In Georgia, prospective parents must follow all adoption requirements according to the state. These requirements begin with a home study and an assessment of these individuals. The state requires a social worker to conduct this assessment and determine if they are fit to raise the child in question. The following are the steps followed by a Carrollton adoption lawyer.
Submit Application for Adoption
First, the prospective parents must submit an application for adoption. They must choose a child that they want to adopt. Once the application is reviewed, the home study is conducted and both parents are interviewed extensively. The social worker must also conduct a criminal background check for the parents. If they have any convictions related to any child-related crimes, they cannot adopt.
Termination of the Biological Parent’s Legal Rights
Once they are approved for adoption, the attorney petitions the court to terminate the rights of the biological parents. Once these rights are terminated, the biological parents cannot regain custody of the child in the future. Their rights are terminated due to a personal choice or due to excessive risks that they pose to the child. Once the rights are terminated, the prospective parents have the legal right to adopt the child.
Changing the Name of the Child Per the Adopted Parent’s Request
If the child is an infant, the adoptive parents have the legal right to change the child’s name. Otherwise, they can change the child’s last name only. They must review the full requirements for these options with their attorney to determine if they have any additional rights regarding the child’s name.
Officiating the Adoption
The last step is officiating the adoption. A hearing is scheduled with the parents and their attorney. They appear in front of a judge who must approve the adoption. Once the hearing has concluded, the adoptive parents are the legal parents of the child.
In Georgia, prospective parents must follow specific rules that allow them to adopt children that need a home. These rules are related to local adoption laws that ensure that the child is protected fully. Prospective parents who want to adopt a child hire a Carrollton adoption lawyer by visiting Dsternlieblaw.com today.
