Help! I need to know about Adoption!

Question

Im 20 years old, Theres a girl who just entered High school, Her mom and father are abusive and on drugs. She is suffering from major depression, there is no happiness in her voice, Im wanting to adopt her, and I asked her, and she said yes. The school around this area is not a very good school, and is not high on an academic level. My husband is in the Marines. I'm very responsible, and can prove negligence in the home. She is very intelligent, and she seems to be going down the wrong roads recently, I wanted to get the adoption started in January when I have a stable place to live. I need to know what I have to do, and how long its going to take, to get her. She desperately needs someone to love her. Shes been to foster care and has a case worker who comes to see how she is doing. So anyone please help.

Answer 1

Imagine if you were that girl. You'd feel alone and sad, like you were trapped in a world of darkness. The sun is peeking out and it will slowly come out if you adopt her! Go for it! Just remember all the basic parent stuff, costs and also, a good house, etc. Remember to give her a free life as she is a teen, but do be kind of caring.

Answer 2

Best case is to have the parents sign over custody, have it notorized, then your husband can put her in deers.  After that, you should start the adoption process if that's what you want to do.  http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/f_milit...  found that on google just now.

Answer 3

I understand how you feel (because I am in the same situation with two young girls who need a better home).  I would suggest you first speak to her caseworker, if possible.  I'm a social worker and have been a caseworker with CPS (Child Protective Services) in the past.  I'm not sure where you are but I just want to give you one 'heads-up' based on your question.  In many (most, I think) states there is a requirement in the law about how much difference in age there must be between a child and the parent that adopts him/her.  If you are twenty and the girl you are wanting to adopt is going into high school, you are probably too close in age for the state to allow an adoption.

I'm not against the adoption by any means...I'm just letting you know what you may be up against, legally speaking.  In most places I'm familiar with, the requirement is that an adoptive parent is at least 10-15 years older than the child they wish to adopt.  Check the laws where you live (her caseworker may be able to help with this, too).  If your husband is older than her by the required number of years, this may make it possible too.

I'm so glad that this young lady has you to look out for her and that you care enough to do something about her sad situation.

I wish you all the best.  Take care!

Answer 4

Unless one of the following two things happens, she cannot be adopted by another family.

1- The courts terminate her parents' parental rights

2- Her parents decide to give up their parental right

Further, most states have age and age difference requirements when it comes to adoption.  You and she are not even 10 years apart in age.

You contact child services to let them know of negligence in the home.  Of course, if she has been in foster care and still has a caseworker, child services appears to already be aware of this, so this information could be added to what they already know.  

She's in high school and you are 20.  It sounds like she definitely could use your ongoing support as a "big sister" type of person.   If she's not in a foster home at this time, she can probably spend a lot of time with you, including sleeping over frequently.  It doesn't sound like her parents would bar her from this.