Individuals looking to adopt in Tennessee may wonder if underlying health issues like diabetes could prevent them from successfully completing an adoption. There are no standard “rules” that automatically prevent someone with a health issue from adopting. Each adoption agency or country has its own set of guidelines when considering prospective adoptive parents.
In addition to the age of the couple, adoption considerations typically include outstanding debts, previous marriages, age differences between couples and whether either potential adoptive parent has a criminal record. Health issues are also considered. An adoptive parent with diabetes or a similar underlying health issue, for instance, may be disqualified if it’s determined that a health condition could affect the ability to care for a child. Some countries or agencies may ask for a doctor’s note stating that an applicant’s condition is under control and won’t interfere with their ability to parent.
The role of an adoption agency is to handle the legal transfer for the child’s care and well-being to a responsible family or adult. However, if a couple in Tennessee is having difficulty adopting through an agency because of health issues, there are other options available. For example, a church may introduce a couple wishing to adopt with a mother who wants to trust the care of her child to loving individuals. With a situation like this, only an adoption lawyer would need to be involved so that the proper papers could be prepared.
Even when an agency is involved, an adoption lawyer may provide representation if a couple is unfairly disqualified after meeting stated eligibility requirements. With direct adoptions, an attorney may help ensure that required documents are properly prepared and filed.
