Single Person Adopting a Child

This will help you if you are single and want to adopt a child.

If you are unmarried some adoption doors may be closed to you.  However, a single man or single woman is able to adopt a healthy child in the U.S. and in many foreign countries.  While it is still true that a single woman will have an easier time adopting than a single man, and both may have more difficulty than a married couple, you should not give up. 

You need to give thought to whether you want a domestic child adoption or an international child adoption noting that it is often easier as a single to adopt from within the U.S. then it is to go overseas, especially for a single man.  Then you need to decide on the age of the child and if you want a healthy child or are willing to consider a special needs adoption.

Your next challenge is to find a child adoption agency that will place healthy children with singles and an agency that will complete a Home Study. While some adoption agencies place with single and anyone who can be a good parent, other agencies place very few if any children with singles.  You will have to call around until you succeed.  You can start by getting a list of child adoption agencies in your state and neighboring states at Domestic Adoption Agencies and International Adoption Agencies.

For additional help and information please visit the link Single Parent Adoption. 

The National Council for Single Adoptive Parents (formerly the Committee for Single Adoptive Parents) was founded to inform and assist single people in the United States who want to adopt children.  A list of parent support groups is available by writing to them at P.O. Box 15084, Chevy Chase, MD 20825.

Another resource is the National Adoption Center, 1500 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, (215) 735- 9988 or 1-800-TO-ADOPT.

Our agency, Adoption Services, does not discriminate based on marital status, race, age, cultural background, or for any other reason. We have helped many singles adopt. Please feel free to contact us.

For additional information regarding a single person adopting a child, please visit AdoptionServices.org