What Will Disqualify You From Adopting a Child?

Lifetime Adoption performs rigorous screening of adoptive families, which includes a process during which our adoption experts pre-qualify every adoptive family that chooses to work with us. Our standards ensure we work with adoptive families committed and prepared to raise a child. Naturally, our research may uncover some things that could make a couple ineligible to adopt.
 
This information may leave you wondering, “What will disqualify you from adopting a child?”
 

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Items Which May Disqualify You From Adopting a Child

Here is a quick look at some items and attributes that will disqualify you from adopting a child. Our team, the independent social worker who performs the home study, or our home study providers in Florida may discover these items.

• Age, especially if the applicant is of an advanced age
• Poor Health
• Criminal history or a criminal record, especially felonies, violent crimes, or crimes involving children (this may include family members or anyone living in the potential adoptive parent’s home)
• Registered sex offender
• Records of domestic violence
• Lack of income sufficient to provide for a child
• Unsafe living conditions or lifestyle
• History of child abuse or neglect
• Lack of insurance
• Narrow adoption preferences for what you seek in a child (e.g., age, race, gender, etc.)
• Unrealistic expectations for modern adoption (e.g., desiring only a closed adoption)
• Loss of previous foster care license

“The adoptive couple will need to share whether or not they have been directly or indirectly exposed to circumstances such as alcohol/drug abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse, jail, counseling, or financial issues. Truth be told, most have had some sort of exposure,” shares Linda Rotz, Lifetime’s Director of Adoption Services.
  
Once you discuss any issues with the social worker, they will evaluate and address the nature of the problems accordingly. Sometimes, a couple must take additional training or show growth and change in a specific area.  Certain felonies would disqualify a family, but each state has its own statutes, so it would be something the social worker would have to evaluate with you. 
 

What medical conditions prevent you from adopting? 

While most common chronic health conditions like anxiety or diabetes typically won’t prevent you from adopting a child, we prioritize ensuring that you are physically and mentally capable of providing long-term care for your child.
 
As long as you are actively managing your illness and it doesn’t hinder your ability to care for your child, your health should not disqualify you from adoption. This requirement is not intended to discriminate, but rather to ensure that you will be available to care for your child in the future.
 

Can you adopt with criminal record? 

A key factor in determining eligibility for adoption is your criminal background. Regardless of the agency you choose, all prospective adoptive parents must undergo a home study, which includes background checks.
 
However, having a criminal history doesn’t automatically disqualify you from adopting. For non-violent offenses, your adoption professional may review the circumstances with you to understand the nature of the charge. Misdemeanor violent offenses are often evaluated individually by a judge.
 
Certain felonies found on your record may disqualify you from adopting. These offenses are typically grounds for disqualification:

• Domestic violence
• Child abuse
• Abandonment
• Neglect
• Violent offenses
• Drug-related offenses

Other Disqualifiers for Adoption 

Your financial situation is another important factor in determining whether you can adopt. You don’t need to be extremely wealthy or debt-free, just financially stable. As long as you can adequately support both yourself and a child, your finances won’t prevent you from adopting. If your current financial situation might be a barrier, this is something that could improve over time.
 
A secure and stable living environment is essential for a child’s emotional and physical well-being. Living in an unsafe neighborhood, frequent moves, or an overcrowded or unsuitable home may lead to disqualification.  We prioritize placing children in environments that foster growth, security, and long-term stability.
 
Your home study provider will carefully assess your family dynamics to ensure the child will be placed in a home where they can thrive emotionally. Persistent relationship or marital issues, especially if they create tension or instability, may signal that the environment is not ideal for raising a child.
 
Finally, a history of domestic violence is a serious concern, even if it’s no longer occurring. Since Lifetime prioritizes the safety and well-being of the child, any past incidents of violence raise red flags about the potential risks in the home. Our goal is to place children in environments that provide love, security, and the emotional stability necessary for them to grow into well-adjusted individuals.
 

Lifetime Adoption’s Screening Process

Our screening process includes what is legally required to adopt and often goes above and beyond those basic adoption requirements. In other words, we implement our screening process in addition to the minimum adoption requirements to meet the needs of the specific expectant mother requests we are receiving.
 
The most important task for our adoption professionals is to look out for the well-being of our birth mothers and their children. We do that by helping birth families find the perfect family for their babies. All of our services are free for birth mothers so they can focus on what’s most important: finding a new home for their child and deciding on the limits of the open adoption arrangement.
 
Expectant mothers put their trust in Lifetime Adoption. They want our caring and compassionate adoption professionals to think first and foremost about the future welfare of their baby. We work hard to earn this trust during every step of their adoption process.
 
Additionally, our experienced staff knows to listen to what expectant mothers are looking for in adoptive families. We must have a balance of adoptive parents with various interests and traits, living in different parts of the country, and being open to a wide array of adoption preferences.
 
That’s one of the reasons we are so thorough in our screening process for adoptive families. In fact, we accept just 17% of all adoptive parents who apply to our adoption agency.
 
Finally, adoptive families we accept into our program may find that the only disqualification that matters is that of the birth mother. Ultimately, the choice of an adoptive family is hers — and hers alone.
 
But not to worry; we take care of our adoptive families, too. We also work hard for them so they can realize their dream of adopting a child and making them part of the family.
 
For additional information on this topic, browse the resources the Child Welfare Information Gateway offers. It’s part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. They have lots of information about the adoption requirements for adopting a baby, adoption home studies, and much more.
 
You can always contact Lifetime Adoption if you have any questions.
 

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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on March 10, 2021, and has since been updated.