Absolutely. You are in complete control of how adoption looks for you and your child. You are not giving away your baby or abandoning them. With Foster Care, the child welfare system is deciding who parents your child and how you can stay connected, if at all. Adoption is a well thought out, planned choice and process that is motivated by love and care.

An expectant parent talks with the Adoption Specialist about the things that are important to them regarding the family they’d like for their child. Some expectant parents request the agency to pick a family, and want very little involvement. Others identify the race, family composition, religion, hobbies, or other characteristics of their desired family. We will work together to meet your needs regarding the things you feel are important. We then support you through interviewing selected families so that you can see who you share a good vibe with and ultimately want to match. A “match” is a noncommittal to the family and to adoption, but it verbally identifies this family as the choice, should you ultimately choose adoption. If the family of your dreams is not available through Absolute Love, we use a large network of connections throughout the country to find the right fit for you.

You communicate your desires for the potential adoptive parent(s). There is a Home Study approved family that is open to parenting your child regardless of anything you tell us about your lifestyle, your medical history, or anything else.

We have several approved families within the agency to offer you. If you don’t find the family you are looking for there, you are certainly not limited to those families. We have a wonderful network of professionals who have hundreds of approved families available to you. At your request, we will search far and wide to find them. 

Visit our blog HERE for info on how to choose a family.

Yes! If you’d like to talk to the family beforehand, meet them, include them at the delivery, spend time with them, etc, that is up to you. You tell us what amount of contact you want with the family and how you would like each step to look. You can change your wishes as you move through this process, and nothing is final until you sign consents.

Our job is to help him understand adoption and involve him in this decision, if possible. There are often situations where the birth father is unknown, or it’s complicated, and that is why we have an attorney help us navigate his rights and protect yours. 

This also depends on what is decided in the Post Adoption Contact Agreement and is individualized based on the comfort levels of both families. You can communicate directly to one another and exchange personal information, you can go through the agency who will facilitate this arrangement for you, or you can go through an outside party to communicate. This will be discussed at length and included in your agreement.

You are not required to have your own attorney, but you are encouraged to. The agency covers the cost of any expenses related to your legal counsel. Best practice is that you at least consult with an attorney to know your rights and options, and it should be an attorney separate from the attorney the family is using.