Are you considering adoption for your unplanned pregnancy or a young child already born? Making an adoption plan for your child is a wonderful option but the process can be a bit confusing. Many people confuse foster care and adoption. We’ll sort it out for you.
What is Foster Care?
Foster care is a temporary service provided by state governments for children who cannot live with their families. A child can still live with other relatives, but due to circumstances, can’t remain in their current home. Foster care can also involve unrelated foster parents who are paid to take children into their homes for a period of time.
Why Choose Adoption?
Adoption is a permanent choice. Women choose adoption for many different reasons such as a lack of finances or not having the physical and emotional support needed to parent. It’s a difficult but loving decision that’s made for the wellbeing of the child.
Through adoption, a new relationship is created with an adoptive couple. It’s not co-parenting. The biological family’s rights and responsibilities are terminated and legally given to the adoptive family.
Where Does My Child Go?
With adoption, the birth mother chooses the adoptive family best suited to raise her child. Potential adoptive families go through a variety of background checks. They’re also required to have a home study to make sure their home is safe and secure for a child. Plus, they provide photos and personal information to help a birth mother know them better.
Generally, a woman isn’t aware of who is actually fostering her children. The goal of a foster parent is to work with the government agency that placed the child and the birth parents in the hope that the family will be reunited. Potential foster families also go through background checks and training, but they don’t have an expectation to adopt the child.
Making an Adoption Plan
It’s extremely important to choose a reputable adoption agency. A knowledgeable adoption specialist can carefully explain the process, provide emotional support, and make the adoption transition as smooth as possible. An agency also has access to many families who are ready and waiting to adopt.
In Michigan, if the birth mother is under the age of 18, her parent(s) or legal guardian(s) must also consent to the adoption. They will need to co-sign along with the birth mother. You’re given anywhere from 48 to 72 hours to decide if you want to move forward and terminate your parental rights. After signing, your baby can be placed directly with their new family which means the baby will not go into foster care.
Would You Like to Learn More About Adoption?
Adoption is not an easy decision, but sometimes the hardest decision turns out to be the best decision. Only you know if adoption is right for you and your child, but we’re here to guide you through the decision-making process. For more information, contact us. We can give you all the information you need, explain your options, and connect you with the best adoption organization to fit your plans.