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Single Men Adopting Children
In the United States, there are currently 500,000 children waiting to be adopted. While traditional families were once the ideal situation for adoptable children, that notion is changing. Single parents have proven they can provide loving, stable, and safe homes for children to thrive and grow. When it comes to the relationship status of adoptive parents, one-third are single. Just three percent of those are men, but that number is growing steadily. Single men interested in adoption face great obstacles in building their family, but when they succeed, the results can be miraculous.
Challenges Facing Single Men Pursuing Adoption
Single men are considering adoption for the same reasons single women do. Men without partners who want to experience parenthood and build a family consider adoption a viable option. There are significant challenges for single men hoping to help a child in need. On average, it takes four attempts to complete a successful adoption for single parents. It is illegal for adoption agencies to discriminate against single men, and many adoptive fathers report off the record questions about their sexuality or dismissals before they begin the process. Many agencies want single men to prove they can provide children with a female presence in their lives.
Financially, single men need to demonstrate that they have the resources to provide for a child. They must also pay costly adoption fees up to $30,000 on their own. They can be at a disadvantage compared to married couples working with two incomes. Agencies also want single men to show they have a large support system for the child when they are not around. Single men face the balancing act that every single parent faces, including managing schoolwork, activities, social time, and family time, all while having fun. Agencies say that single men often adopt older boys, a group that is traditionally more difficult to place. Single parents are also more likely to adopt children with special needs, another underserved group. Single men offer stability and security, which is especially important for children with histories of abuse.
Woodbridge Adoption Lawyers at Lyons & Associates, P.C. Help All Types of Families with Adoption
Research shows that children adopted into single parent homes adjust as well as those adopted into traditional homes. Single men considering adoption, but are unsure of how to begin, can schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced adoption lawyer in Woodbridge by calling 908-575-9777 or completing our online contact form. Lyons & Associates, P.C. serve the entire state of New Jersey, including Somerset County, Morris Country, Union County, and the towns of Bridgewater, Basking Ridge, Mendham, Morristown, Somerville, South Plainfield, Somerset, and Woodbridge.