Adopting a child in Colorado isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. There are many conditions that should be met – both legally, financially and emotionally. This article takes a look at what these factors are and will help you decide if adoption is right for you.
Colorado Adoption Pre-requisites
There are two aspects to adoption pre-requisites in Colorado. The legal ones are specific to Colorado of course, and the emotional and financial ones are true for adoption anywhere in the world. Let’s take a look at the legal considerations first.
Legal Considerations for Colorado Adoption
There aren’t many legal obstacles to adoption in Colorado. The law is written with the intent to ensure that any fit person can adopt a child. The first condition is that you must be over 21 years of age. The second major consideration is that if you’re married, you have to petition for adoption jointly with your spouse.
In addition, only “available” children can be adopted. Such children are those whose parents have voluntarily relinquished their responsibilities. Others may have their previous ties severed by a court order. In case the parents of the child are deceased, “written and verified consent” is required from their legal guardian.
Additionally, if the child is over 12, his or her consent is necessary. If the child is between 18 and 21 years of age, they come under the adotion laws for children and not adults.
Are you ready Emotionally?
It is frequently found that individuals or couples wish to adopt a child for the wrong reasons. Someitmes they feel that their marriage will improve if they undertake an adoption. Yet others underestimate the difficulty and neglect to take into consideration the lifestyle changes that must be made.
Another important factor to consider is your spouse. How well do the two of you work together and how well will you be able to coordinate to bring up a child. It’s well to remember that after a decree of adoption has been passed by the court, there is absolutely no difference between a biological and a legal parent.
Finally, consider that the child is very likely to have a temperament that is starkly different from yours. Are you willing to cope with him or her if you find that they dislike what you like, and and vice versa?
Summary
Adopting a child in Colorado is huge responsibility. Many parents don’t take the time to figure out if this is exactly what they want, or they underestimate the effort. In fact, some might find the legal process itself rather cumbersome. Contact a good attorney and things will go much more smoothly.
