An adult assumes the role of parent for a child other than his or her own biological offspring in the process of adoption. Legally recognized adoptions require a court or other government agency to award permanent custody of a child (or, occasionally,...

A traditional form of adoption in China is called lisi, literally ‘establishing an heir’, which usually involves the naming of a child, most likely a boy, as the descendant of couples who do not have biological children or sons of their...

Not recognized in talmudic law, which holds that a child’s status derives from the natural relationship to the parent and cannot be altered or artificially created; still, within Talmudic law, one may assume responsibility for a child’s...

Legal proceeding in which an adult takes, as his or her lawful child, an individual (usually a minor) who is not the adoptive parent’s natural offspring. The adopted child may lose all legal connection to the previous parent, and the adoptive...

Adoption is the legal act of permanently placing a child with a parent or parents other than the birth (or "biological") mother or father. An adoption order has the effect of severing the parental responsibilities and rights of the birth parents and...

ADOPTION The Postadoption Experience: Adoptive Families' Service Needs and Service Outcomes Edited by Martha Morrison Dore Incorporating knowledge and experience from experts in the field and academia, The Postadoption Experience sheds light on successful and achievable approaches to meeting the needs...

The Nov. 28 editorial "Safeguarding Adoption" highlights the fears of adoptive parents that adoption could be less than stable. As an adoptive parent myself, I must strongly disagree. Rarely has adoption been more stable. Over 99 percent of adoptions are finalized without difficulty....

Guatemala has ratified an international adoption treaty, committing to bring adoptions under government regulation and make sure babies are not bought or stolen.Guatemalan law currently allows notaries to act as baby brokers who recruit birth mothers, handle paperwork and complete foreign adoptions in less than...

In their 14-year relationship, Patricia Spado and Olive Watson spent only five nights apart. They lived in New York, spent summers in Maine, and shared the more practical pieces of a life together _ a home, a joint bank account.But in a time long before...

Adoption can be defined as a process by which children are brought together with adults who are not their biological parents to form a family. Practiced informally throughout human history, adoption in the United States has evolved into a formalized...

“Family preservation services are an appropriate strategy for enabling some children to safely remain with their families while a crisis is being diffused.” —Michael Weber, National Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse News,...

A personal essay detailing the experience of finding out that the author is adopted. Describes the feelings of grief and disappointment. Ponders if it would have been better to not know.

People should not be so cruel to others that want to adopt children even though they are gay, single or of another race.

This essay provides information on Adoption. It explains the positive points about adopting children and describes how much it helps other people.