You are considering the question of
adoption at a time when eligibility has broadened substantially so many, many people
are eligible to adopt. The question of eligibility depends on which stakeholder
in the adoption you are talking about.
There are four major stakeholders
in the adoption process. Each of these groups or individuals uses criteria to
evaluate your eligibility.
State and County Requirements
States and counties across the
country impose criteria regarding who is allowed to adopt within their
geographic authority. Go to http://laws.adoption.com/
to find a link to your state laws.
Every adoption agency has criteria
that it imposes on singles and couples who are interested in adoption.
Those
criteria can include maximum allowable age, number of
years married, number of children already in the home, etc. These criteria are
the result of the programs they have available which may dictate acceptable
ages, the resources of the agency itself or its mission. Unlike state and county
requirements, agency requirements can sometimes be waived in special circumstances.
So, before you decide against an agency because of a particular eligibility criterion, ask
whether an exception can be made in your case.
