What are the requirements for adopting a child in Oklahoma?

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services requires anyone considering adoption to attend 27 hours of pre-service training, receive a family medical evaluation, undergo a DHS child welfare check and provide positive references and recommendations. It also performs background checks, including FBI fingerprint results and an Oklahoma State Bureau Investigation check.

Prospective parents can be married, single or divorced and already have children. There is no required income level, and families do not need to own their own house. There is no established age limit of adoptive parents, as long as they have the energy to care effectively for the child's medical, emotional, financial and educational needs. Adoption is a lifetime commitment, so the program for approving adoptive parents is extensive.