Some Additional Resources
Here are a few tips and resources that you may help you with your adoption. More >
 |
A resource for adopting a child in the
Licking County, Ohio Probate Court |
Adoption Categories
Different types of adoption have different requirements. Below are some differences in three types of adoption.
Adoption Through the Licking County Department of Job & Family Services (Agency Adoption)
In an agency adoption, the agency has seen to the termination of the birth parents’ rights. The child may be placed in the home as a foster child or may be placed directly with a family as an adoptive placement. The agency will coordinate the homestudy, references, medical evaluations and other required documents on behalf of the potential adoptive parents. The child must be in the home of the adoptive parents for a minimum of six months before an adoption is finalized. The time a child spends in the home as a foster child generally ‘counts’ towards this six month time requirement. An attorney normally gets involved once an adoptive placement agreement has been signed by the potential adoptive parents. The attorney prepares the necessary documents for the adoption of the child and appears on behalf of the adoptive parents at the adoption finalization hearing.
Private Adoption
A private adoption is when neither the birth parent nor the adoptive parents are utilizing an adoption agency. The adoptive parents must usually file a preplacement application with the court. The court will hold a placement hearing to determine if the prospective adoptive parents are a suitable placement for a child. The biological parent(s) must meet with a social worker for counseling and may not give consent to the adoption until at least 72 hours after the birth of the child. In general, this consent is given in front of the Judge of the Probate Court. Once the consent(s) of the biological parent(s) has been given, the adoptive parents usually may take the child home. The child must be in the home for a minimum of six months before the adoption can be finalized.
Step-Parent Adoption
The spouse of a biological parent of a child may adopt the child if married to the parent for a minimum of one year. The non-residential biological parent may or may not need to consent to the adoption. This consent does not need to happen in front of the Probate Judge.
