Family law often centers around issues faced by families in need, such as those going through divorce, domestic abuse, and disputes over child custody. In contrast, adoption proceedings are one of the more joyful events to occur in the family court. The experience of helping to facilitate an adoption between loving parents and the children who need them is one of the most rewarding, both for the family law attorney as well as for others within the court. In dealing with couples and individuals who are contemplating adopting a child, there are often misconceptions that need to be addressed in regards to the legal and financial requirements for adoption, as well as the factors that make people good candidates for adoption. If you or someone you care about is considering adoption, the following may help to dispel some common myths about the process.
Adoption Myths
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According to the South Carolina adoption guidebook from Wait No More , a non-profit group that works to encourage adoption while helping families and individuals through the process, there are more than 100,000 children in group homes and foster care settings that are currently waiting to be adopted. While many people might consider opening their homes and their hearts to one or more of these children, there are some common, general misperceptions that keep them from doing so. Myths about adoption include the following:
- You have to be well off and own a big home to adopt a child. False. The amount of your income and whether you rent or own has nothing to do with whether you would make a good parent. While children need a bed of their own, they do not require their own rooms, nor is it necessary to spend lavishly when it comes to clothes, gadgets, or trips. Expenses associated with adoption can be worked out in a reasonable manner, and there are many social service programs that can help you once you become an adoptive parent.
- Only married couples with a stay-at-home parent can adopt. False: Under South Carolina adoption laws , any resident of the state can petition to adopt a child. Many children today live in homes with only one parent, or in two parent home in which both parents work.
- Adoptive parents should be of childbearing age. False. In most cases, potential adoptive parents can be of any age, provided they are able to provide steady, consistent care for the child they are seeking to adopt. Older adults have valuable life experiences to draw from, which can make them excellent adoptive parents.
- It is easier and quicker to adopt an overseas child. False. There is an abundance of children in the South Carolina foster care system waiting for good homes, and going through the process of being approved for an adoption is easier and faster than many people think. To view photos of some of the children in our state awaiting adoption, you can visit the South Carolina Heart Gallery .
Contact Our Experienced South Carolina Family Law Attorney
If you or a loved one is considering adoption, contact our experienced South Carolina family law attorney today. At Lauren Taylor Law, we are committing to helping you and your family during all phases of the adoption process.. For a free case consultation, contact Lauren Taylor Law today.
South Carolina divorce attorney Lauren Taylor practices family law in Charleston and Greenville. She graduated from the Charlotte School of Law, and has been practicing for more than ten years.
Since the firm’s inception in 2012, Mrs. Taylor has helped hundreds of people navigate the uncertainties surrounding the family and criminal court process.
She has cultivated a team that ensures each case has a strategy crafted specifically to the clients needs and desires.
Her commitment to top notch service has led her to open two additional offices in the low country where she now resides with her husband Michael and her golden retriever, Buster.