Three Important Steps Involved In Putting Your Baby Up For Adoption
Posted on: 2 June 2020
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Life is always changing and filled with challenges. Getting pregnant before you are ready to start a family can lead to some difficult decisions. If you are thinking about or have decided to place your baby up for adoption, it's important to understand what will be involved in that process. It can be reassuring to know that the process is there to make the transition of adoption as stress-free and safe for all involved as possible. There are three important steps you should know about.
Finding the Right Agency
The first step of adoption is finding the right agency to help you with the process. In cases where adoption involves a family member adopting the child, an agency may not be necessary, but a lawyer may be necessary in order to make everything legal through the court system. In most cases, however, finding an adoption agency in your state is the best place to start. Some agencies are government-run, but there are options available through church-owned agencies and other private agencies that can help you find a good family to adopt your baby. Adoption agencies properly vet anyone looking to adopt, and they will walk you through the process of the transition of adoption. You'll want to visit with several different agencies to understand their processes and find one you feel most comfortable with.
Meeting with a Lawyer
As with other legal processes, an adoption will likely only happen with the help of legal experts getting involved. While the adoption agency will help facilitate the adoption, it's important for you to understand the process and receive your own counsel on the terms of the adoption. An adoption lawyer will help you understand all of the legal ramifications of adoption so that you are fully informed on all elements of your decision. As part of the adoption, you will have to terminate your parental rights legally, and your lawyer can help you understand all of that paperwork before you sign. While some adoptions involve completely cutting off any relationship with the birth parents, there are instances where that isn't the case. The terms of your adoption need to be fully understood before you agree to terminate your parental rights.
Adoption Hearing
Once an adoption agency has found the right family for the adoption, and once that family has gone through the process of being fully vetted for adoption, the final steps for adoption will be to file all of the legal paperwork with the court, including the termination of your parental rights, and to have the adoption hearing. If nothing is contested in the adoption and there is an agency involved, most adoptions will be granted based on the legal paperwork presented to the court. During the hearing, the judge will sign off on the adoption once it is determined that everything has gone through the proper channels. The adoption hearing is where everything is finalized by an order of the court.
By going through this process, you'll be assured that your baby will be adopted by a good family. If you aren't ready to have kids, then adoption is likely the best option for your situation. Most agencies out there will meet with expecting mothers and provide them with all the details they need to get the process started for an adoption.
To learn more or to place your baby for adoption, contact an adoption agency.