Adoption (family court & probate court)

When you adopt a child, you assume full legal, physical and financial responsibility for them. It is permanent. To be adopted, the child must first be legally eligible for adoption. This can happen one of two ways:

1. The parents voluntarily surrender their parental rights.

2. The parents’ parental rights are terminated by the court because of abandonment or child abuse/neglect. This is known as the termination of parental rights (TPR).

If you adopt a child who is in the conditional custody of kin or DCF custody, a worker will be assigned to help you through the process. This includes:

• Helping you gather the needed paperwork and filing it at court on your behalf.

• Scheduling the finalization hearing in probate court.

• Discussing the options for post-adoption contact between the child and birth family members.

Once the adoption has been finalized:

• You will become the child’s legal parent with all the rights and responsibilities that brings.

• The birth parents will no longer have any legal rights or responsibilities with respect to the child.

If you adopt the child in your care, there may be support available to help you meet their needs. See LINK HERE for more information.