Private Adoption 101- Who do I need to hire to help?

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Private Adoption 101: Everything You Need to Know

You've made the decision to adopt -- but now what? From hiring a lawyer to finding a birth mom, here's what you need to know about the private adoption process (10 Photos)

Lambeth Hochwald on May 24, 2011 at 2:09PM

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a Lambeth Hochwald on May 3, 2011 at 12:49AM

An attorney and a social worker. Ask around for names of attorneys who specialize in adoption (look for one who’s a member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys), because this is a highly specialized area of the law. An attorney will help you do everything from identify a biological mother seeking to relinquish her baby, arrange and mediate contact between both parties and lay out legal steps and assist both parties to complete them. In addition, you’ll need a social worker who specializes in adoption and can oversee and advise your family on critical adoption issues. That social worker will conduct your legally necessary home study, as well.