What is the Legal Process of Adoption in Washington?

If you are a resident of Washington and considering adopting a child, you must make sure that you are aware of the legal procedure according to Washington laws. Adoption is a process where you make a relationship with your non-biological child and make them your permanent family. You may require legal help with adoptions so that you do not have to face any legal issues in the future. 

1. You must be eligible for the adoption process.

If you are considering adopting a child in Washington, you must make sure that you are eligible enough for the adoption process. In Washington, you must be at least 18 years old as a prospective parent, and you will be expected to pass a family assessment test to prove that you are capable of meeting the child’s needs. 

In addition, the biological parent’s consent must be approved. However, if the biological parents or the legal guardian does not approve the agreement, you can even file for a termination of birth-parent rights. This right allows the court to start processing the procedure without the birth parent’s consent.

• Monitoring homestudy and Placements

When it comes to eligibility in Washington, there is more to it just than being 18 years old. You have to go through a family assessment test to prove you are eligible for adoption. This tet may include an inspection of your house. A social agency worker will be assigned to your home. He/she will maintain a record by doing homestudy.

Since it is important to meet the child’s needs, the agency worker will do a regular home visit and will monitor the environment of your house to ensure that it is suitable to the child’s needs. After the home study test, the next step is placement. In this process, the prospective parents and the on-biological child fulfill each other’s needs and are compatible with moving forward with the process.

• File an adoption petition. 

After the family assessment test and placement, you are now ready to file an adoption petition. The court will go through your petition and will approve it if they are satisfied that you are eligible and capable enough to take care of the child’s needs. As the court will sign the petition, you and your non-biological child will officially be a family. 

• Post-adoption requirement

The prospective parents in Washington are expected to go through the post-adoption requirement. In this process, an agency worker will continue having frequent home visits to make sure that the child is being treated well.

Seek help from an adoption attorney to make sure that your procedure is being processed according to the legal options of adoption in Washington.