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 Kansas, adoption is governed by the Kansas Adoption and Relinquishment Act. This legal process allows an individual or a couple to become the legal parents of a child, with all the rights and responsibilities that come with parenthood. The process terminates the legal rights and responsibilities of the child's biological parents. To adopt a child in Kansas, prospective adoptive parents must go through a home study process, obtain consent from the child's biological parents unless their rights have been terminated due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment, and receive approval from a court. The adoption is finalized in a court hearing, where the judge will issue an order of adoption if it is found to be in the best interests of the child. There are different types of adoption available, including agency adoptions, private adoptions, stepparent adoptions, and adult adoptions. Each type has specific requirements and procedures under Kansas law.