Adoption Pregnant Adopting Pregnant Agencies offer options q

Adoption Pregnant? Adopting?

Pregnant? Agencies offer options q Live in q Live at Home q Living and Housing Expenses

Live In q as little or as much help as needed q eligible to receive financial assistance for pregnancy q help with scheduling and arranging doctor and hospital visits q help with any legal work q sharing experiences with other birth parents q go over profiles of carefully screened adoptive parents

Live at Home q caseworker can visit anyplace you choose q receive financial assistance for pregnancy related expenses q help scheduling and arranging doctor and hospital visits q an attorney to coordinate legal work with adoption q sharing experiences with other birth parents q profiles to choose the adoptive parents for your adoption

Living and Housing Expenses q able to find financial assistance to cover pregnancy -related expenses q each state regulates amount /type of financial assistance q live in dorm provides state-of-the-art services q legal expenses cover attorney fees/court fees

Adopting? Selecting the Type of Adoption q adopt a baby or an older child? q adopt domestically or internationally? q adopt privately or though the state foster care system? q have any sort of communication with birth parents?

Choosing an Adoption Professional A few things to investigate q wait times q disruption rates q hidden fees q financial protection q amount of support, education and guidance

Things to be Completed Home Study q in-depth look into your lives q state and federal criminal background checks q financial and medical information q will conduct a home inspection APQ q adoption Planning Questionnaire Adoption Profiles q text / pictures/ video of family q helps birth parents see image of future life of their child

Waiting for Adoption Opportunity Waiting can be difficult healthy approach q maintain normal lifestyle/ keep adoption private q keep occupied/ but prepared for “the call. ” non-healthy approach q frequently visits adoption website / calls q tells everyone /every morning “today is the day? ” q shopping for baby clothes/focusing completing nursery Healthy approach tend to have smoother adoptions

Communicating with Birth Parents Birth mother /Adoptive Family Communicate Conference Call q mediated conference call between adopting parents/ birth parents Email Exchange q ongoing confidential email prior to placement Meet During Placement q visit hospital / interact with birth parents

Finalizing the Adoption An exciting time Complete ICPC q Interstate Compact Placement of Children clears. 7 -10 business days Complete Post Placement Visits q show the professional / the court all adjusting Attend Finalization Hearing q judge’s final review; birth parents’ rights terminated.

Participating in Post-Placement Contact q after the adoption, nearly all birth parents are interested in receiving picture and letter updates of their child q Picture and letter updates are generally sent for the first 18 years of the child’s life