Family and Child Welfare

Family and Child Welfare 3 (3+0)

Lesson 25 : Court Actions in Relation to Adoption

Single parent adoption

In the search for permanent homes for children, legal adoption by single parents(unmarried, widowed or divorced) has gained ground – further evidence of the dearth of foster homes or two parent adoptive homes for certain groups of children and a greater readiness by social workers which keeps children from having their “own homes”.

Social workers have reported instances in which they have been highly impressed by the positive development of children placed with single mothers and the recognizable “good parenting” which followed placement. Placements with single males have been made, but more rarely.

Social agencies which specialize in adoption share with all the community’s social welfare agencies a responsibility to be accountable in social planning for children who need care outside their homes and parents who need help to maintain or improve a home for their children.