Adoption is the legal process in which a person assumes responsibility for the health, safety, well-being, and financial support of another person—usually a child—and terminates the rights and responsibilities of the adopted person’s biological parent or parents.
In Iowa, adoption is governed by Chapter 600 of the Iowa Code. The process legally establishes a parent-child relationship between the adoptive parents and the child, terminating the legal rights and responsibilities of the biological parents. To adopt a child in Iowa, prospective parents must typically go through a home study, background checks, and sometimes post-placement supervision. The process can involve private, agency, international, or foster care adoptions. Consent is generally required from the child's biological parents, unless their rights have been terminated due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. The child's best interests are the paramount consideration in any adoption proceeding. Finalization of the adoption occurs in court, where a judge issues a decree of adoption, legally recognizing the adoptive family as the child's own.