What is Adoption?

Adoption is a permanent legal procedure that places your child with adoptive parents who then raise your child as a member of their family. It is one alternative that you may want to consider as you plan for your child’s arrival. It is important for you to know that adoption has changed quite a bit over the years. You can fully love your child as much as any mother and still decide adoption is the best way to go. Making sure your child has a stable future in a loving home can be a very compassionate and mature decision for you to make.

If you have no medical insurance the adoptive parents will often pay your medical expenses or help you out in other ways.

The decision to make adoptive plans must be made by you. You have the opportunity to give your child a future by giving her or him the gift of life with parents of your choice. You can choose to either use an adoption agency or an adoption attorney.

Adoption is a two-phase procedure requiring you, as the birth mother, to first agree to make an adoption plan and second, to identify a couple to parent your child. The couple that adopts your child is thoroughly checked out and must be approved by a licensed adoption agency. There are 15-20 couples waiting for every available infant who is adopted in this country.

Today, women often choose “open adoption” plans. This option allows the birth mother to select and get to know the prospective parents before placing her child in their care. This enables the birthmother to feel confident about the adoption plan since she is able to keep in touch with the adoptive parents over the years through pictures and letters if she chooses. Sometimes birthmothers, adoptive families, and adopted children visit each other from time to time, even after the adoption arrangement is made. Adoption is a loving gift of life and there are many agencies that are willing to help you during this decision process. Each of these agencies is committed to helping women make the very best decisions for themselves and for their children.

Until the 1980’s most adoptions were “closed.” By this we mean that the birth mother did not keep in touch with the adoptive parents. The records were strictly sealed. This closed procedure can still be selected today if that is what the birthmother wants to do or if the birthmother wants to protect her privacy. This is a very personal decision and one that is left entirely up to the discretion of the birthmother.

Before you make an adoption plan, you will get counseling from an adoption worker. They will make sure you understand the adoption process and your rights before you make a final decision.

While we DO NOT do adoptions through our Center, there are a number of adoption agencies in the area that can assist you in the process. We are happy to provide you a list of agencies.  For more information go to our links page and click on the services listed under Adoption.