What is the adoption process like?

The adoption process in Virginia is composed of several steps that must be followed in order to successfully complete an adoption. Once the prospective parents have completed all of the necessary paperwork, they must file an adoption petition in their local Circuit Court. This petition will contain information such as the names and addresses of both the adoptive parents and the child they wish to adopt. The court may then order a home study, in which a professional family investigator will visit the prospective adoptive home to assess the family’s suitability to adopt. Once the home study is approved and the court has given its consent, the adoptive parents must complete a post-placement report, which will provide details about the adjustment of the adopted child to the adoptive home. After that, the birth parent or parents must sign an irrevocable consent to the adoption, which will be filed with the court. Finally, the court will issue an adoption decree, which confirms that the adoption process has been completed, and the adoptive parents will be given full parental rights over the adopted child.

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What is the adoption process like?

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