Adoption is a legal process in which an adult person assumes responsibility for the care and support of another person (usually a child) who is not the adoptive parent's biological child. The child's biological or birth parents generally must give up their parental rights to complete an adoption.
In Oregon, adoption is governed by state statutes that outline the legal process by which an individual or couple becomes the legal parent(s) of a child who is not their biological offspring. This process requires the termination of the biological or birth parents' legal rights, either voluntarily through consent or involuntarily by court order if the court finds it to be in the best interest of the child. The adoptive parents assume all legal responsibilities for the child, including care and support. The process includes a home study to assess the adoptive parents' suitability, post-placement supervision until the adoption is finalized, and a court hearing to legally establish the adoption. Oregon law also allows for adoption by same-sex couples and recognizes second-parent adoptions. The specifics of the adoption process can vary depending on the type of adoption, such as private, agency, international, or foster care adoption.