How to Place a Child for Adoption
When you have committed to making an adoption plan for your baby, it is emotionally difficult but is the ultimate act of love. At Florida Adoption Center, love makes a difference. When you decide to make a different life for your child due to not being able to meet the financial, moral, and physical responsibilities of being a parent you are making an alternative parenting plan or what we call an Adoption Plan. There are articles that help address and make clear the aspects of how to put a child up for adoption and the Florida Adoption Center is here to help!
As a parent you have the right to provide the financial and material support your child needs to be housed, clothed, and fed; you also have a moral responsibility to provide a safe and nurturing environment for your child. If you feel unable to provide for your child properly, you have the right to choose an adoption plan. Even if DCF (Department of Children & Families) is involved, you are still able to choose a private adoption plan and have future contact with your child. Adoption is a legal process, and it is important for you to know your rights.
The Florida Statutes https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2018/Chapter63. The Florida Adoption Disclosure clearly states your rights in section: 63.085-Disclosure by adoption entity. If you have doubts about your legal rights, you should discuss your rights with an attorney.
Adoption should be approached as a permanent decision and that you are doing what is best for you and your child. Some common adoption decisions/options: 1. Guardianship is a temporary solution, the court awards temporary custody to a family member or other agreed party. You still have your parental rights and contribute to the child’s life while the guardian handles the day-to day. 2. You could consider Kinship Adoption, a permanent solution that keeps your child with a family member. 3. You could choose an Open Adoption. This allows you to have a future relationship with your child and participate in their life. Making the decision to put your baby up for adoption should be an informed decision that is why Florida Adoption Center urges you to speak to our professional staff who will connect you with a counselor, so you are able to discuss your feelings and emotions about adoption. Speak to others that have gone through the process, speak to other mothers that have chosen adoption and ask them how they made it work. This is your life and your child’s life; you need to be informed and make the best decision possible.
In order to make an adoption plan, you will need to research and evaluate potential adoption agencies. Adoption agencies are responsible for, vetting adoptive families and matching them with expectant birth mothers. Agencies handle the home studies and other legal requirements and act as a liaison between the adoption attorneys and the court system. It is important to pick an agency that has the skills, contacts and services needed to match your baby with the best possible families. Check out websites, licensing information, mission statements, etc. You should even contact agencies and ask about their services to see if your needs line up with their services. Write out your questions before you have your appointment and be prepared to take notes. You should ask about financial support and request references and testimonials. Most importantly, ask about your rights to revoke consent to the adoption. In Florida, the consent is irrevocable after it is signed in front of two witnesses and a notary unless fraud or duress can be proven in court.
Arranging the adoption requires several decisions from you. You will have to cooperate with the agency you have selected and make sure that you understand the process and how the agency delivers adoption services. If this is to be an open adoption, you are allowed to look over profiles of adoptive families and choose a family that matches your hopes and expectations for your child. If you are pregnant, you will be asked to follow through with your medical care and doctor’s orders and act in the best interest of your child.
In the state of Florida, an adoptee’s family social and medical history is required to be obtained for the purpose of being able to best help a child to thrive. You will be required to answer questions about the birth father; never lie or withhold information. If you say you don’t know who the father is, the court may act accordingly in granting the adoption. However, if the birth father comes forward, the adoption could potentially be canceled, and you could be held in contempt for lying to the court. The agency will try to get the birth father to consent or serve him with notice of the adoption hearing.
In Florida, a biological father can sign a non-paternity document prior to the birth of the baby and his rights will be terminated with signed consents from the birth mother. Expectant mothers cannot sign their consent to the adoption until 48 hours after the birth of the baby or on the day she is discharged from the hospital, whichever is first. Even if you have been working with an agency, you have a right to consult with an independent attorney before you sign the consent forms. Once you sign the consent forms, the decision is considered permanent unless you can prove your signature was obtained under fraud or duress.
Once you have signed your consent for adoption, the first court hearing is to Terminate Parental Rights. The second court hearing is for finalization after the baby has been placed with the adoptive parents for a minimum of 90 days and post-supervision visits have been conducted every 30 days from placement. After placement, it is important to utilize the services provided by the adoption agency. Florida Adoption Center offers counseling and resources for post-placement.
At Florida Adoption Center, we take pride in the unconditional love we share with our families and believe adoption is the ultimate act of love. First love by sharing your child with another family to love and second love by making one family out of two. Thank you for reading!