How to Adopt as a Same-Sex Couple in South Carolina

Adoptive parents come from all walks of life and have many different reasons for choosing adoption. Many are same-sex couples who are eager and ready to add to their families.

Rick Corley has been proud to help hundreds of same-sex couples complete their families through LGBT adoption. In this article, learn more about gay adoption laws in South Carolina and the services Rick can offer to help you complete your family.

Same-Sex Adoption in South Carolina

There are no laws or restrictions specific to same-sex adoption in South Carolina; S.C. adoption laws allow any state resident to adopt.

However, like any hopeful adoptive parents, you will need an experienced adoption attorney to assist you through the adoption process. Rick Corley has a long history as an LGBT-friendly adoption attorney in South Carolina. He can provide the services you need to successfully complete your adoption, including:

  • General Case Management and Oversight: Rick will provide the legal advice and guidance you need through each step of the adoption process and ensure your adoption is completed safely and legally.
  • Referral for Matching Services: Rick can provide the information you need to find an adoption opportunity on your own, or he can refer you to an adoption agency if you need help finding a prospective birth mother.
  • Adoption Paperwork: Once Rick has the information he needs from you, and once you have found an adoption opportunity, he will file the necessary legal paperwork to begin the legal adoption process.
  • Termination of Parental Rights: An important step in the legal adoption process is the birth parents’ consent to the adoption. Rick will work with you, along with the birth mother’s social worker or attorney, to obtain the consents you need to complete the adoption.
  • Finalization of the Adoption: After placement and the required post-placement study, Rick will schedule and attend your adoption finalization hearing. At the hearing, the judge will sign the final adoption decree, completing the adoption process and naming you as your child’s legal parents.

About LGBT Adoption

Throughout history, same-sex couples have had to fight for gay adoption rights. A recent court ruling overturning Mississippi’s ban on same-sex adoption marked the legalization of gay couple adoption in all 50 states; married LGBT parents can now jointly adopt anywhere in the U.S.

According to same-sex adoption statistics, LGBT adoption is increasingly common. Four percent of adopted children are now being raised by gay and lesbian parents, and 2 million more LGBT individuals are interested in adopting.

For these hopeful families, the adoption process is not much different than for opposite-couples and singles. In addition, LGBT parents enjoy the same benefits of adoption as any other adoptive family: sharing their lives with a child and experiencing all of the joys of parenthood.

However, while society is becoming increasingly accepting of nontraditional families, and while gay adoptive parents have more legal rights than ever, some same-sex parents and their children may still face discrimination from people in their communities. Gay couples adopting should be prepared to talk to their children about the potential for this prejudice and explain the many different ways families can be formed.

The following resources may be able to provide additional information on same-sex adoption and parenting:

When you are ready to begin your own LGBT adoption journey, contact Rick Corley to learn more about his services and the same-sex adoption process in South Carolina.

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