What is it?

Divorced and never married men and women can adopt domestically, intercountry or from foster care. Single women completed 28% of U.S. foster care adoptions in 2005. Single men complete 3% of U.S foster care adoptions in 2005. There aren't any good estimates for how many singles adopt domestically or intercountry.

Singles may or may not be homosexual. They may or may not be infertile. There is a great variety of life experiences. Many singles adopt when they are between the ages of 35 and 45 years of age.

How much does it cost?

Single parent adoption may be slightly cheaper because there is half the paperwork to complete. But many times an intercountry adoption isn't that much cheaper then a married couple adopting. This is because many singles take a friend or family member with them during the adoption trip for moral support. Also it is very handy to use this extra person to take pictures and document the trip.

There is a pattern for single parents of adopting older or special needs children or small sibling groups. This can decrease the immediate cost of adoption. Foster care adoption is free. And adoption agencies often have reduced fees for special needs adoptions.

What are the requirements to adopt?

Some areas of the U.S. child protective system may not support single parent adoption. This typically comes into play if the single person is homosexual. And in a few places it goes beyond unsupportive. For example, homosexual singles aren't allowed to adopt from Florida foster care under state law.

Intercountry adoptions have the most restrictions on single parents. Many countries will only accept single women and only if they aren't gay.

Some adoption agencies will refuse to work with singles on private infant adoptions. They may state that birth mothers never select single parents.

What types of children are available for adoption?

According to 2005 data, foster children are around 7 years of age when adopted. This is the average age for the 50,000 children (approximate number) who were adopted from foster care.

The majority of children adopted intercountry are 4 years or younger.

What is the process for adopting a child?

The adoption process for a single parent is typically identical to that of a married couple.

Do the hopeful adoptive parents meet the expecting mother or birth mother?

This greatly varies based on the type of adoption, but it is possible.

How is this form of adoption different from other forms?

Single parents are normally required to do more contingency planning during the home study process. The social worker may ask questions about support systems such as church and family. The single may be asked who will be the child's guardian.

Resources

Adopting Alyosha: A Single Man Finds a Son in Russia (written by single father)

Meeting Sophie: A Memoir of Adoption (written by single mother)

Reasonable People: A Memoir of Autism and Adoption: On the Meaning of Family and the Politics of Neurological Difference (special needs adoption)

Three Little Words: A Memoir (foster care adoption by adoptee)

 References

Adoption Data 2005
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

2007 Immigration Statistics
Office of Immigration Statistics
U.S. Homeland Security