How Adoption Works
Your Adoption Plan: What’s Involved and How to Make One
The adoption process has evolved considerably over the last few decades. But one of the best changes has to be that prospective birth mothers are now in charge every step of the way.
As the prospective birth mother, you get to decide how you want your adoption to look. To do that, your adoption professional will work with you to create what’s known as an adoption plan.
But what does this plan include and how much are you in control of? Keep reading to find out.
What is an Adoption Plan and Why is it So Important?
An adoption plan is like a roadmap. It includes detailed descriptions of what you want your child’s future and your adoption experience to look like. Naturally, this means that creating an adoption plan template is one of the most important steps prospective birth mothers go through when they start the process of placing a baby up for adoption.
We know having so much responsibility sounds overwhelming, but adoption plans for women are an essential part of the process. Adoption professionals rely on them to make sure they find the best possible family for your baby. They also want to make sure that they are following your every wish for the adoption.
Remember, you are in control of this entire process. The professional you choose will always respect what you’ve included in your planned adoption template.
How to Make an Adoption Plan: Things to Include
Now that you know what an adoption plan is, it’s time to learn how to plan for adoption. Below, find just a few aspects that you’re in control of as a prospective birth mother.
Step 1: Your child’s adoptive family
Every prospective birth mother has the right to find and choose a family for her baby. As you make your adoption case plan, start thinking about the qualities of your child’s future parents. Are they:
- A couple who lives close, allowing for frequent in-person visits?
- A family with the same background as yours?
- A couple who already has children?
- A couple ready to become first-time parents?
No matter what you’re looking for, you will find exactly what you envisioned. Your adoption professional can also be a big help during this step. If needed, they can help you determine what it is that you’re looking for to guide you to the right family while you make your adoption game plan.
Step 2: Your adoption relationship
As the prospective birth mother, you can decide what you want your relationship with your child and the adoptive family to look like. Even though openness in adoption is encouraged, you are the only one who can decide what you want your adoption experience to look like.
You should start thinking about what you want future contact to look like while you create your adoption plan. The options you have available are:
- Open adoption: If you’re looking for plenty of contact with the adoptive family and your child, this is a great option to choose when you make your adoption case plan. In a fully open adoption, you can share as much about yourself as you would like.
- Semi-open adoption: This type of relationship allows you to maintain your privacy while continuing your relationship with your child and the adoptive family. If you choose this adoption, your professional can take an active approach in mediating your relationship. For example, you might ask them to hold pictures and letters from the adoptive family until you’re ready to view them.
- Closed adoption: Although this type of relationship is not as common, it might be the right option for you and your baby. You might be in a situation where you feel that closing communication with your child and the adoptive family is the best decision for everyone. Please talk to your adoption professional first if this is the type of relationship you’re considering as you’re planning for adoption.
And that’s it! As you can see, your adoption professional will be there every step of the way, and they will follow the adoption plan you create to a T. If you need any help, they would be more than happy to any questions you have.
Step 3: Your hospital stay
The hospital stay is one of the most emotional moments in an adoption. Planning your stay can help you prepare ahead of time, which is why your professional will help you create a birth plan for adoption as a part of your adoption plan. We’ll talk more about this template in its own separate article.
But for now, here are some things to think about ahead of time while you make your hospital adoption plan:
- If you want the adoptive family in the room with you during delivery
- How much time you want to spend with the family and your baby
- If you want to take pictures with the adoptive family and your baby
- If you want to leave the hospital with the adoptive family and your baby
- And more
As you start thinking about your adoption plan, it might be helpful to take a look at sample adoption plans to get an idea of anything else you might want to include.
What Happens After I Make My Adoption Plan?
Once you’ve made your adoption plan, your professional will work to complete the process using your plan as a guide.
Normally, they’ll start by sending you adoptive family profiles that closely match what you’re looking for. If you like what they’ve sent, they’ll work with you to establish contact with the family. If not, they’ll keep sending you more options until you find what you’re looking for.
Next, they’ll help you establish pre-placement contact. The first time you speak with the adoptive family will normally be through a mediated phone call. After this step, you’ll be able to get to know each other through phone call, in-person visits (depending on how close you live), pictures and letters, emails and more. The amount of contact you’re open to is entirely up to you and the adoptive family, and your specialist will always respect what you wished for in your adoption plan.
As your due date approaches, your adoption specialist will help you prepare for the big day with your hospital adoption plan. They will contact the hospital of your choice to make sure that your stay goes as smoothly as possible and your rights are protected.
After the delivery, your professional will prepare you for post-placement contact. Depending on what you asked for in your contact agreement and adoption plan template, the three of you will continue your relationship in a few different ways:
The First Steps to Make an Adoption Plan
Before you can actually make your adoption plan, you’ll need to find and contact an agency. If you haven’t started your search yet, here are a few awesome national adoption professionals that you might consider contacting:
Ready to make your adoption plan? We can help. Please fill out our free information form to be contacted by an adoption professional.
Ready to get started? Contact an adoption agency now to get free information.