How to adopt a child in California

Adoption Attorney Stephen Ravel explains what the general legal requirements are in order to become an adoptive parent and how they can vary by state
Legal Requirements To Become An Adoptive Parent - Kidsinthehouse.com
KidsInTheHouse the Ultimate Parenting Resource
Kids in the House Tour

How to adopt a child in California

Comment
123
Like
123
Transcription: 
In California, the only legal requirement for an adoption is that the adopting parent be more than 10 years older than the child. So, a single person can adopt. An unmarried couple can adopt. A married couple can adopt. A gay or lesbian couple can adopt. It only requires that the biological parent and the adopting parent agreed in the adoption. Other states have different requirement such as gays can't adopt in certain states or unmarried families can't adopt in certain states. So, the best advice you can get is check with the local attorney, find out what the local requirements are and see if you can meet those requirements.

Adoption Attorney Stephen Ravel explains what the general legal requirements are in order to become an adoptive parent and how they can vary by state

Related Videos

Transcript

Expert Bio

More from Expert

Stephen Ravel

Adoption Attorney

Stephen Ravel attended UC Berkley for his undergraduate degree and Santa Clara Law School for his law degree. Stephen has been an attorney since 1973, and has been involved with adoption law since 1984. He has handled over 1,300 adoptions since the start of his career. Stephen is married and has three children. His oldest child was adopted from Brazil at birth.

More Parenting Videos from Stephen Ravel >
Enter your email to
download & subscribe
to our newsletter
  Listen or Watch
Must See First Year Videos
Three important rules about your baby's first foods
First year milestones
Postnatal depression and loneliness advice
Baby losing interest in nursing
The importance of spending quality time during early childhood
Narrating an infant's environment
Research based benefits of co-sleeping
Bonding versus attachment
Bonding with your baby after a less-than-perfect birth
Preventing postpartum depression
Play All 34 Videos
Featured Experts: Alan Greene, MD, Lawrence Kagan, MD, Barbara Olinger, MSW
More Playlists >
Transcription: 
In California, the only legal requirement for an adoption is that the adopting parent be more than 10 years older than the child. So, a single person can adopt. An unmarried couple can adopt. A married couple can adopt. A gay or lesbian couple can adopt. It only requires that the biological parent and the adopting parent agreed in the adoption. Other states have different requirement such as gays can't adopt in certain states or unmarried families can't adopt in certain states. So, the best advice you can get is check with the local attorney, find out what the local requirements are and see if you can meet those requirements.