Adoption FAQ

Adoption counseling will help you consider all your options. Whether choosing an adoption plan or choosing to parent your child, the decisions you make may not be easy. However, the counselors at Adoption Resources are here to listen and support you so you can make the best choices for you and your baby.

No. You cannot sign anything that commits you to adoption until after your child is born. In Massachusetts, where Adoption Resources is located, the soonest you can sign legal documents regarding an adoption plan is four days after the birth of the child. The time period varies from state to state, and we will let you know of the legal process in your state.

We work with birth parents all over the country. Some birth parents are teens, and many are in their 20s, 30s, and even 40s. For many of our clients, financial hardship is a problem. Some birth parents are students, some are working, and some are unemployed. Some birth parents are married. Some birth parents have no relationship with their baby’s father. Many birth parents are already parents. All of the birth parents we work with want what is best for their child.

If you choose, we can arrange for transitional care. This can give you enough time to be certain of your decision.

Our professional staff carefully and thoroughly screen each adoptive parent. Screening includes a thorough review of:

• State child abuse registry and criminal records
• FBI fingerprint clearance
• Health histories
• Financial stability
• Emotional stability
• Personal references
• The adoptive family’s home readiness
• Understanding adoption through the eyes of a child
• Understanding adoption through the eyes of a birth parent

We will work out a budget with you and, if necessary, help with medical, legal, and living expenses.

Yes. It is important that you know how your child is doing as he or she grows up. Through our agency, adoptive families will send you letters and pictures on an ongoing basis for 18 years. If you prefer, we will hold these letters until you request them.

We can help you create an adoption plan that provides the level of openness you feel is best. Some birth and adoptive families choose open adoption including meetings after placement. Other families choose to stay in touch online or through letters and photos.

Adoptive parents, upon the adoption of the baby, sign an agreement with our agency to maintain the level of contact you have planned together. Specific update agreements can also be legally enforceable by the court if you so choose.

Some birth parents choose to stay in touch with the adoptive parents and their child through sending letters, cards, pictures, and small gifts. Adoptive parents like to have updated information about you to share with your child. Visits after placement of a child are a common part of an open adoption.

You and your counselor will talk about the situation between you and the birth father. Generally, the birth father does have the right to know about the adoption plan. While some birth fathers are reluctant about adoption, frequently it is because they do not know how an adoption plan is made. Some birth fathers will have no role in the planning while others may choose to receive counseling. Whatever the situation, your counselor will talk with you about a possible role the birth father might have in planning for this baby.

We can still work with you. It is important that we work to make sure the adoption is legally permanent. Together we will discuss any legal risk.

Adopted children certainly ask many questions. As your child grows up, he or she may wonder about your reasons for making an adoption plan. Most important will be the knowledge that you worked hard to make the best decision for your child and that you put his or her needs before your own. The adoptive parents will have the opportunity to meet you and will know about your tremendous care and courage. They will be able to share this with your child. In addition, you will be able to answer your child’s questions in your own words through letters you may choose to exchange in years to come. If your adoption is open you will be able to talk with your child about the decision you made.