It can be hard to wrap your mind around an unplanned pregnancy. You may feel shocked, scared, and overwhelmed. It’s important to remember that you’re facing a significant decision, and exploring all options is a sign of strength and care for your potential child’s future. Adoption is one such option, a brave and loving choice that provides a family with the chance to raise your child when you are not ready to do so. This discussion is about understanding your options when you are pregnant considering adoption.
You don’t have to do this alone
Ideally, your loving and supportive partner and all your family would rally round and help you through this challenging time in your life. We know from extensive experience that this is not always what happens. Even when you have people on your side, they usually don’t know what adoption will entail or what it will be like, or even what your next steps are.
Your first step, once you begin considering adoption, should be to contact an adoption professional. A licensed adoption lawyer can answer your questions based on training and experience.
Read on for an overview of the Arkansas adoption process.
Choose an adoption professional
You can choose an adoption agency or go through the Department of Human Services, but you will need an adoption lawyer to finalize your adoption. The adoptive family usually pays for the services of your lawyer, but you will not share a lawyer with them. You need your own lawyer. In this way, all parties have someone looking after their particular needs — while also keeping the wellbeing of the child at the top of the priority list.
You can call Heimer Law at (479) 225.9725 to get started.
Make a plan
Your adoption professional will help you understand the difference between open adoption and closed adoption, your rights and responsibilities, and the decisions you will need to make. In Arkansas, birth mothers are empowered to make most of the decisions. You will be able to make a plan for your adoption and a birth plan.
Your adoption professional can also help you figure out practical things like your prenatal care and expenses.
Choose a family for your child
Often, there will be more than one family eagerly waiting to adopt a child. All of the families your adoption professional tells you about will have had a home study and been approved for adoption already. You can meet families and decide which one you feel best about. If you don’t want to meet them, you can look at portfolios and profiles to make your decision.
While it may not be possible to find family that meets every criterion you are thinking about, your adoption professional should make every effort to help you find a family you will feel happy with. Some of the criteria you can consider:
- families that already have children
- parents who share your religious background
- parents who share your ethnic heritage
- families that live in the country
- parents who are married
Some things will be more important than others to you, but your adoption professional will do their best to match you with the closest family to your preferences. If you choose to meet families, you will often find that how you feel when you meet becomes the most important factor.
Give consent to the adoption
Your baby cannot be adopted without your consent. Once you sign consent papers, you will have ten days during which you can change your mind. After that time, the adoption will be final and the adoptive parents will be the child’s legal parents.
You can change your mind at any point before the adoption is finalized.
Have questions?
Call Heimer Law or fill out our simple form and we will call you.
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