[TonyaB]

Does a Florida ban to adopt for certain prospective parents apply to out of state residents? Can adoption finalization occur out of Florida? I've viewed some of the heart galleries and saw the online application that had direct questions.

[DianeS]

The state of Florida has to agree with the placement of each Florida child. So when they see the homestudy (or questionairre, or interview, etc), they will pass over any parents who do not meet what they believe to be the right home for a particular child.

That may be on the basis of room sharing - if Florida's rules say children can only share with the opposite sex up to, say, age 4... but the state the adults live in say they can share until age 6 - Florida will not place a 5 year old with that family if that child would have to share a bedroom with an opposite sex child.

Some states have been known to require adoptive parents to get additional training to meet the child's state's standards, even if the adoptive parents already meet their own state's standards.

You get the idea. I have an idea of what question you're actually asking, but didn't want to address it directly in case I was wrong. Feel free to be more blunt if you think it would help get you a more direct answer.

Now, some caseworkers may have figured ways around this, I don't know whether that's possible. Someone who lives in Florida or who has adopted from Florida may have more of an idea about that. I can only say what is standard policy for states - they won't place with you unless you meet their standards, regardless of the standards in your own home state.

[hunterfamily]

Florida adoptions have to be finalized in Florida. At least in most cases they are. Children can be adopted by people in other states but the jurisdication will remain in Florida and the final hearing will take place in Florida. Which means florida rules will apply when you adopt children that are in the care of Florida DCF.