international.adoption.com/foreign/glossary.html Glossary - Agency...

Glossary - Agency, Biological, Birth, Birthmother, Child, Children, Citizenship, Compact, Consent, FGlossary Deciding to Adopt Pros & Cons Restrictions & Requirements Glossary Adoption.com has compiled the Internet s most comprehensive glossary of adoption-related terms. The following are examples of some of the defined terms: Adoption Agency: An organization that is licensed in the state or states where it transacts its business, which is to assist in placing children needing parents with adoptive parents that are looking for children. Agencies exist in a wide variety of organizational forms, including non-profit, not-for-profit, for-profit, and governmental agency. Although the legal impact of the organizational or business structure of an adoption agency may be different, the services that they are licensed to provide are generally very similar. Adoption Attorney: An attorney who is licensed to practice law in one or more states, who has the expertise and experience that is necessary to properly understand and apply the State and Federal laws pertaining to adoption matters, who is proficient in the filing, processing, and finalization of adoption matters in courts having appropriate jurisdiction, and in dealing effectively with birth parents, adoptive parents, and when necessary, members of their extended families, in matters relating directly and indirectly to adoption. Adoption Certification: Sometimes referred to as "Pre-Adoption Certification." As a precaution to protect birthparents and adoptable children from potential damage from dealings with unqualified or unscrupulous adoptive parents, many states require prospective adopters in their state to become certified to adopt in advance of being able to obtain physical custody of a child for the purpose of adoption. This advance certification involves a homestudy of the adoptive parents, including an investigation of their health, finances, criminal background and possible history of chi...