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Written by Renee Hettich
on September 02, 2014
birth mother  If you are making an adoption plan for your unborn child it is important that you have the support of adoption professionals - social workers from an authorized adoption agency (Family Connections, Inc.) and lawyers. 

 

Adoption is a beautiful and emotional journey that social workers in an adoption agency are best able to support you through.  Family Connections, Inc. is an authorized adoption agency in New York that has been supporting birth mothers for almost twenty-years.  This Agency can ensure that your decision regarding adoption is respected and honored.  The Agency will provide you:  

  • the right to make your own decisions regarding the placement of your child for adoption; all the choices are yours!
  • adoption option choices (e.g. confidential vs. semi-open vs. open adoption)
  • a choice of qualified adoptive parents who are wanting and waiting to adopt
  • help for food, clothing, housing, counseling, and medical care
  • assurance that your wishes for post-adoption contact are respected 

 

The right adoption agency is key to ensuring a positive and successful adoption.  Family Connections, Inc. will be your advocate and guarantee that all the choices are yours!

 

Adoption is also a legal process.  It is important that a birth mother has a lawyer who is on her side and is working for her.  In New York State, most courts require that you have a lawyer who is looking out for your best interests.  Family Connections, Inc. always ensures that you have a lawyer.  Your lawyer does not cost you anything.  In New York State, the birth parent(s), adoptive parents, and adoption agency must have their own lawyer; they cannot be represented by the same lawyer.  A birth mother and birth father may agree to use the same lawyer or the birth father can ask for a different lawyer.  This ensures that your lawyer is only concerned with your plan and is not influenced by the adoption agency, adoptive parents, or birth father.  If you choose to place your child for adoption in another State, that State may not provide you with a lawyer or require that you have a lawyer.  In New York State, a lawyer assures that your rights are protected. 

 

To ensure that your rights and best interests are protected it is important that you have a lawyer who can represent you.  A lawyer can:

  • Provide you with an unbiased explanation of adoption procedures
  • Explain adoption law and your rights as a birth mother, birth father, or as an adoptive parent
  • Assess the risks of your adoption plan (for example uninvolved or unknown birth father, need expenses, a post adoption contact agreement, an adoptive placement in another state, etc.) 
  • Determine what are allowable birth parent expenses
  • Review and negotiate post adoption contact agreements between a birth parent and adoptive family to ensure that the agreement is in your and the child’s best interests.   In New York State (and in some other states) birth parents can have a court enforceable Post Adoption Contact Agreement that states your requirements for post-adoption contact with the adoptive family.   
  • Be an advocate for you and the child
  • Ensure that your adoption plan is legally secure

 

Adoption is governed by state and federal laws, case law, and regulations.  Lawyers who are members of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys are best able to support birth parents through the legal requirements of adoption.  The American Academy of Adoption Attorneys is a national association of approximately 340 attorneys who practice in the field of adoption law.  You can find a listing of lawyers who are members of the Academy at www.adoptionattorneys.org.  Family Connections, Inc. always refers birth mothers to lawyers who are members of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys.

 

An adoption lawyer and an experienced adoption agency is important to ensuring that a birth parent has a successful adoption where her wishes are respected.  To learn more about your adoption choices, please contact Family Connections, Inc. at 1-800-535-5556 or anita@adoptfamilyconnections.org and download the free guide to adoption below.  All calls and emails are kept private and confidential.  All services are free!

 

Download A Free Adoption Guide  for Birth Mothers  

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