When a child and adoptive parents are matched, it’s an amazing feeling. The connection is life changing for the baby, the birth parents, and the adoptive parents as well. However sometimes getting lost in the euphoria of the situation is the reality that adoptions require significant work for all parties involved. It’s extremely important that everyone is prepared for what comes next. That’s why having an effective adoption plan is essential in preparing the baby, their birth parents and the new adoptive parents for the changes that lay ahead.
What is an adoption transition plan?
Adoption is a big decision and leading up to the moment when the adoption becomes official, the birth parents and adoptive parents must prepare themselves for their new lives. An adoption plan, which is explained in more detail below, is a defined course of action that will be utilized by birth mothers, adoptive families and the adoption professional to ensure a successful adoption placement. It will outline items that will help ensure the Adoption Alliance has developed an adoption plan to suit the individual needs of each birth mother through the prenatal and post partum periods. Every adoption plan will include a specially designed hospital plan that is unique to each situation.
Steps to developing an effective adoption transition plan
Below you will find the steps involved in the planning and facilitating of an adoption:
Choosing An Adoption Professional
Different adoption agencies in Texas have varying policies when it comes to the how and why of adoption planning. An adoption professional who has a clear policy and process when it comes to creating a plan will often have a more successful adoption experience, with the right level of help and support being given to the birth mother throughout the process.
Selecting A Family
Selecting the right family is an essential step in a successful adoption. This may mean looking for families out of state, especially where the child has specific needs, medical or therapeutic. Matching families and children is an integral part of successful adoptions, and a process that is necessarily detailed and, in some cases, time-consuming.
Planning The Hospital Stay
For the birth family, it is important they feel in control of the labour and delivery, thus a hospital plan that takes into account their wishes is usually finalized around a month before the due date. It is common for birth parents and their families to want to get to know the adoptive parents better during the hospital stay. The labour and birth are times that many birth and adoptive parents share. But a clear understanding of how this will occur is important for everyone involved.
Post-Placement Contact
After adoption, it is commonplace for birth parents to retain an interest in how their child is growing and developing. Many adoptive parents are willing to facilitate this thus, a post-placement contact plan is devised. However, there are cases where the birth parents choose to not have contact with the adopted baby, and this decision is entirely theirs.
How to start an adoption plan
The process of adoption has evolved greatly over the years and in many ways is much more structured. Pregnant women have a great deal more control over what is best for their baby and for them.
Choosing an adoption professional who has your best interests at heart is the first step in starting the adoption plan that you want and need for you and for your baby.
If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and would like to know more about adoption process in Texas, contact the Adoption Alliance on 1 (800) 626-4324. Alternatively, you can use the contact form to get in touch with us today.
