For birth parents, adoption attorneys can help craft an effective adoption plan. This plan outlines the preferences of birth parents, such as the type of family they'd like to adopt their child and the degree of openness they'd like with the child. Since the process can be so overwhelming and emotionally challenging, an attorney can help you devise an adoption plan that covers all the bases, giving you peace of mind.
Birth parents have important rights and legitimate concerns, and an experienced adoption attorney can help ensure that those rights are protected, that all questions are answered, and that the birth parents make an informed decision about the placement of their child. It's important that each set of parents has separate and independent counsel, however, to avoid the possibility of a conflict of interest.
The following questions can help birth parents start thinking about some of the important issues. Reviewing the answers with an attorney is an important next step in the process of making an adoption plan for the child.
Adoption Plans and Questions for Birth Parents
1. Why do I want to place this child for adoption? 2. Is this my own, free-will decision or is someone else (like my parent or significant other) influencing me or forcing me to make this choice? 3. Does the other parent agree with the decision to place this child for adoption? 4. Do I want to choose the parent(s) for my child? _______________________ 5. What kind of parents would I like for my child? 6. Race/ethnicity ____________________________ 7. Religion ________________________________ 8. Age ___________________________________ 9. Married or single _________________________ 10. Gay or straight ___________________________ 11. Number of other children in the family __________ 12. Education _______________________________ 13. Dual-career or one parent at home ____________ 14. Other characteristics: 15. Their reasons for wanting to adopt: 16. Do I want a relationship with the adoptive parents during the pregnancy? 17. Do I want the adoptive parents to be in the delivery room? _______________ 18. Do I want a relationship with my child after the adoption? ________________ 19. How (and how often) do I want to make contact? ______________________________
20. Do I want the adoptive parents to keep me informed, without my initiating any involvement? 21. Other questions to ask prospective adoptive parents: 22. Questions to ask my attorney: |
Birth Parents and Adoption Plans: Related Resources
The following resources will help you get up to speed on the general procedures of adoption and the laws in your state.
Have Additional Questions About Adoption Plans? Contact an Attorney
If you're a birth parent who's considering giving up a child for adoption, you're likely facing a difficult choice and probable have lots of questions. It's often in your best interests (and in the best interests of your unborn child) to draft an adoption plan first. If you have additional questions about adoption plans or other aspects of the process, you may want to contact an adoption attorney near you.
