Nancy Jo Thomason is a family law attorney in Anderson, S.C. In this brief YouTube video, she summarizes the ways that people can adopt a child. They can go through the Department of Social Services (DSS), work with an adoption agency, or do a private adoption.
Adopting a child through DSS starts with becoming a foster parent.
Many families have found the experience of fostering a child rewarding and enriching. To become a foster parent, one must apply to DSS, undergo a background check, and obtain a license. As a foster parent, it is possible to make the situation permanent by adopting the child. Going through an adoption agency is also an option.
Families who want to adopt should not limit themselves to organizations. It is possible to arrange a private adoption with an expectant mother who is looking for a caring and loving family to adopt her child. This process starts by letting family, friends, and community members know that you want to adopt a child. Once you have found a match, you will need to complete the paperwork. Both the birth mother and the adoptive parents should make all arrangements through child adoption attorneys.
