40 years ago if you visited an adoption agency and applied for adoption as a single person your application would have been denied. In some states, the law prohibited adoption by single men and women. But things have changed. Today there are thousands of children across the United States who is living with single men and women. Over the last few years, there has been a sizeable increase in the number of single men and women adopting children. In fact over 25% of special needs adoption is by single men and women. In other types of adoptions, single men and women account for 5% of all adoptions.
Reasons for Adopting
Every human being has the desire to have a family. Even single individuals have this desire. Often single persons no matter how financially successful they are in life find their life incomplete. Many feel that they can give many benefits to a child. They want a life beyond their work and cat. Many women prefer to remain unmarried as it enables them to pursue their careers. As these women reach mid-thirties, they often find themselves without a husband and a strong desire to have a child. In such cases, adoption works out as a viable option, especially for those who feel that having a child out of wedlock is not acceptable or those who are infertile.
Many single individuals, both men and women believe they are in a position to provide a better life to children in foster care or in circumstances where they do not have the basic necessities.
Single Parent Families
Single parent families are becoming increasingly common by the day. The increase in the number of divorce cases and the number of unmarried women wanting to have and keep their children are the two main reasons for this increase. As a result, single parent families are now an accepted social norm. As such adoption agencies now consider single individuals as prospective adoptive parents. Single individuals who have adopted children continue to work hard and support their families.
The issue of personal finances has taken a back seat as most states today provide aid to individuals who adopt special needs children. As a result, many with limited income have also adopted children.
Obstacles
Although single parent adoption is increasing accepted, there are those who still consider that a family consists of a mother, father and child. Many mental health experts opine that an ideal environment for a child would be a home with a father and a mother who are loving and compatible. Many single individuals look upon this as an unfair bias.
You may face opposition from your family and friends who may not understand why someone would want to raise a child alone.
Not all agencies offer single parent adoptions. Even amongst those that do, there may be eligibility criteria or the preference would be for couples and if a willing couple cannot be located, you will be chosen.
Single men are generally subject to stricter scrutiny. If you are a single man wanting to adopt a child, be prepared to be questioned about your motives, sexuality, living arrangements and friends. You may have all the qualities of an ideal parent but you can still be turned down.
Single Parent Adoption Tips
It’s not easy. You will need supportive family and friend who can act as a backup system. You will be solely responsible for raising the child and doing the daily chores such as picking up the child from school, attending to the medical requirements of the child, dealing with the school authorities, etc. Having family members and friends whom you can rely will help you manage better. Be confident when you contact an agency. It may be emotionally tough for you but by working hard, you can make your dream of adopting a child come true.
