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On Behalf of | Sep 5, 2018 | Uncategorized |

Adoption just became easier in the state of Georgia. A bill that was signed into law in March has recently gone into effect. The law lifts some restrictions and eases others. It  eliminates some of the reasons that families looking into adoption have looked outside the state of Georgia.

Gone is the six-month residency requirement that mandated that parents be residents of the state for that period before they could apply for adoption. Adoptive parents are now allowed to assist with living expenses for the birth mother in private adoptions, something that has been available in neighboring states for some time. Related to this, a birth mother now has only four days to revoke the adoption instead of the previous allowance of 10 days.

The law is seen as a possible boost to in-state adoptions. People were going to neighboring states in part because of the inability to provide living expenses and also because of the longer 10-day waiting period. It is also hoped that these new rules will help to reduce the number of children in foster care. Adoption through fostering can be a quicker and less costly process.

A family in Georgia who is considering adoption may want to seek the counsel of an experienced family law attorney. A knowledgeable lawyer will be familiar with the new law and may be able to assist a family in making their wish to adopt a child come true. Every child should have a chance to have a family, and this law makes that a little bit easier.

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