Some people try to have children for years before they realize that adoption is their best option. Other people see their kids off to college and realize they’d love the chance to provide a loving home to a child in need. Sometimes, in these situations, the family wishes to adopt multiple children.
Often times, multiple child adoptions involve siblings. When a family learns that the child they’re looking to adopt has a sibling, they want to do what’s best for the children. It’s no secret that siblings are better off if they’re kept together. It’s heartbreaking to think that siblings would be torn apart. It’s bad enough that they aren’t with their biological parents.
Sometimes, especially in private adoptions, the only way a parent is willing to consent to the adoption is if both children are kept together. Other times, an adoptive parent doesn’t even realize that a child has a sibling until after the adoption petition has been filed.
This begs the question – is it harder to adopt multiple children in Texas? Honestly, there’s no simple answer to this question. It really depends on the situation. What can make it easier is having an experienced Texas adoption lawyer by your side.
When Would a Family Want to Adopt Multiple Children?
We briefly touched on this in the earlier section. There are all kinds of situations where a family would want to adopt more than one child. Usually, these cases involve siblings. For example, a single mother with three young children passes away. There are no family members willing or able to raise the children. The mother was never sure who the father of her children were.
These kids would end up in the system. They may be placed in foster care. Or, a relative may be willing to take care of the children until they can be adopted. In this kind of situation, it seems cruel to tear the siblings apart. They already lost their mother. It would be terrible for them to lose each other.
While the State would normally not require that these children be kept together, it may be encouraged. Alternately, the family member left as guardian of the kids may insist that they stay together. Your adoption lawyer in Texas can help determine what the family’s intentions are.
How Do You Adopt Multiple Children in Texas?
Adopting two or more children involves the same process as adopting one child. Your adoption lawyer in Texas would file a petition for adoption. The difference is, they would list all of the children on the petition.
If the kids have the same parents, it will make things easier. If the parents are still alive, you’ll have to get consent from both parents. If the children all have the same mom and dad, you’ll only need consent from their mother and father. If, however, the children have different fathers, you would need to get consent from multiple people.
The other thing to consider is that your home study will be conducted with multiple children in mind. If you live in a two-bedroom house and are looking to adopt a boy and a girl, that will be an issue. Children of the opposite sex need to have their own bedroom. The other thing the courts will take into consideration are your finances. If you can’t afford to raise more than one child, your petition could be denied.
How Does This Work in a Step-Parent Adoption?
If you’re looking to complete a step-parent adoption, there’s a good chance you’ll be looking to adopt more than one child. If the person you’ve married has several children from a prior marriage, you would want to adopt them all.
The courts are used to these types of cases. So are Texas adoption attorneys. As long as you’re able to get consent from the biological parent, it shouldn’t be difficult to complete your step-parent adoption.
Contact an Experienced Adoption Lawyer in Texas
If you’re looking to adopt a child, you should really contact an experienced adoption attorney in Texas. They can make sure your petition is filed properly. They can also guide you through the adoption process.
If you’re looking to adopt more than one child, you may need legal assistance. If you make a simple mistake, your entire petition can be denied. Call Eddington & Worley today and schedule your initial consultation. This way, you can get the process started as soon as possible.