Adopted children become full members of their adopted family and have the same legal status as biological children. Although the majority of people who adopt are married couples, many single people also adopt. Others adopt children to add new members to a family that includes biological children. Many people adopt simply to give a home and family to children who might not otherwise have them. Likewise, children become available for adoption for a variety of reasons.
Some children are orphans.
Some biological parents make arrangements for their children to be adopted because they cannot care for them due to illness or personal problems. Other children are abandoned by their biological parents. Adoption is a common practice throughout the world and throughout history. However, laws regulating adoption vary from country to country. People seeking to adopt in a country other than the one in which they live, a process known as international adoption, should familiarize themselves with the laws of that country.