How to ensure your child adoption is approved in Texas

If you’re just starting to consider adopting a kid or you’re ready to get started, you may be unsure of what it takes to adopt — and even more so, whether you fit the standards to adopt a child in Texas. 

You may have heard the myth that rigorous rules make adoption difficult. Yes, prospective parents must meet certain requirements in order to ensure that children are placed in safe, loving, and prepared homes. Yes, the adoption process is never simple; it is both emotionally and technically challenging. However, with hard effort, time, and knowledge, it is entirely doable! 

So, let’s start with the first question that many prospective parents have: What are the Texas adoption requirements? 

Every state will have its own adoption laws, which will include standards for adoption eligibility. These criteria will differ depending on the kind of adoption you pick. 

Your adoption professional or agency will likely have some extra needs, which will vary slightly from professional to professional. 

This may appear to be a lot, but we’ll answer some often asked questions about the adoption criteria you may need to meet: 

Adoption of Domestic Infants 

What are the prerequisites for adopting a child in Texas? 

You must first ensure that you fulfill the state’s adoption standards. In Texas, these laws declare that “any adult may adopt a kid,” provided that the legal means of terminating parental rights for the child’s biological parents have been followed. You must, however, contact your preferred domestic baby adoption specialist to discover more about their specific Texas domestic adoption regulations. These are in addition to the state’s legal requirements for who can adopt in Texas, and they can differ from one professional to the next. We’ll go through these in more depth below. 

Adoption from Foster Care 

What are the prerequisites for adopting a foster kid in Texas? 

The adoption regulations in Texas are identical to those in most other states. To be considered, you must first satisfy a set of conditions (listed below). 

Foster adoption and Texas foster-to-adopt requirements state that you must: 

• You must be at least 21 years old, financially sound, responsible, and a mature adult. 
• Fill out an application. 
• Share information about your history and way of life. 
• Provide both relative and non-relative references.
• It is possible to be single, married, widowed, or divorced. Please present proof of marriage if married, proof of divorce if divorced, and proof of spouse’s death if widowed. 
• Accept a home study, which involves visits with all household members and an evaluation of the whole home, grounds, and structures. 
• Allow personnel to do a criminal background check as well as an abuse/neglect check on all adults in the household. 
• Attend a free workshop to learn about child abuse and neglect concerns. 
• Keep in mind that these are the minimum requirements. 

There will be additional needs to satisfy over the course of your home study, such as: 

• Having enough sleeping space. 
• Having no more than six children in your home, including your own or children for whom you provide day care. 
• Accepting a policy of nonphysical discipline. 
• Permitting residential fire, health, and safety inspections. 
• Vaccinating all pets and presenting proof of immunization. 
• Getting and keeping CPR/First Aid certification. 
• Obtaining TB testing for household members as required by the local Health Department. 
• Attending at least 20 hours of training every year.

For more information, contact Texas Adoption Center at https://www.texasadoptioncenter.org.