Eastern Oklahoma Adoptions
We understand that each and every family and situation is unique
and requires services to be provided in that same manner

Family

Adoptive Parents

Who May Adopt?

In most situations applicants must be;

  1. Must be at least 21 years of age
  2.  Age and health of applicant must be such that it is reasonable to expect the applicant to live to see the child reach the age of at least eighteen years.
  3.  Married couple should have been together no less than two years.
  4.  If this is a second marriage we prefer the family to have been together at least three years.
  5.  Applicants must be high school graduates, or have GED equivalency.
  6.  Couples must have minimal annual income of $30,000.00.
  7.  The applicants must be free of a criminal history.
  8.  Applicants must be in good mental, emotional, and physical health, and be free any serious illnesses of a life threatening nature.

TYPES OF CHILD ADOPTION

There are many different kinds of child adoption. The primary distinctions are between private or agency child adoption, open or closed child adoption, and domestic or international child adoption.

Private and Agency Child Adoption
A private child adoption is arranged through an individual (often a lawyer or a physician) or referral service. This kind of child adoption is extremely risky. Without a licensed child adoption agency supervising the process, adoption can be a nightmare. When you read a horror story in the news, it is most likely a private child adoption.

An agency child adoption is arranged through a child adoption agency, such as Eastern Oklahoma Adoptions. The most important factor in selecting an agency is that they have met the requirements of your state and are fully licensed to provide you with a full range of professional services. To check if an agency or organization is licensed, contact them and ask for their license number and the phone number of the licensing authority. Then call the authority and confirm that the information given to you is correct.

The State of Oklahoma and most other states have programs titled the Adoption Assistance Program. This is a federal program which gives money to states to help needy families and child welfare services. Applicants who are interested in adopting older children, large sibling groups, or children with special needs may qualify for an adoption assistance subsidy check to assist in meeting the needs of children who have been in the custody of the state. For this program in Oklahoma the applicants will need to contact OKDHS Swift Adoptions Program at the county or state level.

Open and Closed Child Adoption
In a closed child adoption, the birth parents and adopting family are anonymous. While many details may be shared, no identifying information (such as last name, addresses, social security numbers, etc.) is exchanged. The birth parents and adopting family can meet, share pictures and updates, and have ongoing contact through the agency, but they do not share last names and addresses.

In an open child adoption the biological and adopting parents exchange identifying information and are then able, if they so choose, to be in contact with one another directly.
Whether an adoption is open or closed will depend on what you want, what your state allows, and what agency you select. The staff at Eastern Oklahoma Adoptions has experience with both types of adoptions and are here to help you determine the best choice for you.

Intrastate, Interstate, and International Child Adoption
In an intrastate child adoption, the birth parent and adopting family live in the same state. In an interstate child adoption, the birth parent and adopting family live in different states. In an international adoption, the birth parent and adopting family live in different countries.

The distinction among these three types of adoption is very important since each type of adoption requires a different set of legal requirements. An intrastate adoption must meet the requirements of only one state. An interstate adoption must meet the requirements of at least two states as well as something called the Interstate Compact Act. An international adoption must meet the requirements of the state, US and foreign governments, and the Hague Convention.

Eastern Oklahoma Adoptions staff has extensive experience with open and closed child adoption as well as variations of these two. We also have extensive experience in intrastate, interstate and international child adoption. We are here to help you determine the best choice for you, and then to help implement your choices in a way that will eliminate problems and concerns.

Step-Parent, Kinship and Foster Parent Adoption

What is a step-parent adoption?
When a parent remarries after the death of a former spouse or after a divorce, the new spouse may desire to formally adopt the child or children of their current spouse. A step-parent may choose to formally adopt a spouse's child from a prior relationship, but the natural parent must receive notice of the adoption proceeding. The natural parent must consent to the adoption or else must be determined "unfit" before a step-parent adoption will be finalized. A similar protocol applies when a child is born outside marriage, the birth parent later remarries, and the stepparent wants to adopt the child.

What is foster and Kinship parent adoption?
When Traditional or Kinship foster parents choose to proceed with adopting the child (ren) they already have in their home. This process usually occurs after the caretaker has been providing care for the child (ren) in their home while the birth parent goes through a court ordered process of correcting the unsafe conditions of the birth family home.