Adoption
Adoption is the legal process through which a person assumes the permanent parenting role for a child not biologically their own, practiced across societies throughout history and significantly formalized in modern legal systems.
Practiced in various forms across virtually every documented human society throughout history, this practice has undergone significant legal formalization and evolving social attitudes over the past century.
Historical Practice Across Cultures
Adoption in various informal or formal forms has existed across numerous societies throughout recorded history, often serving important practical and social functions in different cultural contexts.
20th-Century Legal Formalization
Modern adoption law developed significantly during the 20th century, establishing formal legal processes, standardized paperwork, and increased regulatory oversight of the adoption process.
Domestic and International Adoption
Modern adoption encompasses both domestic adoption within a single country and international adoption across national borders, each involving distinct legal processes and considerations.
Evolving Openness and Attitudes
Adoption practices have evolved significantly toward greater openness in recent decades, including increased support for adoptees seeking information about their biological origins and birth families.
