Single Mother Adoption

Single mother and single parent adoption is on the rise. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, 33% of children adoption from Foster Care are by single parents, and this number is steadily growing. The majority of these single parents are women, and statistics show that they are more likely to adopt an older child instead of an infant.

Single Parent Adoption is Becoming More Mainstream

Single parent adoption is becoming more prevalent because of a variety of factors. One-parent households are on the rise and becoming more the norm (more than one half of African American children, nearly one third of Hispanic children and one fifth of Caucasian children live with a single parent) due to divorce and unmarried mothers. This gives adoption agencies a more open-minded approach toward single parent adoptions. Also, the issue of personal finances and single income families has become less important since adoption subsidies are now more available nationwide.

This is not to say that adopting a child as a single parent is an easy task.
Many agencies will not consider an unmarried woman or man to adopt a child. Other agencies place single parents further down the list below those who are married.

Making the Decision to Adopt

So, have you ever considered adoption as a single woman? Have you wondered what makes a good candidate or what the steps are? Lois Gilman, author of The Adoption Resource Book, suggests that you (1) make contact with adoptive families and parent groups, (2) obtain general information from social service agencies and learn any details about specific adoption programs, and (3) read!!!

There are also a variety of things to think about before making the decision to adopt. You need to take into consideration your personality and lifestyle. You should look at the resources you have to offer a child. You may need to consider a variety of adoption agencies, including international adoption.

Steps to Single Parent Adoption

Once you have made the decision to adopt there are multiple steps to follow. You will want to determine the costs so that you can set aside enough money for the adoption. It will probably be necessary to find an agency to do a home assessment to help find children that match your requirements. If you are finding obstacles in finding your ideal child, you will then need to branch out to different areas or reevaluate your requirements.