How Does Adoption Work?

If you decide adoption is the right decision, your social worker will help you put together an adoption plan that is right for you.

You tell your counselor what you want in a family

 You choose the “right family” for you, from albums and personal letters put together by our families.

After you have selected a family that you like, the social worker will arrange a meeting with them so that you can get to know each other and you can be sure you have chosen the right parents. Your social worker will be there with you to help you ask the questions you think are important.

While you await your baby’s birth, you and your adoptive family will be encouraged to become better acquainted through telephone conversations and meetings.

You decide what will happen at the hospital:

• Do you want your adoptive parents to be present at labor and delivery? 

• Do you want the adoptive parents to spend time with you and your baby or do you want time for yourself? 

• Will you have rooming-in? 

• Do you want your baby to go to the adoptive home directly from the hospital, or do you want your child to go to a TLC home so you can rethink your decision?

• You cannot legally make a final decision until after the baby is born and you have been medically discharged from the hospital.

• You are encouraged to stay in contact with your child's adoptive family throughout the years.  This means you'll know your child is happy and you can answer his or her questions.