How much money does it take to adopt a child

Average Adoption Costs — How Much Does It Cost to Adopt

Because of several serious health conditions, Leah Atkins knew that when she and her husband were ready to expand their family, adoption was the way to do it.

Atkins, an interior designer in Lawrenceville, GA, says she and her husband carefully chose an adoption agency that felt like a good fit for them, but they also wanted an agency that focused on the birth mother during and after the adoption. They found the agency and the birth moms, and now the couple has two children.

While they planned for the adoption costs, the numbers still shocked them. “We knew that it wasn’t cheap, but we had no idea just how expensive it truly was,” said the mom-of-two. “A lot of it goes towards legal fees, which is understandable, but can still be frustrating.”

While talking about adoption costs can be uncomfortable, Atkins said it’s necessary. “Bringing money into any conversation about adopting a human child sure makes it feel taboo. I think it is important for all parties involved in adoption to educate themselves thoroughly as well as see a therapist to work through any emotions that come up during the process.”

Average adoption costs can vary greatly based on the type of adoption and circumstances around the adoption. If you are considering adopting a child, these are some of the costs you can expect so that you can begin planning for your family’s future.

The three types of adoption

There are three routes to adopting a child:

Domestic Adoption: Adopting an infant in the United States
International Adoption: Adopting a child from another country
Foster-to-Adopt: Adopting a child from the foster care system

“Researching the various types of adoption is an important part of beginning the adoption journey,” said Rita L. Soronen, President and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. “The costs of each kind of adoption differ widely. It is important to know that there are also many options for financial assistance for families hoping to adopt and that understanding these options can go a long way toward alleviating the worry about cost.”

Cost of a domestic adoption

According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the average costs of adopting a child in the United States is between $20,000 and $45,000. This price can cover legal fees, home studies, travel and lodging, court fees, and medical and living expenses for the birth parent. Soronen said it’s important to get clarity from the adoption agency or the attorney involved on specific costs prior to making a commitment.

Parents can expect a private adoption agency to be more expensive. However, some agencies will offer a sliding scale based on the adoptive parents’ income.

For an independent domestic adoption, parents find the birth mother without an agency and use an adoption lawyer to facilitate all of the legal aspects and paperwork. Costs can range from $15,000 to $40,000, according to the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Adoption costs by state may differ since adoption laws vary state to state.

Cost of an international adoption

Depending on the country of adoption, international adoption costs will vary greatly. Parents should plan to pay between $20,000 and $50,000 for an international adoption, according to the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Be sure to budget for multiple trips to the country before and during the adoption process and add the extra expenses of travel and hotel costs.

Cost of adoption through foster care

Morgan Lampp and her wife Mara Hill dreamed of adopting a baby and were surprised to learn that in their home state of Florida, foster care adoption costs were almost nothing. “Through our adoption classes it was very clear that there would be little to nothing out of pocket with our adoption,” says Lampp. “The classes, home study, fingerprints and background checks — all covered. Even our lawyer costs for adoption were covered in full.”

While every state has different rules and fees associated with adoption through foster care and every case is different, for this couple, the process moved very quickly. “Last year we had our home study completed and within a month we were matched with our baby Kai. She was officially adopted by us at the end of May,” said Hill.

According to Soronen, here’s what prospective parents need to know about adoption through foster care:

Adoption from foster care entails working with the public child welfare system and their contract agencies.

Since the agency holds custody until they are adopted, most of the fees are the responsibility of the public system.

There are some costs that can occur, including home studies or other out of pocket fees, but these are typically reimbursable and range from $0-$3,000.

Children adopted from foster care often qualify for state or federal subsidies that follow the child through age 18 or in some circumstances until age 21.

Many states also offer educational vouchers for youth adopted from foster care. This can include college or trade schools.

New parents Lampp and Hill said they hope adoption through foster care is one that more hopeful parents will explore. “We encourage anyone interested in adopting because these children need a safe and loving environment, and a forever family. If money is something stopping you, know that this may be a route for you.”

Unexpected adoption fees

Even with careful planning, there may be additional fees and expenses that prospective parents should budget for during the adoption process. “Depending on the circumstance and age of a child when adopted, there may be a need for post-adoption medical or mental health assistance,” said Soronen.

There may also be legal fees to consider. “Since adoption is a legal exchange, families may want to consider engaging an attorney, even if one is not required, to assure that all aspects of the adoption are handled appropriately. ”

How to pay adoption costs

While the cost of adoption can be expensive, there are a variety of ways to save and pay for adoption, including:

Federal and state subsidies for foster care adoption
Loans and grants for individuals
Employer benefits
Military reimbursements

The bottom line

“The adoption journey is one that, in the end, joyfully creates or expands a family and provides a child a permanent and loving home,” says Soronen. “Although costs can be a challenging part of that journey, there are multiple options and supports available.”

How Much Does It Cost to Adopt a Child?

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The adoption process can be long and cost anywhere from less than $1,000 to more than $50,000.

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Bringing a child into your family is a big decision, emotionally and financially. The process can be long and cost anywhere from less than $1,000 to more than $50,000. Here’s a breakdown of the different ways you can grow your family through adoption — and how much you could expect to spend.

How much does adoption cost?

The cost of adoption depends on the type of adoption you pursue. As you consider how you might want to move forward, keep in mind there are several ways to pay for adoption, from fundraisers and grants to personal loans.

Public agency adoption

How it works: Adopting children through the public welfare system often means beginning as a foster parent. Each state has its own agency, which oversees licensing, education, placement and support for adoptive families.

What it costs: Adoption from foster care is a low-cost option for parents. Child Welfare Information Gateway, a service of the Children’s Bureau under the federal Office of the Administration for Children and Families, characterizes foster care adoption as “virtually free of cost.” The majority of foster adoptions cost less than $1,000, according to the most recent Adoptive Families magazine adoption cost survey conducted in 2016-17.

This path to adoption is inexpensive because of state and federal adoption assistance programs put in place to make it more accessible and appealing to adopt children who are in foster care. These children are often older and may have experienced trauma or have special needs.

Helpful resource: The Children’s Bureau offers a state-by-state guide to adoption assistance.

Private adoption

How it works: Parents can work with an adoption agency or attorney to find and adopt children in the U.S. Generally, the process of adopting a child is similar whether you work through a private agency or independently with the help of an attorney. It involves a home study, placement, counseling, training and legal documentation.

What it costs: The cost of a private adoption varies. Working with an agency, you can expect to spend between $30,000 and $60,000, according to the Child Welfare Information Gateway. It’s slightly less expensive to pursue an independent adoption, which involves working with an attorney. That process ranges in cost from $25,000 to $45,000. Private adoptions are more likely to involve newborns. That means in addition to paying for the adoption process, you would also cover the birth mother’s medical and other expenses.

Intercountry adoption

How it works: This path involves working with private or public adoption agencies in countries outside the United States. The process and fees vary by country and depend on the organization you work with, which could be a government office, agency, orphanage, nonprofit or an individual like an attorney. Some aspects of the process are unique. You’ll have to work through the immigration process, including applying for passports and travel visas, and navigate foreign legal systems. The road can be long. Child Welfare Information Gateway estimates intercountry adoption can take one to five years to complete.

What it costs: On average, intercountry adoption costs $20,000 to $50,000.

Expenses that may arise when adopting a child

Home study

A home study marks the beginning of the adoption process.

During a home study, prospective parents — and their family members — are checked out to make sure they would provide a safe and loving place for a child. A home study requires you to produce documents, including financial statements, employment records and a letter from your doctor about your latest physical. You’d also undergo background checks and interviews. This evaluation phase can cost from $2,000 to $4,000, according to The Gladney Center for Adoption, an adoption agency based in Fort Worth, Texas. That price may be adjusted based on your family’s income.

This step in the process also includes education and training. Some of it may be provided by the state agency that administers the home study at a cost ranging from $300 to $600. Additional hours of training are likely required and would be done on your own through books or online courses, which can cost $100 to $200 per person.

Lastly, during the home study, you’ll agree to a post-placement reporting phase. In the United States, a social worker visits the family multiple times over a six-month period after the child has been placed in the home. Fees for post-placement reporting can range from $1,500 to $2,000.

Search fees

When working with a private agency or an attorney, a major expense in the process goes to searching for and getting matched with a birth mother. Fees for a consultant and advertising may be rolled into an adoption agency’s overall fee. But if you’re pursuing an independent adoption, you’ll likely pay for these services separately and costs can range more widely, depending on how and where you want to advertise. The Gladney Center estimates consulting and advertising can cost between $3,000 and $7,000 for an independent adoption.

Birth mother expenses

People adopting a newborn will be responsible for paying the birth mother’s expenses. This can include medical bills and some living expenses, as well as counseling, legal fees and travel. The Gladney Center estimates these expenses can cost between $6,000 and $8,000 for parents pursuing a private adoption.

Legal fees

There are a lot of legal requirements in adoption, including terminating the rights of the birth parents, court filings, negotiating birth mother expenses and finalizing the adoption after the post-placement reporting period. An adoption agency may roll some of these expenses into its overall fee.

If you’re pursuing an independent adoption, legal fees will be the bulk of your expenses, costing between $7,000 and $15,000.

Travel

Travel costs can crop up for domestic adoptions, though they’re most significant in intercountry adoptions. Distance is a key factor in how much you’ll pay for travel. Another is time. You might be waiting days or weeks for the final legal approval to bring a child home, especially when crossing state lines or country borders.

For private domestic adoptions, you could pay up to $3,000 in travel expenses, according to the Gladney Center. (You could look at getting a travel credit card to offset some of those expenses. )

Estimates vary for intercountry adoption-related travel. The cost can depend on the country where the child is living and the organization you’re working with. In a cost estimate on its website, New Beginnings — an international adoption agency based in New York — says the adoption of a child in South Korea could include $6,000 to $9,000 in travel expenses. The Child Welfare Information Gateway advised in a September 2020 intercountry adoption guide that adoptive parents are often required to be in the child’s country to finalize the adoption. It may require multiple, extended visits.

Raising a child

Adoption in itself can be a long and expensive process, but that’s only a precursor to the full cost of raising a child. New parents should budget for those expenses, which can top $21,000 in the first year alone.

About the author: Taryn Phaneuf is a writer at NerdWallet. Read more

On a similar note...

One-time allowance for the transfer of a child to a family (at the expense of the budget of St.

Petersburg)

Applicants have the right to a pre-trial (out-of-court) appeal against decisions and actions (inaction) taken (carried out) by the Administration, officials of the Administration, civil servants of the Administration in the course of providing public services. The pre-trial (out-of-court) appeal procedure does not exclude the possibility of appealing against decisions and actions (inaction) taken (carried out) in the course of providing public services in court. The pre-trial (out-of-court) appeal procedure is not mandatory for the applicant.

The procedure for pre-trial (out-of-court) appeal against decisions and actions (inaction) of the executive body providing the public service, officials of the executive body providing the public service is determined by Federal Law No. 210-FZ.

Information on the procedure for filing and considering a complaint is provided to applicants by posting information on the page of the Administration and the Committee for Social Policy of St. Petersburg on the official website of the Administration of St. Petersburg, on the portal, as well as using telephone means, in writing, by e-mail, upon personal appointment.

The applicant may file a complaint in the following cases:

violation of the deadline for registering a request for the provision of a public service;
violation of the term for the provision of public services;
requiring the applicant to provide documents or information or perform actions, the submission or implementation of which is not provided for by the regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation, regulatory legal acts of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation for the provision of public services;
refusal to accept documents, the provision of which is provided for by the regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation, the regulatory legal acts of St. Petersburg for the provision of public services, from the applicant;
refusal to provide a public service, if the grounds for refusal are not provided for by federal laws and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation adopted in accordance with them, regulatory legal acts of St. Petersburg;
requirement from the applicant when providing a public service of a fee not provided for by the regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation, the regulatory legal acts of St. Petersburg;
refusal of the Administration, an official of the Administration, a civil servant of the Administration to correct typographical errors and errors in documents issued as a result of the provision of a public service, or violation of the deadline for such corrections;
violation of the term or procedure for issuing documents based on the results of the provision of public services;
suspension of the provision of a public service, if the grounds for suspension are not provided for by federal laws and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation adopted in accordance with them, laws and other regulatory legal acts of St. Petersburg;
requirement from the applicant when providing the public service of documents or information, the absence and (or) unreliability of which was not indicated upon the initial refusal to accept the documents necessary for the provision of the public service, or in the provision of the public service, except for the cases provided for in clause 4 of part 1 of the article 7 of Federal Law No. 210-FZ.

If the complaint is filed through a representative, a document confirming the authority to act on behalf of the complainant is also submitted. As a document confirming the authority to act on behalf of the applicant, the following can be submitted:

power of attorney issued in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation (for individuals).

Subject of complaint

The complaint must contain:

name of the Administration, position and surname, first name, patronymic (last name, if any) of an official or civil servant of the Administration whose decisions and actions (inaction) are being appealed;
last name, first name, patronymic (the last one - if available), information about the place of residence of the applicant-individual, as well as the contact phone number (numbers), email address (s) (if any) and the postal address to which the application should be sent response to the applicant;
information about the appealed decisions and actions (inaction) of the Administration, an official of the Administration or a civil servant of the Administration, including in the case of filing a complaint with the MFC or through the portal-type of violation specified in paragraph 5. 1.1 of the administrative regulation;
arguments on the basis of which the applicant does not agree with the decision and action (inaction) of the Administration, an official of the Administration or a civil servant of the Administration. The applicant may submit documents (if any) confirming the applicant's arguments, or copies thereof.

Executive bodies and officials authorized to consider a complaint, to whom a complaint can be sent in a pre-trial (out-of-court) procedure

The complaint is submitted to the Administration providing the public service.

A complaint against decisions and actions (inaction) of the head of the Administration may also be filed with the Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg, who directly coordinates and controls the activities of the Administration, or, in his absence, with the head of the Administration.

Methods for filing and handling a complaint

A complaint may be filed:

in electronic form;
in writing on paper.

Submission of a complaint on paper is carried out:

by mail;
through the MFC;
at the personal reception of the applicant at the Administration (at the place of provision of the public service, i.e. at the place where the applicant applied for a public service, the violation of the procedure for the provision of which is being appealed, or at the place where the applicant received the result of the specified public service).

At a personal reception, the applicant presents a document proving his identity in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

The documents specified in paragraph 5.1.2 of the Administrative Regulations may be submitted in electronic form, while the identity document of the applicant is not required.

An electronic complaint is filed through the official website of the Administration of St. Petersburg (domain name of the site on the Internet - gov.spb. ru) in the section of the Administration, portal (domain name of the site on the Internet - gu.spb.ru) .

Filling out an application for consideration of a complaint through the portal is carried out by the applicant personally, subject to the authorization of the applicant on the portal through the ESIA.

Complaint Procedure

A complaint against decisions and actions (inaction) of the Administration, its officials and civil servants is considered by the Administration.

A complaint against decisions and actions (inaction) of the head of the Administration is considered by a higher authority.

The MFC, in case of filing a complaint through the MFC, ensures the transfer of the complaint to the Administration in the manner and terms established by the agreement on interaction between the MFC and the Administration, but no later than the next working day from the date of receipt of the complaint.

If the complaint is filed by the applicant with a body whose competence does not include making a decision on the complaint, within three working days from the date of its registration, the said body sends the complaint to the body authorized to consider it and informs the complainant in writing about the redirection of the complaint. In this case, the period for considering a complaint is calculated from the date of registration of the complaint with the body authorized to consider it.

If a different procedure (procedure) for filing and considering complaints is established by federal law in respect of a complaint received, the provisions of this section shall not apply, and the applicant shall be notified that his complaint will be considered in the manner and within the time limits stipulated by federal law.

The administration has the right to leave the complaint unanswered in the following cases:

presence in the complaint of obscene or offensive language, threats to life, health and property of an official, as well as members of his family;
the inability to read any part of the text of the complaint, the last name, first name, patronymic (if any) and (or) the postal address of the applicant indicated in the complaint.

If the complaint is left unanswered, the Administration, within three working days from the date of registration of the complaint, informs the citizen who filed the complaint about this, if his name and postal address are legible.

Deadlines for considering a complaint

The term for considering a complaint is calculated from the date of registration of the complaint with the Administration.

A complaint received by the Administration is subject to registration no later than the next working day from the date of its receipt. The complaint is subject to consideration by an official, an employee empowered to consider complaints, within fifteen working days from the date of its registration, unless shorter periods for considering a complaint are established by the Administration.

In the event of an appeal against the refusal of the Administration to accept documents from the applicant or to correct typographical errors and (or) errors, or in case of an appeal against a violation of the deadline for such corrections, the complaint is considered within five working days from the date of its registration.

Result of consideration of the complaint

Based on the results of consideration of the complaint, the Administration makes one of the following decisions:

the complaint is satisfied, including in the form of cancellation of the decision, correction of misprints and errors in documents issued as a result of the provision of public services, return to the applicant of funds, the collection of which is not provided for by the regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation, regulatory legal acts of St. Petersburg ;
refuses to satisfy the complaint.

This decision is taken in the form of an act of the Administration.

Based on the results of the audit, if there are no arguments in the complaint confirming the existence of the type of violation of the procedure for the provision of services indicated by the applicant, the official responsible for considering the complaint makes a decision to refuse to consider the complaint on the merits due to the inconsistency of the information contained in the complaint with the indicated type of violation.

The administration refuses to satisfy the complaint in the following cases:

the presence of a court decision that has entered into legal force, an arbitration court on a complaint about the same subject and on the same grounds;
filing a complaint by a person whose powers have not been confirmed in the manner prescribed by the legislation of the Russian Federation;
the presence of a decision on the complaint, taken earlier in accordance with the requirements of the administrative regulations in relation to the same applicant and on the same subject of the complaint.

If, during or as a result of the consideration of a complaint, signs of an administrative offense or crime are established, the official, employee empowered to consider complaints in accordance with paragraph 5.3 of the administrative regulation, immediately send the available materials to the prosecutor's office.

Procedure for informing the applicant about the results of the consideration of the complaint

Upon satisfaction of the complaint, the Administration takes comprehensive measures to eliminate the identified violations, including the issuance of the result of the public service to the applicant, no later than five working days from the date of the decision, unless otherwise provided by the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Not later than the day following the day of the decision, the applicant in writing and at the request of the applicant in electronic form shall be sent a reasoned response on the results of the consideration of the complaint.

In response to the results of the consideration of the complaint, the following shall be indicated:

name of the Administration, position, surname, name, patronymic (if any) of its official who made the decision on the complaint;
number, date, place of the decision, including information about the official, employee whose decision or action (inaction) is being appealed;
surname, name, patronymic (if any) or name of the applicant;
grounds for making a decision on the complaint;
decision made on the complaint;
if the complaint is found to be justified - the deadlines for eliminating the identified violations, including the deadline for providing the result of the public service;
if the complaint is found unfounded - reasoned explanations about the reasons for the decision, as well as information on the procedure for appealing the decision.

Also, in the response on the results of the consideration of the complaint, they apologize for the inconvenience caused and indicate information on further actions that the applicant needs to take in order to receive the public service.

The response based on the results of the consideration of the complaint is signed by an official of the Administration authorized to consider the complaint, endowed with the authority to consider complaints.

At the request of the applicant, a response based on the results of consideration of the complaint may be submitted no later than the day following the day the decision was made, in the form of an electronic document signed by an electronic signature of an official of the Administration authorized to consider the complaint, the form of which is established by the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Procedure for appealing a decision on a complaint

The decision made as a result of consideration of the complaint may be appealed to the Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg, who directly coordinates and controls the activities of the Administrations (Smolny proezd, 1, letter B, St. Petersburg, 191060, tel. (812) 576-62- 62, adm@gov. spb.ru), to the Government of St. Petersburg, as well as to the court in the manner and within the time limits stipulated by the current legislation.

The applicant has the right to receive information and documents necessary to substantiate and consider the complaint.

Informing applicants about the procedure for filing and considering a complaint is carried out by posting information on the portal.

Informing applicants about the procedure for appealing decisions and actions (inaction) is also carried out when the applicant contacts by phone, e-mail addresses, as well as in person at the addresses indicated on the official website of the Administration and on the portal.

The provisions of this section, which establish the procedure for filing and considering complaints of applicants about violations of their rights in the provision of public services, do not apply to relations regulated by the Federal Law "On the Procedure for Considering Appeals from Citizens of the Russian Federation" (Law No. 59-FZ).

Complaints of applicants about the organization of the provision of public services in the Administration are submitted and considered in the manner prescribed by Law No. 59-FZ.

procedure and legal consequences of adoption, what is needed, conditions, documents, consent of the child, rights and obligations of adoptive parents brought up 37 thousand children.

In the understanding of many people, "to adopt a child" means to take an orphan from an orphanage. However, from a legal point of view, everything is not so simple. Today in Russia there are several forms of family placement for children, and they are regulated differently by law.

I worked in the guardianship and guardianship authorities for 17 years, 14 of them as a supervisor. In the article I will tell you who and under what conditions has the right to take a child into a family, what documents are required for adoption and how the procedure takes place.

What is adoption of a child

In Russia, there are several forms of placement of orphans and children left without parental care. Federal legislation establishes three main ones: adoption, guardianship and guardianship, foster family. At the regional level, others may be provided, but so far this is only patronage. Briefly describe how they differ from each other.

Custody and guardianship. The most common form of placement for children: often used as an intermediate step on the path to adoption.

Guardianship and Custody Act

Guardianship is established over children under 14 years of age, and guardianship over minors from 14 to 18 years of age. Guardians and trustees have all the rights and obligations of a legal representative in matters of upbringing, education, maintenance of the child and responsibility for him.

Unlike the guardian, the guardian is liable for harm caused by the ward. He is also obliged to make all transactions on behalf of the ward, except for those that the child can conclude personally: for example, these are donation transactions when a minor receives some thing or money as a gift.

Art. 1073, paragraph 2 of Art. 26 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation

The trustee usually must give consent to the transactions of the ward, with a few exceptions: for example, minors aged 14 to 18 years have the right to independently manage their income or make small household transactions.

Art. 12.1 of the Federal Law on state benefits to citizens with children

p. 3 art. 38.1 of the Social Code of the Belgorod Region

Monthly, the guardian and trustee are paid an allowance for the maintenance of an orphan child. Its size depends on the region: for example, in the Belgorod region, where I live, in 2022 the allowance is 10,310 R.

In addition, guardians are entitled to a one-time payment from the federal budget - 22,472.77 RUR. This amount is set for all guardians from the Russian Federation, regardless of place of residence.

Lump-sum allowance when a child is brought up to a family

If a child is brought up by a guardian or custodian, the biological parents are not released from the obligation to support him and must monthly transfer alimony to his personal account: the amount of alimony is determined by the court.

Art. 148, paragraph 2 of Art. 71 SK RF

At the same time, the guardian decides whether the biological parents will be able to communicate with the child, but if the child is 10 years old, then his opinion will also be taken into account.

Art. 148.1 SK RF

Foster family. This form of arrangement is similar to guardianship, but in addition to child support and a lump sum payment, foster parents also receive remuneration for their work.

Art. 152 SK RF

The amount depends on the region of residence. For example, in 2022 in Moscow it is 18,150 R, and if a family accepts a child with a disability, then the amount of the payment will be higher - 30,885 R.

Clause 2.5.1 of Appendix 1 to the Decree of the Government of Moscow on establishing the amount of social payments for 2022

In the Belgorod Region, foster parents are paid 8288 R per month for the first child taken into the family, and for each subsequent adopted child the amount is increased by 20%. If a family accepts up to four children, the remuneration is paid to one of the parents, five or more children to both. In rural areas, there is still a monthly supplement of 25% of the remuneration due to foster parents. Foster parents have more privileges than guardians: they are provided with a 50% discount on utility bills, fuel, gas, telephone.

paragraph 5 art. 148.1 of the RF IC

Law of the Belgorod Region on Foster Family

Law of the Belgorod Region on Amendments to Article 2 of the Law of the Belgorod Region “On Foster Family”

The seniority can be accrued to both one parent and both - it all depends on who has concluded a civil law contract with guardianship.

Art. 7 Federal Law on compulsory pension insurance

The foster child and biological parents can communicate. Foster parents have the right to prevent this only if communication does not meet the interests of the child.

Section 5, Art. 148.1 SK RF

Patronage . Foster care is a relatively new form of family structure, in which the rights and obligations to protect the rights of children are delimited between the foster caregiver and the guardianship and guardianship authority. Laws supporting patronage have been adopted in 42 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, for example, in Moscow, Vladimir, Kaluga, Ivanovo and Kaliningrad regions.

Laws and regulations on patronage of the Moscow, Vladimir, Kaluga, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad regions shelter.

The child is transferred to foster care under a fixed-term contract. The period of stay in the family is set individually: it can be a short period - up to six months or a long one - over six months. The maximum term is until the minor reaches the age of eighteen.

For a long time, a child is placed in a foster family only if, for some reason, it is not possible to transfer the child to a guardian, custodian or foster family. In this case, the foster family receives a monthly allowance from the state for the maintenance of the child. The amount is similar to that allocated for guardianship and guardianship. But the right to receive a one-time allowance when a child is adopted into a family does not apply to foster parents.

Foster care gives the child the opportunity to prepare for an independent adult life - this is difficult to do in an orphanage. But this form of arrangement has one big drawback - children often become attached to new families and parting with it causes them stress. With all this, the child does not lose touch with the blood family: he can maintain relations with his parents, if they are not deprived of parental rights and do not pose a danger to him, brothers, sisters and other people significant to him.

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9 uncomfortable questions about orphans

Adoption. The Family Code of the Russian Federation considers this form of placement of children a priority: only it allows you to most effectively ensure both the interests of the child and the interests of foster parents.

Adoptive parents completely replace the child's parents. Here there is no such temporary nature of upbringing as in guardianship, guardianship or when transferring a child to a foster family. The state does not provide adoptive parents with any special assistance, with the exception of social support measures established in each subject separately, as well as measures that are provided to all families with children on a general basis.

Adoptive parents can change the child's first and last name. For children under one year old, even the date of birth can be changed, but not more than three months from the actual one. This happens in order to ensure the secrecy of the adoption, as well as for other reasons, if the court considers them valid. In my practice, there was such a case: the spouses raised an adopted boy born on September 8, 2007, and then adopted a girl born on July 25, 2007. The adoptive parents asked the court to change the boy's date of birth to July 25, 2007, so that the children could be considered twins. The court granted the request.

Art. 139 SK RF

art. 155 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

In many regions, adoptive parents receive benefits for an adopted child. To apply for it, you must apply to the guardianship authorities at the place of residence. For example, in the Belgorod region, the amount of the allowance depends on how much money was allocated for the monthly maintenance of a child in an orphanage in the current year, the adoptive parent is entitled to 50% of this amount. And in the Stavropol Territory, a monthly allowance for adoptive parents is not provided, but a lump sum payment is made - 150,000 R.

cl. 1 art. 60 of the social code of the Belgorod region

art. 2 of the Law of the Stavropol Territory on the amount and procedure for assigning a lump-sum allowance to adoptive parents

In Moscow, the monthly compensation payment to persons who have adopted or adopted an orphan child or a child left without parental care in the city of Moscow is:

18 937 R for each child from 0 to 12 years old who is not a disabled child;
25 249Р for each child from 12 to 18 years old who is not a child with a disability;
31,561 R for each disabled child.

Clause 2.9 of Appendix 1 to the Decree of the Government of Moscow on setting the amount of social payments for 2022

Also, adoptive parents are entitled to a lump-sum allowance, which is issued for all forms of family placement. From February 1, 2022, this is 20,472.77 R. But in the case of the adoption of a disabled child, a child over seven years old, as well as children who are brothers or sisters, the allowance will be higher - 156,428.66 R. To receive a payment, you need to apply to the Pension Fund at the place of residence.

Lump-sum allowance for transferring a child to a family

What is the difference between the forms of placement of a child in a family

Form	Who is considered the child's parents	What rights do carers have	What are the duties of caregivers	How the government supports child caregivers
Adoption	Adoptive parents	The rights of adoptive parents are identical to those of natural parents	Obligations of adoptive parents are identical to those of blood parents	Adoptive parents receive payments provided by the regional authorities. Also, adoptive parents receive the right to use maternity capital, if it was not used by the birth mother, and all child benefits in accordance with age. A child who at the time of adoption has the right to a pension and benefits due to the death of his parents retains this right after adoption
Guardianship	Blood family	The guardian or custodian has the right to raise the child and act as his legal representative	Guardians and trustees are obliged to take care of the maintenance of the wards, to provide them with care and treatment, to protect their rights and interests. At the same time, biological parents are not released from the obligation to pay alimony	Guardians and custodians receive a one-time allowance upon adoption of a child into a family, allowance for the maintenance of a ward, alimony payments, survivor's pension, if the child is entitled to it
Foster family	Blood family	Similar rights as under guardianship	Similar duties as under guardianship	The foster family receives a one-time allowance for the adoption of a child into a family, a monthly remuneration to the foster parent for the performance of duties and an allowance for the maintenance of a child in the guardian's family, depending on the legislation of the region, benefits for utilities. The period while the child is in the family is counted towards the foster parents in the insurance period
Patronage	Blood family	Determine the daily routine of the pupil, resolve current issues of the pupil's life in accordance with the plan for the protection of the rights of the child and the concluded agreement	Raise a child, protect his rights and legitimate interests, take care of his health and development	The amount of payment for a foster caregiver is determined by a fixed-term employment contract of the region. The monthly payment to foster care providers for the maintenance of an orphan child or a child left without parental care is established by each region separately

Adoption

Who is considered the parents of the child

adoptive parents

What rights arise in people to care for the child

Rights of the adoptive parents are identical to blood parents

What are the obligations to ensure child care

The obligations of adoptive parents are identical to those of natural parents

How the state supports persons providing care for a child

Adoptive parents receive benefits provided by the regional authorities. Also, adoptive parents receive the right to use maternity capital, if it was not used by the birth mother, and all child benefits in accordance with age. A child who at the time of adoption is entitled to a pension and benefits due to the death of his parents retains this right after adoption

Custody and guardianship

Who is considered the child's parents

Blood family

What rights do caregivers have

A guardian or custodian has the right to raise a child and act as his legal representative.

What obligations do persons who provide care for a child have? At the same time, biological parents are not released from the obligation to pay alimony

How the state supports child caregivers

Guardians and caregivers receive a one-time allowance for the adoption of a child into a family, support for the maintenance of a ward, alimony payments, survivor's pension, if the child is entitled to it

Foster family

3 Who is considered the child's parents

Blood family

What rights do caregivers have

Similar rights as in guardianship and guardianship

What are the obligations of persons providing care for a child

Similar obligations as in guardianship and custody

How the state supports persons providing care for a child for the performance of duties and allowance for the maintenance of a child in the family of the guardian, depending on the legislation of the region, benefits for utilities. The period while the child is in the family is counted towards the foster parents in the insurance period

Foster care

Who is considered the child’s parents

Blood family

What rights do caregivers have

Determine the child’s daily routine, resolve current issues of the child’s life in accordance with the contract and child protection plan

What are the responsibilities of those who care for a child

Raise a child, protect his rights and legitimate interests, take care of his health and development

How the state supports child caregivers

The amount of payment for a foster caregiver is determined by the region's fixed-term employment contract. Monthly payment to foster care for the maintenance of an orphan or a child left without parental care is established by each region separately

Who can adopt a child

Married couples or single adults can adopt a child: if citizens are not married to each other, they cannot jointly adopt the same child.

Art. 128 SK RF

Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation on approval of the rules for the transfer of children for adoption

Another important condition is that a man or woman must reach the age of majority, and the age difference between the adopter and the child must be at least 16 years. But if the adoptive parents are a married couple, and the age difference is less than the established norm with only one of them, then the guardianship department may, as an exception, give consent.

Other requirements for an adopter:

Legal capacity: own and spouse, if any.
Absence of conviction for grave and especially grave crimes.
A health condition that allows you to fulfill parental responsibilities: for example, a child will not be allowed to be adopted by patients with tuberculosis or people with disabilities of the first group.
Home ownership or rental.
Substitute parents have a school leaving certificate.
Lack of information about deprivation or restriction of parental rights, cancellation of adoption, removal from the duties of a guardian.

If there are several people who want to adopt a child, his relatives will have the priority right, but taking into account the interests of the adoptee: they are expressed in trusting relationships, attachment to relatives, long-term cohabitation.

Community 24.05.22

How is the secrecy of adoption protected in Russia?

Next, I will tell you what documents future parents will need to collect and how the adoption procedure goes.

Step 1

Get to know the guardianship authorities at your place of residence

As a rule, there is an adoption specialist in each district municipality. He can work both at the education department and at the department of social protection of the population: this needs to be clarified in the social protection or education authorities at the place of residence.

In some cities, for example, in St. Petersburg, Vladimir, Krasnoyarsk, special adoption and guardianship centers have been created, where future adoptive parents are assisted in paperwork, passing medical examinations, and selecting children. Such an integrated approach greatly simplifies and speeds up the entire procedure.

Center for Family and Children Assistance, St. Petersburg

Center for the Development of Family Forms of Education, Krasnoyarsk

Center for Psychological, Pedagogical, Medical and Social Assistance, Vladimir

At the first visit, candidates for adoptive parents should simply talk with an employee of the guardianship authority is, in fact, an acquaintance. The task of a specialist is to listen to you, to find out the motive for adoption, to understand how fully you understand the responsibility of such a step, whether your housing, family and material conditions meet the requirements of the law.

The guardian must explain your future rights and obligations in relation to the adopted child, the procedure for the adoption procedure, answer your questions, and issue the necessary forms, referrals and a list of documents. Here it is:

A copy of the adoptive parent's marriage certificate, if he is not married, then a copy of the birth certificate: sometimes the court asks him to see if the adoptive parent's surname has changed.
Passport copies.
Original and copy of the medical certificate for each of the adoptive parents.
Certificate of criminal record or non-conviction.
When a child is adopted by one of the spouses, the consent of the other spouse or a document confirming that the spouses have terminated family relations and have not lived together for more than a year.
Certificate from the place of work on the position held and salary, or a copy of the income statement or other document confirming the income of the adoptive parent or the family of adoptive parents.
Documents confirming the right to use the residential premises or the ownership of the residential premises.
Certificate of completion of training for persons wishing to adopt a child left without parental care into their family.
Curriculum vitae (needed only for the guardianship authority).

The main part of the documents is required to obtain an opinion from the guardianship authorities on the possibility of being an adoptive parent. Later, they will also be needed to apply for adoption to the court. Documents for the child will be prepared by guardianship officials.

Step 2

Obtain a certificate of no criminal record

I recommend that you start collecting documents from this certificate. Since the request is sent to the Main Information Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a response will have to wait from a week to a month.

An application for issuing a certificate can be filled out at the MFC or independently on the public services portal.

/guide/ne-sudim/

Why do you need a certificate of non-conviction

To order a certificate through the public services portal, you need to go to your personal account and select the public service: "Obtaining a certificate of the presence (absence) of a criminal record.

" Source: gosuslugi.ru This is what a certificate of no criminal record looks like

Step 3

Pass a medical examination

People without serious health problems can take a child from an orphanage.

The list of diseases preventing adoption includes:

Tuberculosis - patients of the 2nd and 3rd dispensary groups.
Infectious diseases.
Mental illnesses.
Drug and alcohol addiction, substance abuse.
Grade 3 and 4 malignancies.
The first group of disability.

List of diseases that make it impossible to adopt a child

A form for referral for a medical examination is issued by the guardianship and guardianship authorities along with a list of documents for adoption.

It will not be possible to pass an examination in private clinics: according to the law, only state medical institutions are engaged in this, and free of charge. The medical report will be valid for six months from the date of its approval by the chief physician or the head of the polyclinic.

Medical examination procedure and conclusion form

What is included in the medical examination - public services website

To avoid misunderstandings, immediately after issuing the completed form, you must carefully check whether everything is in order with the execution. In particular, the conclusion of each doctor must be certified by the round official seal of the institution.

A list of examinations and examinations that you will definitely need to pass. Source: gosuslugi.ru Conclusion form, which is issued to future adoptive parents

Step 4

Obtain a certificate of income and position

Applicants for adoptive parents must prove to the specialists of guardianship authorities the ability to financially support the child.

To do this, you will need to provide a certificate from the place of work on salary and position or copies of the income declaration certified by the tax office. The certificate is prepared in free form indicating the salary and other payments for 12 months.

/prava/opecunam/

What rights do guardians have

Step 5

Write a CV

CV is only for guardianship. It should reflect the main points of the life path: education, marriages and divorces, labor activity. Based on this information, the specialist judges the stability of the financial and family situation of the candidate for adoptive parents, as well as his experience of communicating with children. An autobiography should not be too voluminous: one or two A4 pages is enough. The document can be either written by hand or printed on a computer.

CV must include:

Personal information. Surname, name, patronymic; date and place of birth; information about parents or persons replacing them; information about sisters, brothers, if any; place of permanent registration and address of actual residence, if it differs from the address of registration.
Education. Basic education - years of study, school number and city where one is located. Higher education (if any) - years of study, name of the university, specialty.
Professional activity. Beginning of work experience - place of work and profession; listing periods of work and the name of employers, positions. The last place of employment is included with an indication of the position and salary; awards or events that positively characterize the candidate.
Marital status. Family composition: spouse, children (last name, first name, patronymic, date of birth, occupation). Data on previous marriages and divorces (if any): information about spouses and children born in these marriages; the facts of changing the surname (if any) indicating the reason and the previous surname.
Personal hobbies and additional information. Creative, sports, achievements in them; participation in public organizations, volunteer movement, awards and promotions; experience working with children or helping elderly relatives.

It is also necessary to briefly explain the reason for contacting the guardianship department.

Sample CV

Step 6

Complete a course or a school for adoptive parents

The list of required documents for adoption includes a certificate of completion of a program of psychological, pedagogical and legal training, or a school for future parents.

Art. 127 SK RF

Only close relatives of the child, namely grandparents, older full and half brothers and sisters, stepfathers and stepmothers, as well as those who are already a guardian, trustee or adoptive parent, can not be trained.

At school, prospective adoptive parents are helped to understand if they are ready for this serious step, and to figure out what form of guardianship will suit them; introduce the legislation, talk about the psychological difficulties that children and adults face both during the period of adaptation and after.

The length of study varies from school to school: a course can last from 56 to 80 academic hours. At the end, a final certification is carried out: after it, future adoptive parents will be issued a certificate of completion of training.

/child-custody/

I took three children from the orphanage

You can study for free at any school, regardless of the place of registration.

Foster Parent School Certificate Form

Step 7

Get an act of checking housing conditions

When all the documents on the list are collected and transferred to the guardianship authorities, the adoptive parents will be assigned an inspection check of living conditions.

The guardian must inspect the housing and assess whether the child can live there. If other people live in an apartment or house in addition to the adoptive parents, guardianship workers will take an interest in their state of health and the relationship that connects them with the candidates for adoptive parents.

For verification, potential adoptive parents provide:

An extract from the USRN confirming the ownership of housing or a contract of social or commercial employment.
Information on the number of residents registered in the housing.

/guide/get-egrn/

How to get an extract from the USRN

Adoptive parents are not required to provide any other documents other than the above. The conclusion on the possibility of being a candidate for adoptive parents and registration takes place within ten days after checking the housing conditions.

What should be the place of residence of the adoptive parent. The place of residence of a person wishing to adopt a child does not have to coincide with the place of his registration. But it is necessary to have a permanent registration. If the candidate is renting an apartment, he must provide a lease for more than one year. If living with relatives - a written agreement between them for the right to use.

A room in a hostel or apartment cannot be considered a permanent place of residence, no matter how comfortable it may be.

What should be the living conditions. In order for the child to live safely for his health and development, the living space of the adoptive parent must comply with sanitary standards. The main criterion is the availability of communal amenities: water supply, sewerage, central heating, gas supply, and so on.

Guardianship authorities can evaluate this without involving SES, BTI and other third-party organizations.

There are no federal restrictions on the size of housing for adoptive parents - the issue is at the mercy of the regions. For example, in Moscow, there should be at least 18 m² per person. But even when this rule is not observed, the final decision remains with the court: if the adoption is in the interests of the child, permission can be given to families with a smaller apartment area.

Art. 50 ZhK RF

Law on amendments to the RF IC

Step 8

Find a child for adoption

To select a child, candidates can apply, at their choice, to any municipality in whose territory the orphanage is located, to a regional operator that is in each subject of the Russian Federation or in the Federal Data Bank on orphans and children left without parental care. But the law does not prohibit the independent search for a child in orphanages. You can also search for a child before the candidate receives a conclusion on the possibility of being an adoptive parent, but they will not give a referral to view the child until that moment.

Federal Child Data Bank

When and which child can be adopted. A child who has the status of an orphan, or a child left without parental care, can be adopted at least a day before his or her majority.

Requirements for adoptive parents do not depend on the age of the child they want to take into the family. But if the case concerns a baby, whom the mother abandoned in the maternity hospital, then from her, as a legal representative, an additional statement of consent to adoption will be required.

Community 04/26/22

Is it possible to adopt an adult?

This is how the application for consent to adoption looks like, which the biological mother writes in the maternity hospital

What are the health groups of children during adoption. Health groups is a scale that determines the state of the body and the development of the child. This information is provided to adoptive parents by the regional operator of the database of orphans.

There are five health groups:

The child is absolutely healthy.
Practically healthy children without chronic diseases, but with some functional disorders. For example, children who have had severe and moderate infectious diseases, children with a general delay in physical development without endocrine pathology - short stature, low or overweight. The same group includes frequently ill children and children with noticeable consequences of injuries or operations.
Children with mild curable pathologies and chronic diseases with rare exacerbations who are in remission at the time of the examination.
Children with chronic diseases, injuries or operations that limit the child's life or require supportive care.
Children with disabilities.

Pathologies in children are not an obstacle to adoption. However, before you take a child with a complex diagnosis, you need to soberly assess the strengths and capabilities. It is better to consult with specialists in advance on how to organize the process of education. You can also discuss this topic with foster parents whose families have children with similar diagnoses.

In reality, completely healthy orphans are rare. Children of the 1st-2nd health group, as a rule, are babies, who are abandoned in the maternity hospital by very young mothers. Basically, children of the 3rd group are taken to families, and orphans of groups 4-5 more often remain in children's homes.

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How I became a foster mother to three girls

How the meeting with the child goes. After the child is found, prospective adoptive parents go to the guardianship to which the particular institution belongs, or to the operator of the regional data bank through which the information was received, clarify the details and request a referral for a face-to-face visit.

The referral is valid for 10 days, during this time, future parents can see the child one or more times, talk with his caregivers, pediatrician, psychologist. A conversation with the institution's specialists takes place before meeting the child. If, after this conversation, the failed parents turn around and leave, the child will not be traumatized by failure.

The number of referrals issued is not limited by law, that is, the search continues until the future adopter finds "his" child. A child who is ten years old will also have to express his opinion: agree in writing to a family placement or refuse it.

Art. 132 SK RF

At the end of the ten-day period, the candidate for adoptive parents will have to write on the referral one of the words that can radically change their future life: “I refuse” or “I agree”. If it was possible to find contact with the child and the consent in the guardianship authorities was recorded, the next step is to file an application with the court.

Step 9

Apply for adoption to the court

This is a rather formal process: you need to come to the court during office hours, submit the documents according to the list, get their list in your hands and wait for the notice of the acceptance of the case for proceedings, setting the court date. You don't need to pay state duty.

sign. 14 p.1 art. 333.36 TC RF

By law, the period for consideration of an application should not exceed two months from the date of its acceptance in the office. But the judges, as a rule, schedule a hearing for the next possible day.

How is the court session. Adoption cases are handled in a special manner. The adoptive parent, the representative of guardianship, the prosecutor and the child, if he is over 14 years old, must necessarily participate in the process.

/prava/prava-deti/

Rights of children under 18 years of age

Usually, a court decision enters into force 10 days after it is issued: only from this time do mutual rights and obligations arise between the adoptive parent and the child. If there are special circumstances and there are no objections on the merits of the case from all the participants, the judge may decide on the immediate execution of the decision: for example, if something threatens the life and health of the child and he needs urgent hospitalization.

An adopted baby can be taken home immediately after a positive adoption decision has been made by the court. At the same time, the maternity hospital must issue a postpartum sick leave from the date the decision enters into force when the baby reaches the age of 70 days, and when adopting two or more children - 110 days. A sick leave is needed to apply for maternity leave at the work of one of the adoptive parents.

Art. 157 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation

Step 10

Obtain an adoption registration certificate

To do this, you need to contact the registry office: they will issue an adoption certificate and a new birth certificate of the child.

ch. V Federal Law on acts of civil status

The child is registered at the place of residence of the adoptive parents.

When an adoption can be canceled and parental rights can be terminated

Most often, cancellation occurs due to the guilty behavior of the adoptive parents. For example, if they shirk parental responsibilities, abuse their rights, abuse a child, abuse alcohol or take drugs.

A claim for the annulment of an adoption may be filed by the adoptive parents themselves, the guardianship and guardianship authorities, the prosecutor and the child if he has reached the age of 14.

Art. 142 SK RF

However, the court has the right to cancel the adoption even if there are no violations on the part of the parents.

Such cases include the identification of hereditary developmental abnormalities in a child that make it difficult or impossible to bring up. As a rule, when receiving an expert medical opinion on an adoptee, the future adopter confirms in writing his consent to familiarize himself with the diagnosis of the child and the history of the mother. If the violation was not listed in the document and appeared later, or the adopter for some reason was not notified under the signature about the presence of a pathology in the child, the adoption may be canceled.

/guide/lishenie-parent/

Why they can deprive of parental rights

But in practice, I came across the fact that adoptive parents became attached to children and even when a serious illness was detected, they left them in the family.