Adopting in Tennessee
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Families who want to get more information about adoption in Tennessee can visit the online web site for The Tennessee Department of Children's Services (DCS) or a licensed private non-profit child-placing agency.
Children who are adopted from DCS have experienced abuse or neglect. Training is required for all potential adoptive parents. The training consists of thirty hours and is called Parents as Tender Healers (PATH).
Adoptive parents need to be at least eighteen years old and have the financial resources to support their own family. A home study is required, in addition to references from friends and family.
Agencies can help families who want to adopt an infant. Most agencies require an application fee to begin the process. Adoptive families can choose to pursue a domestic adoption in the states or an international adoption in another country.
Domestic and International Adoptions can be expensive. However, many adoptive families choose this option because they desire to raise a child from infancy.
The fees to adopt a child domestically can vary depending on the individual circumstances of the specific adoption. All adoptions will require an application fee, match fee, agency fees, attorney fees, and any other fees that are required to finalize the adoption.
International adoptions include agency fees, home study fees, U.S. Government fees, foreign fees, cost of travel and legal fees for the re-adoption process.
It's important to remember that there are children all over the world who need homes. Your child may be found in a different state or even a different country.
