Ohio adoption laws outline the responsibilities of all parties in the process.
Ohio adoption laws permit unmarried adults, an unmarried minor parent of an adoptee, and a husband and wife to adopt minor children and certain adults. They must live in Ohio for six months prior to the final adoption decree. Children 12-years-old or older must provide their consent. Ohio imposes a one-year statute of limitation for challenging adoptions.
Adoption Arrangement
Ohio law states that an individual interested in adopting a minor must go through an agency or her attorney to arrange the adoption. The laws prohibits a lawyer from working for both the person wishing to adopt a child and parents who put their child up for adoption. The regulation allows individuals or organizations to promote the adoption. Any person attempting to adopt a child, and found guilty of making a misleading or false statement on the adoption application, could face civil action.
Foster Caregiver
A person certified as a foster caregiver may hire an agency to arrange for the adoption of a child who lived in their home for a minimum of six months. The caregiver can use a specific form, which eliminates the need to provide duplicate information already given when he applied for a foster home certificate. In addition, an adoption agency cannot request that the foster parent undergo another criminal background check before accepting the application. However, the agency can order another criminal background investigation before final approval of the adoption.
Providing Foster Caregiver Information
Agencies working with foster caregivers must give them information concerning Ohio adoption laws, and adoption assistance related to the Social Security Act. The agency must also provide information on behavioral issues of propective adoptees caused by neglect or abuse, and recommend programs and assistance available for the family.
Birth Parent
Ohio laws allows birth parents who volunteer to place their children up for adoption to request profiles of potential adoptive parents, and to articulate their preference. This includes information that identifies the adoptive parent. Adoptive parents chosen by birth parents receive priority from the agency or lawyer handling the case. Birth parents who give adoption consent may request that their child or the adoptive parents receive certain materials. This may include giving the child the birth parent's first name or photographs
Open Adoption Agreement
The birth parent who voluntarily allows the adoption of her child may ask the agency or attorney handling the case to arrange for an open adoption agreement between the birth parent and the adoptive parents. This allows both sides to agree to mutually acceptable conditions concerning the adoption. A lawyer or agency that declines this request must refer the birth parent to an attorney or agency that can honor their request.
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