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 South Carolina, adoption is governed by state statutes that outline the legal process for establishing a permanent legal parent-child relationship between an adoptive parent and a child. This process involves the termination of the biological parents' legal rights and responsibilities and the granting of those rights and responsibilities to the adoptive parents. The South Carolina Adoption Act, found in Title 63 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, sets forth the requirements for adoption, including consent, home studies, and the finalization of adoption in court. The process is designed to ensure the best interests of the child are met and typically involves the oversight of the Department of Social Services or a licensed adoption agency. The adoptive parents must meet certain eligibility criteria and may need to go through a period of placement before the adoption can be finalized by a court order. It's important for prospective adoptive parents to work with an attorney to navigate the legal intricacies of the adoption process in South Carolina.