1. Adoption is an Option

2. What is Adoption? Legal process of taking a child of other parents as one’s own. Parents and child are bound in every legal way until the child reaches 18 Birth parents give up all rights and duties of parenthood.

3. Reasons People Adopt? Infertile couples may not have success with medical treatment or may be opposed to it. Adoptive parents fear passing on serious genetic diseases Sometimes people who can safely have own children adopt because they are concerned about overpopulation. Or, a couple (single parent) wants to help “hard to place” children Single parent who wishes to parent

4. Types of Adoptions Open – Identities are known Removes doubt and uncertainty Involving several parents can cause problems and confusion Closed – Identities are not revealed Make it difficult to obtain vital personal and medical information Allows for privacy for adoptive and birth parents

5. Adoption Agencies International Public State Approved Agency Private

6. Age of Child to Adopt? Infant Older