Adoption is a deeply personal, and profoundly impactful decision with lifelong impact for all involved. It is vital that the adoption process is safeguarded by robust and appropriate laws and policies to protect the best interests of children first and foremost, as well as the parents involved.

Adoption is governed predominantly by state law.

There is no uniform adoption code that governs all adoption laws in the United States. Each state has its own set of regulations for intercountry adoption, domestic adoption, and post-adoption, to determine things like:

• who may arrange an adoption (i.e. attorneys, facilitators, agencies, consultants)
• qualifications to adopt a child domestically (USCIS and other entities also determine this for intercountry adoption)
• home study requirements (these can also vary by agency and some sending countries have additional requirements)
• interstate or inter-jurisdictional placement requirements and procedures
• when a birthmother may consent to adoption and how long she has to revoke consent
• the rights of unmarried biological fathers in cases where the mother wants to place a child for adoption
• Post-adoption contact agreement enforceability for infant domestic adoption

In addition to state laws, there is federal legislation and even a global treaty that has created or significantly shaped adoption laws.