How to Adopt a Baby or Child in New York

Understanding the Process of Becoming an Adoptive Parent

The first steps in adopting a child in New York State is to decide what agency to work with and what kind of adoption to pursue. Families can work with the local Department of Social Services in your county, with a private agency, a public agency or  directly with an attorney. While their job is to guide you along the way, it is imperative that you understand the process of adoption, the requirements and how to find that perfect fit with your adoption service provider.

The processes of getting approved to foster and adopt are very similar. The legal process of adopting, from application to finalization, can be a lengthy one. It may take six months or more from the time you apply before a child is placed in your home. It will be at least three to twelve months after that before the adoption may be finalized in court. The basic tasks in the adoption process in New York State can be broken down into three basic operations: Certification, Placement and Finalization.

New York State Certificate Requirements

After choosing an agency, you must submit an application to adopt. This application consists of  background information, family composition, and the number of people living in your home. You will need to describe the type of child you feel most suited to adopt (the agency can help you with this description). This information is necessary to ensure that each child is placed with the family most able to meet his/her needs.

Every adopting parent in the United States must complete a homestudy in order to adopt a child, no matter which adoption pathway they choose. This includes domestic adoption, international adoption, foster care, and step-parent adoption. New York requires that a criminal background investigation be performed. All adults aged 18 and older who live in your home must be fingerprinted and cleared through the State Central Register for Abuse and Neglect (SCR).

Finding An Adoption Agency to Work With

One of the first and most important steps in your adoption process will be selecting an agency. You should choose an agency that provides home study services for the type of adoption you are interested in.  Public agencies (i.e. your local department of social services) generally work exclusively with families interested in adopting children in foster care. Private non-profit agencies may provide a range of adoption services such as domestic infant adoption, foster to adopt and international adoptions.

Choosing an Adoption Attorney

Adoptive, prospective, and foster parents should research and select an attorney with the same care they would exercise in selecting an insurance agent or a contractor.  All lawyers are not equally informed about different areas of the law.  The lawyer who helped you with your home closing or taxes may be a great guy but he may have very little experience with or knowledge of adoption and child welfare law and regulation.