Adoption is a beautiful way to create lifelong relationships between children and families. You give children the best start in life by providing them with a stable, legal, and emotional home. It offers them the opportunity to experience the love and security of a family that will be there for them throughout their lives. Adoption allows both adoptive parents and children to build unique bonds that will last forever.
File an adoption petition
The right to file a petition is available to any person over eighteen who lives in the state or has resided there for at least twelve months before filing.
If the applicant is married, both spouses must sign the adoption application, except when one of them is the biological father of the child to be adopted.
Adoption approval
Adoption is a complex process that requires careful consideration of the child’s best interests. To ensure that these interests are taken into account, an adoption petition will only be filed if, prior to its filing, the child sought for adoption has been placed for adoption by an authorized placement agency or institution.
Approval is not required for certain adoptions, including those between blood relatives. This includes adopting a child by a relative such as a first cousin, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew.
These policies help ensure that the child’s best interests are considered and protected when making decisions about her future.
A new birth certificate
After the adoption, the clerk of the Court will immediately notify the Kentucky Cabinet of Health and Family Services. This is with the intention of making a new birth certificate conforming to the standard birth certificate form.
After a successful adoption, the clerk will report to the Kentucky Cabinet of Health and Family Services to create a new birth certificate. This certificate is an important document that will help ensure that all legal rights and privileges are afforded to the adoptive family.
In addition to the original birth certificate, a duplicate is filed and will be kept strictly confidential.