Can a single person Adopt a child?

Question

I am single and because of the way I have been treated by men all my life, I have made the descision not to get married...however I want children...Can a single woman adopt a child or does the law require that a child has to be adopted by two parents..

i don't hate men... it is just that i have a lot of bad luck when it comes to dating and all that junk...this is just an option I am looking at...I am only 25 so I have plenty of time It was just a thought

Answer 1

In most cases, The parents must be at 25 years of age to adopt.
If you are married, The age is lowered and you may adopt as soon as 18, but I don't reccommend any 18 year old to adopt. That's a bit early.

You must think about the future: Will you be financially secure enough to support this child? Will you provide them sufficent emotional and physical support? Will you have time for them? Etc.
Think about it before making your final decision.

I, Myself, Don't think there has to be a father for the child. I am a single mother and am doing just fine. Of course I'd be more than happy if a nice guy came along who loves me and accepts and loves my son. That would be great, but untill then, I'm fine on my own. I love my son so much, I think it kind of evens out the fact that he only has one parents.


Questions to Consider:
Adopting parents have found that exploring the following questions has helped them to feel more prepared for the joys and challenges of raising their children.

General Adoption Themes
How do I feel about not being genetically related to my child?
How do I see myself talking about adoption with my child?
How will I help my child to understand his/her "pre-placement background," when there is little information, abandonment, or a difficult history?
Am I prepared to maintain my child's positive identification with his/her origins and culture?
Am I open to dealing with birthparent issues, which are just as relevant and important in international adoption, as they are in domestic adoption?
Transracial Adoption
Do I have family and/or close friends of other racial, cultural, or ethnic groups? If not how can I develop such relationships?
Am I willing to move to another community, change schools or join appropriate organizations to find adult mentors and peers of my child's race and culture, if necessary?
How do I feel about meeting the specific needs my child will have in developing self-identity and esteem?
How do I imagine supporting my child when he/she experiences racial prejudice and discrimination?
Can I accept the reality that adopting a child of color will mean our family becomes a family of color?

Orphanage Issues
Am I willing to learn the details of daily life in the orphanage in order to provide a gradual transition for my child from that routine to a new one in my home?
How comfortable am I with the fact that children living in an orphanage are at risk for developmental delays and emotional issues?
Am I prepared to deal with the coping behaviors my child used to survive in the orphanage?
How will I deal with the adjustments my child will face when he/she enters a family, e.g. learning to accept affection and nurturing, and trusting that there will be enough food?
Am I willing to seek help for my family if adjustment is difficult? Do I attach any stigma to my child receiving specialized educational services?

More on International Adoption
Single Parent Adoption
Do I feel confident about being the sole decision-maker for my child?
Am I ready to ask for help? Emotional? Financial? Physical? Respite? Who among my family and friends would be there for me in a real emergency? To help with an ongoing challenge?
Have I come to terms with my decision to forego or postpone pregnancy and marriage as a way of becoming a parent?
Does work offer me the flexibility I will need to care for a sick child, to attend school events, and to spend as much time at home with my child as I would want to?
How will my current and future relationships be affected by the fact that I am a parent?
Am I able to provide strong role models of the opposite sex for my child?

Anyway, Here's some more information on single parent adoption:

http://library.adoption.com/Single-Parent-Adoption/Single-Parent-Adoption/article/21/1.html

Good luck! And I wish you the best.

Answer 2

The short answer is YES, but the specific laws will vary based on where you live. In the USA, each state (and even some cities/towns) have their own rules about who can adopt. Frankly, there are so many children out there in need of adoption that as long as you don't have anything bad in your background, they will take you.

There are several ways you can go. Private adoption, which is expensive and usually allows you to be more selective of the type (sex/race) of the child. You can also contact your local government department that handles child and family services. (In Texas, where I live, that is "Child Protective Services".) They will have a program (or contract with organizations) that will allow you to adopt child that have been abandoned or who have been removed from their parents by the state. This is a 'higher risk' option, but is cheaper and the socially responsible thing to do.

One other thing to look into is fostering. Do not think of the traditional 'foster home' stereotype. You take children for up to 6 months at a time. You can just take one child at a time or several, and you can restrict things like age range and level of care required (if they behavioral issues or physical disabilities). This is a great way to share you life and help out children in your community. You mention you are still young and considering options, foster might be a good way to see if you are ready.

Answer 3

YES! You can adopt being a single parent. If you start a search engine or look in your area there should be several adoption agency.
There are several different options. I know with international adoption there are certain countries (china) that want a 2 married parents but they do allow for certain situations of parents but not legally married..

Anyways... You could do open adoption unless the mother request that there be 2 parents.

Bottom line you have many options and being a single parent should not stop you from adopting the millions of children that need a family....

Answer 4

No, and I think that is stupid. They usually think if someone is single they cannot support a child. Although there are single moms all around us, the government says the a single women cannot adopt a child. Its the same way for a homosexual couple. They are not said to be able to handle and adoption of a child. Im sorry. Try to take care, its a stressful thing this government puts on us. Take Care

Answer 5

There are so many adoption programs available privately as well as through the state and a TON of kids waiting for good homes. As long as you meet all the criteria (take requisite classes, meet housing requirements, have a good steady income, etc), there should be no reason why you cannot adopt a child by yourself. However, be prepared to answer some VERY tough questions about your "single-ness."

Answer 6

If the child is likely to be adopted by both a father and mother, I think its doubtful. You may be able to adopt special needs children easier.

Will your adopted child inherit your hatred of men? Fathers really do play a positive role in a child's development.

Answer 7

Sure, look at Angelina Jolie or Rosie O'Donnell, plenty of single people adopt. I think you just have to have enough money to provide nicely for the child, and you're in. Good Luck!

Answer 8

Any single person can adopt a child if the have the resources to support that child physically , emotionally, and mentally. There are forms to fill out and background checks up the wazoo, but you can do it.

Answer 9

i know that you can adopt children internationally while single. i've looked into this "just in case". russian children look just like american children... and if we adopt we don't want the child to go to school and be teased about being adopted... so we would like to adopt a child that is the same color as us. if the child ever wanted to say he/she was adopted, that would be their option... but i don't want it to be obvious.

why don't you go to an endocronologist and have donor sperm insemination? the cost would be much less... and as a single woman you can do that too!

Answer 10

In general a single woman can adopt but a single man cannot.

Answer 11

It would be harder in the states I think. You may want to think about fostering an older child though rather then a baby.