Q: Hi, My husband and I have been asked to adopt my cousins baby from birth. What is required to do this?
Baby will be born in SC, we reside in NC. Mother desires us to adopt the baby as we are a stable and loving couple and she has been struggling with addiction and is single at 20 years old. We have adopted a relative before through the state of Florida. The difference is that our previous adoption was from foster care through the state. This one would be given to us at birth, never entering the system.
A: She will need to have the child born here in NC, or you will need to go through the ICPC process (which can a lot of time and cause complications). Depending on how far out she is with the pregnancy, you'll also need to be timing a homestudy to be performed. The father can consent to the adoption prior to birth, but the mother cannot, and the parents will need to fill out a health history background form. Consult an adoption attorney to assist you with the specifics of your case (ie., filing the Petition, giving proper notice, etc.).
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