Adoption in the United States

rdf:langString Adoption in the United States

rdf:langString In the United States, adoption is the process of creating a legal parent-child relationship between a child and a parent who was not automatically recognized as the child's parent at birth. Most adoptions in the US are adoptions by a stepparent. The second most common type is a foster care adoption. In those cases, the child is unable to live with the birth family, and the government is overseeing the care and adoption of the child. International adoptions involve the adoption of a child who was born outside the United States. A private adoption is an adoption that was independently arranged without the involvement of a government agency. Between five and seven million Americans are adoptees. About 150,000 adoptions happen each year, including about 50,000 foster-care adoptions. While most adoptions involve minor children (under the age of 18), adult adoption is also possible.