In an adoption, the natural parents' rights are ended, and the court gives permanent legal responsibility over the child to other persons who then become the child's parents. A child fourteen years of age or older must approve of his or her own adoption.
Situations which usually give rise to a private adoption are:

• When a child's parents have died
• When the parents cannot continue to provide for the care or custody of their child
• When the parents' right to continue having responsibility for the care and custody of their child has been terminated (ended) by the court

In most cases of private adoption, an agreement is reached between the child's natural parents and the person(s) who wishes to adopt the child is made. The adoptive parent or parents may be required to be "pre-certified" (approved) to take temporary custody of the child while the court decides if that person is a suitable parent(s). A home study will be ordered by the Court after the filing of all required documents.
The court requires the adoptive parent(s) to submit a number of documents, including an adoption petition, marriage records, if any, and a report following an investigation of the adoptive parents' home. The court requires proof that the natural parents are voluntarily giving up their rights to the child. The court may require that adoptive parent(s) submit fingerprints.
If the court finds that the adoptive parent or parents are able to provide for the child's proper care and support, the court approves the adoption.
Once an adoption is approved by the court, the adoptive parent or parents are considered to be the child's legal parents, with all of the rights and obligations of natural parents.