Throughout the United States, November is being celebrated as National Adoption Month. Numerous adoption professionals and agencies are participating in community events to encourage awareness of adoption opportunities and the vital need for adoption throughout the country.
Adoptions occur in many different forms and contexts including foster parent adoption (following the DCYF termination of parental rights), same sex adoptions, international adoptions, step-parent adoptions, grandparent adoptions, and adult adoptions. In Rhode Island, children of virtually any age can be adopted and Rhode Island law even allows for the adoption of adults in the probate courts of each of Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns. Rhode Island law also allows for “open adoptions” which permit biological parents to maintain some contact with the adopted child when agreed to by the adopting parent. Open adoptions have become quite common in the last several years. Additionally there are overseas adoptions which become “legalized” in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island also maintains an adoption registry in which a birth parent can find a child who was previously adopted. Also an adult who was adopted as a child may seek information about the biological parent by utilizing the adoption registry.
McIntyre Tate LLP has been involved in all types of adoptions representing families, children, and adoption agencies. For more information about adoption in Rhode Island contact or to one of our attorneys, please do so here.