Adoption in Wisconsin
Adoption creates a parent-child relationship with all the rights and responsibilities a
birth parent has to a child. A child can be adopted by a stepparent in Wisconsin when a
birth parent is deceased or the rights of one birth parent has been terminated by a court.
For all other types of adoptions in Wisconsin the statutes require that the rights of both
birth parents are terminated by a death or by a voluntary or involuntary court action.
An
adoption home study is required for all adoptions except stepparent adoptions, where a
less intensive screening occurs.
A variety of adoption services are provided by licensed private adoption
agencies in Wisconsin through non-public funding. Adoption staff from the
Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), as well as private adoption agencies,
place children with special care needs, minority children, sibling groups, children at
risk of developing special care needs. In addition, DCFS and private agency
staff conduct foster parent and step-parent and relative adoptions. Stepparent
adoption home studies may also be conducted by county social/human services staff.
Licensed WI adoption agencies can be found in the yellow pages of the phone
book under "adoption services".
Listed below are various topics that may be of interest to you.
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Last Revised: December 13, 2006 |
