What is adoption?
Adoption is the legal placement of a child with people who will raise the child as their own.
Is adoption a permanent option?
Yes, the child becomes permanently and legally part of the adoptive family, with full rights to inheritance and a lifetime family relationship.
Is adoption a selfish act?
No! Putting the child’s welfare in front of your feelings is a true act of love. This is hard love, hard to decide, hard to do, yet truly caring.
Are birth parents likely to feel sadness after adoption?
Yes, but the hope for that child’s happiness and the sure start in life you helped to give them, can be a source of strength to you.
Do children belong with their birth parents?
Sometimes a birth parent just isn’t ready or able to parent a child. Children need to be cared for day in and day out, year after year. They need a stable family. Adoptive parents may be better able than birth parents to provide a home.
Will people think badly of me for choosing adoption?
Some may, but many will think you are very brave. There are different attitudes about adoption in our society. It takes strength and courage to do what you believe to be right. Selecting adoption may be the most loving option you can choose.
Can I get financial help with the cost of childbirth?
In cases of need, financial assistance is available for health care costs. Help for costs related to adoption may be discussed with your adoption agency.
Will my baby be well taken care of?
Today there are thousands of couples who are unable to have babies. They dearly desire to become adoptive parents and are ready to love and raise a child. Many are already waiting. They’ve been registered and approved by adoption agencies.
In most cases, you choose the adoptive parents for your baby. Think about what’s important to you. Do you want your child to have ready-made siblings, follow a particular religion, or live in a certain location? The adoption agency you choose will help you find the perfect couple.
Depending on the type of adoption plan you create, you can have limited or no contact with the adoptive parents and your child, or, if you prefer, the adoption can be completely open.
Is adoption the easy way out for me?
Far from it. Adoption is a difficult decision to make. It might be easier to say, “It’s my baby, and no one is going to tell me what to do with it?” But you have to think about yourself, and other people who are close to you. Think about your child’s future too.