DNA testing plays a role in the adoption process as it is a requirement to obtain legal consent from both biological parents in order to pass-on guardianship of their child to the adoptive family. It is normal practice for an adoption agency to demand a paternity and/or a maternity DNA test between the biological parents and their child prior to the adoption. Proving the biological relationship will grant a father and/or mother with the signing authority to provide their legal consent for release of the child for adoption.