern adoption vary by state. This means that the adoption methods available to parents in other states may not be legal in Connecticut.
Adoption in Connecticut often takes place through an agency that facilitates the process. Either domestic or international adoptions can take place through an agency, though an individual agency may handle either one or the other exclusively. This is something that you should investigate prior to choosing to work with a particular agency.
Connecticut is one of only a handful of states that does not allow for independent adoption, that is, a private arrangement between the adoptive parents and the birth parents. However, if you make contact with birth parents willing to allow you to adopt their child, you may have the option of adoption through identification. Using this method, both you and the birth parents must ask an adoption agency to handle the rest of the adoption process. In Connecticut, identified adoptions are legal but strictly regulated and overseen.
In certain situations, you may adopt a child already known to you. If your spouse has children from a previous relationship, you may be able to adopt them as a stepparent. This type of adoption is relatively easy if the other parent consents or is no longer living. However, it can become more complicated if a still-living parent objects. Despite the potential difficulties, this type of adoption is among the most common. Kinship adoptions are also fairly common and involve relatives of the child, such as aunts, uncles or grandparents, who step up when the child is in need of care from someone other than his or her parents.
The information in this article is not intended as legal advice but provided for educational purposes only.
