Sabrina is a 17 year old soon to be single mother. She and the father, Martin (Marty), of her unborn child are realistic in the belief that both, he only 17, are too young to take care of themselves yet a baby. They have been perusing various website reading pleas and requests from couples eager to adopt a child, preferably a newborn. For several weeks, Sabrina and Marty have been reading the

Question

requests of a couple, #DPTX357910, in their middle thirties, post-grad educations, good careers and eager to have a child. After many hours of deep discussion and even some debate, they decided that this couple that they had been following on the Internet should be the recipients of their little bundle. The baby is due in several short weeks. Briefly explain what type of adoption these parents-to-be should pursue. Is one form of adoption better for them than another under their current situation? Are there other forms of transfer available to them?

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Sabrina and Martin could put their child up for adoption through a designated state agency once the child is born. The agency can be either a public or private one licensed by the state for temporary custody of the child until a subsequent permanent placement can be found. The agency receives the child in one of two ways: 1 ) the parents voluntarily transfer custody to the agency executing a written surrender of their parental rights, or 2 ) a court terminates their parental rights for cause based on evidence of unfitness by clear and convincing evidence and places the child in the temporary custody of the agency until permanent placement can be found.
The agency would then be responsible for recruiting foster care and adoptive homes, and locating potential adoptees.

Sabrina and Marty feel that they have found the ideal candidates to become their baby's parents. The best route for them to take would be an independent or private adoption. This is when the biological parents transfer custody of the child directly to the adoptive parents. This is usually facilitated by a third party such as a physician, a member of the clergy, or an attorney specializing in adoption law who will handle the tasks usually performed by an agency. This type of adoption would allow Sabrina and Marty to designate adoptive parents of to prescribe the characteristics they would like the prospective adoptive parents to possess. Even if the parents have such influence on who will adopt their child, these privately arranged independent adoption still must be approved by a court.

Another course of adoption that Sabrina and Marty could take, but highly suggested the route not taken, is illegal or black market adoption. In this type of "adoption" the exchange is brokered by individuals collecting a large fee for locating a child who is transferred from one person or couple to another. This is, in essence, baby selling, and illegal.