Many individuals grow up with a dream of one day becoming a parent. Adoption has become an increasingly popular choice for many people who have struggled to conceive, have a relative who has relinquished their parental rights or who always longed to be a mom or dad. If you’re considering adopting a child, then you may wonder what the requirements are to do so here in Wisconsin.

One of the more common questions individuals ask about adoption is whether they have to be married to adopt a child. The answer is no. Both singles and married couples qualify to adopt a child in Wisconsin. It’s also lawful for a divorced person, a first-time parent or a stepparent to pursue adoption.

Anyone wishing to adopt a child in Wisconsin must meet certain minimum standards. First, they must be 21 years or older. While a prospective adoptive parent doesn’t have to own their own home to be allowed to adopt, they must at least rent a place that provides adequate room for a child to move about. Anyone wanting to move forward with adoption must have enough income coming in to care for their adoptive son’s or daughter’s needs as well.

Prospective adoptive parents generally have to complete adoption workshops and successfully pass criminal background checks as well as mental and physical health screenings before they’ll even be considered for a placement. A social or caseworker is generally sent out to check out the home to make sure that you seem as loving and caring as you do on paper. They also do this to see if you can provide a safe environment for your child before any placement occurs.

Many different agencies have it as a goal to find homes for children who have become wards of the state or who have otherwise become available for private adoption. Many of these aren’t set up to help with stepparent and other types of familial adoptions though. This is where a family law attorney comes in. An Oshkosh lawyer can advise you whether you may qualify to adopt a child in Wisconsin and help guide you through the adoptive process here if you indeed can.