How Adoption Works
- My law firm devotes all of its resources to helping birth parents and adoptive families. The process can be intimidating but does not need to be. I strongly believe that by educating adopting and birth families, the anxiety level is reduced significantly. What seems to be an impersonal experience evolves into a very personal experience.
- Birth Parents initially provide a social and medical history which provides some information about themselves. Birth Parents are immediately entitled to receive supported counseling from a counselor, social worker, physician, clergy or attorney. We have a strong belief in emotional support being provided immediately to a birth parent. We assist in coordinating prenatal care with health care providers if this has not already been established.
- Birth Parents choose the adoptive family for their child. Birth Parents are presented with the adoptive parents profile, which we will assist in creating if requested. The choosing of an adoptive family is a big step and we will be there to assist in providing additional information to the birth parents to assist in making their decision. This matching phase takes into account the needs of both parties. These needs include many different factors. Some of these different factors include, but are not limited to; the type of adoption (open, semi-open, closed); amount of financial assistance a birth mother requires; any substance abuse; or even race.
- Once a Birth Mother chooses the adoptive family, she may choose to meet them depending on the type of adoption she prefers. Sometimes, Birth Mothers desire to have adoptive mothers involved and attend prenatal appointments, while others choose to maintain their privacy. There is no right way or wrong way to proceed in an adoption. It is simply what is most comfortable for all parties involved.
- At some point, prior to the child’s birth, both the adoptive family and birth mother will enter into an adoption plan which acts as a roadmap on several issues. Both families will formulate a plan as to events surrounding the birth of the child and post birth communications, if any. This is characterized as the type of adoption (open, semi-open, or closed). Depending upon the type of adoption chosen, our office will provide reasonable assistance in forwarding letters and pictures received from adoptive families and sent to birth parents.
- The legal aspect of an adoption is a two-step process. A Birth Parent’s rights are terminated in the first legal proceeding. The second legal proceeding is the finalization of the adoption. Part of the legal process also includes the necessity of Judge to approve Birth Mother expenses that exceed $5,000.00. Birth parent have the right to waive appearances in court for those proceedings. This would mean that they would not need to attend court appearances. Should it be a contested adoption, than a court appearance may be required.
