Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Representative John Lewis (D-GA) introduced an Act in both Houses of Congress to prohibit any adoption or foster care entity which receives federal assistance from discriminating based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. The purpose of prohibiting discrimination was to also make sure that children would be placed […]

If you’ve been exploring the possibility of adopting a child, you’ve likely discovered that it’s not a simple process. You have lots of choices—domestic vs. international adoption, open vs. closed adoption, and agency vs. private adoption. This blog looks at the differences between private and agency adoptions. With an agency adoption, you hire and pay […]

Times have changed dramatically for individuals seeking to adopt a child in the United States. Fifty years ago, if you had sought to adopt a minor child as a single parent, you would have had no success, and not necessarily because adoption agencies looked with disfavor on the idea. In some states, as recently as […]

  Twenty years ago, if you wanted to adopt an infant from China, you could almost get in line, wait 12-15 months and travel to the Orient to pick up your child. The chances were about 99-to-1 that you’d bring home a girl, unless you were willing to adopt a special needs boy, but the […]

Whether your child is biological or adopted, it’s important that they have a strong sense of their family history and cultural identity. When your child comes from a foreign country, the customs and practices of their native land are a part of their cultural makeup. By embracing their native culture, you can help assure that […]

On March 7, 2016 the US Supreme Court ruled that a Judgment of Adoption entered in one state must be recognized and respected in any other state in the country. Between 2002 and 2004 a woman who was identified as E.L. gave birth to three children, a single birth and a twin birth. She was […]

In an open adoption, everyone involved in the process knows the identity and location of everyone else. A birthmother will have regular communication with adoptive parents before the adoption and this can typically continue after the placement, in the form of letters, birthday cards, e-mails, telephone calls and visitation. An open adoption can provide both […]

You know that you want to adopt a child. Your next decision—should you adopt domestically (within the United States) or internationally. Here are some of the key issues to consider. The Cost Cost used to be much more of a consideration when deciding whether to adopt in the United States or through a foreign country, […]

When you adopt a child, you hope that the life you give that child will be as normal as possible. For some adoptive parents, talking to your adopted child about their being adopted can jeopardize that sense of normality, but experts say it’s essential for the well-being of your child. Chances are pretty good that […]

New Jersey Adoption Rates Stabilizing Adoption officials in New Jersey say there is cause for optimism, based on statistics gathered by the non-profit agency Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ). Though the number of children reported as adopted in the state actually decreased from 2012 to 2013, Cecilia Zalkind, executive director of ACNJ, said […]