Private Adoption

Private adoption, also known as independent adoption, is done through and attorney rather than an agency. The attorney works with the couple hoping to adopt, and in some cases, can be the one to locate the mother the couple will adopt from. The attorney can work with doctors who know women that want to put their child up for adoption, but this is dependent on the states regulations. A private adoption is not as simple as a related adoption, so it is important to have an attorney who will be able to help with anything that comes up.

There are benefits and drawbacks to private adoption. One benefit is that the process is generally quicker to go through an attorney, than to go through an agency. The child will not have to go into temporary foster care, but will go straight to the adoptive parents. The adoptive parents can help the birthmother during her pregnancy and be there at the hospital when their child is born. This is a great opportunity for the adoptive parents to take part in an important moment of their child's life.

While the adoptive parents can cover the expenses of the mother, paying her directly for the adoption is illegal in any state. While private adoption can have many advantages, there are some disadvantages to it as well. No state orders that the birth mother sign a contract guaranteeing she will give the child to the party hoping to adopt. At any time throughout the pregnancy, a woman may choose to keep the child or give it to another couple seeking adoption.

Consent is only signed once the child has been born, and some states allow for the mother to still change her mind within a period of time. While an adopting couple needs to gain consent from the birth mother for the adoption to take place, consent also needs to be given by the court, and in some cases this will involve approval by social services. Another disadvantage is that it is hard to know beforehand what the mother's expenses will be, so the adoption process may be more than a couple budgeted for. Like other forms of adoption, there are pros and cons to private adoption. It can be both beneficial for a birth mother wishing to choose the parents her child will go to and it can be a great route for a couple hoping to be there for each step of their new child's life.

Looking for help with a private adoption? Locate an adoption lawyer in your area today!