What do I need to do in order to adopt through the state?

There are many children across Louisiana who are looking for a permanent home. Fortunately, there are many families willing to open their arms and welcome these children into their homes with love and support. However, though the decision to adopt a child is an important and joyous one, it can also trigger certain requirements that must be met before the adoption can be finalized.

So, what are those requirements? If you are considering adoption, the first thing you will need to do is attend an orientation. Then you will need to file an application, which initiates the certification process. Once that is completed, the state will need your fingerprints, as well as the fingerprints of everyone over the age of 18 who resides in your home, so that background checks can be completed. If the background checks come back disqualifying you, then you may need to seek a waiver.

Once background checks are complete, you will need to go through training classes and a home study. A home development worker will interview you and your family in addition to inspecting your home to determine if it and your family are suitable. If everything goes according to plan, you will then be certified and the child will be placed in your home.

If you think adoption is right for you, then you may want to contact a legal professional. Not only can an attorney help you better understand the process, various adoption issues, and guide you through it so that you can finalize the adoption as quickly as possible, but an experienced adoption attorney can also help you negotiate any adoption subsidies. Therefore, it may be in your, and your prospective child’s, best interest to have a legal ally on your side.

Source: Department of Children & Family Services, “Foster/Adoptive Parenting Common Questions,” accessed on Dec. 18, 2015