November 2011Vol. 12, No. 8Building Family Relations Through Adult Adoption
Too many youth in foster care reach adulthood without a permanent family. For some, the opportunity to be adopted comes later. A number of States have enacted legislation that allows the adoption of an adult by another adult. The Florida Bar Foundation has developed a step-by-step guide that describes the legal ramifications and requirements for this process. Written in easy-to-understand language that is geared toward youth who have aged out of foster care, this publication uses a question-and-answer format to meet the specific information needs of adult individuals seeking to be adopted in the State of Florida.
The guide addresses the following key areas:
- Name change
- Parental rights
- Continued eligibility for benefits
- New birth certificate
A full complement of appendices completes the publication, including relevant court documents such as the petition to adopt, consent forms, the final judgment of adoption, and a listing of judicial circuits in Florida.
Published by Florida’s Children First, Adult Adoption: Creating a Lifelong Family Bond and Legal Connection is available for download on the Florida's Children First website:
http://www.floridaschildrenfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Adult-Adoption-with-forms4.pdf (494 KB)
For information on other States' age requirements and restrictions for adoption, see Child Welfare Information Gateway's Who May Adopt, Be Adopted, or Place a Child for Adoption? at:
http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/parties.cfm