Common Myths about Adoption

Despite being a common and very old practice, adoption has had a certain stigma attached to it for many years in our society. Today there are many advocacy groups and adoptive families working to change this unfair perspective. While they have been successful to a certain extent, there are still many persistent myths about the practice of adoption in our country.

If your family has been considering adopting a child, the first step is learning as much about the realities of adoption as you can. For clear and useful information about the legal rights and obligations of adoptive parents, call the Raleigh adoption attorneys of Marshall & Taylor, P.C. at 919-833-1040.

Adoption Myths and Facts

Some common misconceptions about adoption, and the facts that counter them, are listed below:

• Myth: Birth mothers are always teenagers who don’t want the inconvenience of raising a child.
  Fact: Most women who place their children for adoption are over the age of 18. Their reasons for making this decision are varied, complex, and usually centered on the child’s best interests. Children in the foster system have a wide variety of family histories.
  
  
• Myth: If you adopt a child, the biological parents may decide to take him or her away again.
  Fact: After a woman has signed her child’s adoption papers, she has no legal right to reclaim custody of the child at a later date. Biological fathers whose children have been adopted also do not have grounds for legal action in most cases. Cases where biological parents have tried to reclaim their children are extremely rare.
  
  
• Myth: Older adopted children have severe problems and may even be dangerous.
  Fact: It is true that children who were older than two when they entered the foster system can have psychological or developmental difficulties. However, children who were placed for adoption as newborns can also have illnesses, injuries, or genetic conditions. Of course, children who are raised by their biological parents can also have all of these problems. Every child is unique.

Contact a Raleigh Adoption Lawyer

The Raleigh adoption attorneys of Marshall & Taylor, P.C. can provide the up-to-date adoption information you need, as well as knowledgeable legal representation. Contact us today at 919-833-1040.