» adoption articles archive » california adoption agencies

• Content Categories
• Adopted Persons
• Adopting a Child
• Adoption Professionals
• Adoptive Parents
• Birth Parents & Families
• Community Resources
• Expectant/Placing Parents
• Foster Care
• Issues in Adoption & Foster Care
• Legal Resources
• Research & Statistics
• Search & Reunion
• Shopping
• Stepparents
• Select a forumFaith in AdoptionOpen AdoptionWaiting to AdoptGuatemala & So...China, Korea &...

         - Select One - Learn More For Birthmothers For Adoptive Parents Latest Info Our Guarantee About AdoptHelp

California Adoption Agencies

Every state has its own adoption laws, making it important for adopters to keep keen on the way adoptions work in their state of residence. California adoption agencies can be private or public and government-licensed, and the state's Department of Social Services placed adoptable children with families as well. Independent adoptions can have home studies and birth mother counseling or relinquishment handled by an agency in California.

California allow adoptive and birth parents to engage in a court-approved post-adoption arrangement in which the birth parents can maintain contact with the adopted child.

According to the Human Rights Campaign website, gays and lesbians can legally adopt from agencies in California. There are no explicit laws stating that sexual orientation should play a relevant role in child placement. However, same-sex couples are allowed to jointly petition for an adoption to be finalized, a gay or lesbian individual can petition for an adoption to be finalized and a co-parent can petition to adopt the child of a partner of the same sex as them.

Agencies and attorneys and intermediaries are the only ones allowed to advertise for adoptive and future birth parents. Nonresidents may not adopt in California.

For adopters in California who wish to work independently of an adoption agency, be aware that adoption facilitators can work without any kind of oversight or regulating by a board.