Adoption in Maryland

You`re interested in adoption, but you`re not sure where to start. In Maryland, you have several options for adoption available. The first thing you must decide is the type of adoption you are interested in. Do you want an infant or an older child? Do you want to adopt domestically or internationally? These decisions will determine where you start.

Maryland Older Child Or Special Needs Adoption

There are many children waiting for an adoptive family. They are currently in foster care until their permanent family can be found. For the purposes of adoption special needs has a broader definition than in the medical community. In Maryland adoption special needs includes older children, children of all races, or children who are part of a sibling group that needs to be adopted together, along with children who have a physical or emotional disability that requires extra attention.

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Maryland requires that you complete 27 hours of training prior to taking placement of a special needs child. These classes are intended to teach you the issues that special needs children may have and how to handle them.

Maryland International Adoption

With so many countries that you can adopt from, it is important to do your research and work with an agency that is experienced in adoptions from the country you`re interested in. Each country has different regulations, terminologies and time frames. Working with the right agency will make your adoption go much more smoothly. The agency must be licensed in Maryland.

Maryland Infant Adoptions

If you are interested in domestic infant adoption, or are a birth parent who would like to make an adoption plan, you can do so through a licensed adoption agency, or through an adoption attorney. Be sure that any attorney that you choose has experience in adoptions in Maryland.

If you are a birthparent who is planning to place your child for adoption, contact an adoption attorney or an adoption agency to make an adoption plan. It is their job to look out for the best interest of you and your child.

If you feel you are unable to care for your child, but are unable to make an adoption plan, Maryland has a Safe Haven law. This law allows to you take your infant (up to 3 days old) to any responsible adult such as a priest, preacher, lawyer or family physician, a hospital, fire dept., etc. The responsible adult shall take the child to a hospital.

Maryland Adoption Home Study

A home study is a procedure you will go through regardless of the type of adoption you decide to pursue. This procedure allows the agency to help you decide what child would be the best fit for your family. While the questions are very personal, and may seem nosy, they are necessary to give your adoption the best chance of success. There will be questions about your financial status, employment history, your marriage (if applicable), your health as well as criminal background checks and fingerprinting. The agency that completes your home study must be licensed in Maryland.

Maryland Adoption Registry

Maryland maintains a Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry. The Registry searches for individuals whose information matches. If a match occurs, the identities of the parties are confirmed and the information is released to the interested parties. Registration is handled through the Maryland Department of Human Services.

Back to the main Maryland Adoption page.