Are you living in Georgia and considering adoption for your baby? Open adoption is an option for you. Open adoption allows expectant/birth parents to choose (and meet) their child’s adoptive family. They can also establish a relationship over the years.
If you are considering adoption for your baby, you may be experiencing a range of emotions. You know that adoption is the best choice for your baby, but it may still break your heart to have to say goodbye. With open adoption, however, you will be saying, “see you later,” not “goodbye.”
Adoption does not need to mean “goodbye” forever, thanks to open adoption. Your child can grow up knowing who you are. You can stay in touch and receive updates over the years. This gives many birth mothers and fathers great peace-of-mind. It is also beneficial for the child.
If you are considering a Georgia open adoption, read on. In this guide, we will break down what it means to have an open adoption in Georgia, and how it works.
What Does it Mean to Have an Open Adoption in Georgia?
Open adoption in Georgia means there is ongoing communication between the adoptive family and the birth parent(s). As an expectant/birth mother, you can determine the form and frequency of contact with your child’s adoptive family.
However, open adoption can mean something different for everyone. Just as no two families are exactly alike, no two adoption plans are the same.
For expectant/birth parents, Georgia open adoption might involve:
- Choosing the adoptive family for the baby
- Speaking with the family ahead of the baby’s birth
- Communicating with the adoptive family, either directly or through an agency
- Maintaining a relationship with the adoptive family over the years, either through phone calls, emails, letters and photos, and in person meetings, if you want
Choosing open adoption means having options. You can choose the family for your baby, if you wish. You can choose to meet or speak with them ahead of birth, and you can decide which type of relationship you would like to have with them long-term. You can design your adoption plan with the help of your adoption counselor, and together you can come up with an arrangement that meets your needs are makes you most comfortable.
As an open adoption agency serving Georgia, every hopeful adoptive family at Adoptions With Love agrees to having at least a semi-open adoption. This means they are open to some level of contact with the birth mother. That may entail the exchanging of photos and letters over the years, phone calls, emails, or in-person visits.
The Benefits of Open Adoption in Georgia
Open adoption offers many benefits for everyone involved in the adoption triad. Many birth parents say that the openness gives them peace of mind, as they can check in with their child’s adoptive family over the years to see how they are all doing.
Adoptive parents often enjoy sharing the progress of their growing child with the birth mom. Sharing the bond of loving the same child means sharing the joy and love that is felt for the child. Open adoption also gives adoptive families a direct source when seeking answers about the child’s background and family history.
The most important person to benefit from open adoption is the child. Most children in open adoption arrangements report having positive feelings about their situation, as they grow up in a safe, stable, and loving homes while having an understanding of their roots. This open communication gives them a deeper sense of self-identity, which can help boost self-esteem, as well.
How the Open Adoption Plan Works After Adoption
An open adoption in Georgia may sound like a nice idea, but how is the plan upheld? Post-adoption contract agreements (PACAs) are binding contracts made by an adoption agency. They can help ensure all parties uphold open adoption arrangements over the years.
PACAs are set up as a formality. Typically, both adoptive and birth families of open adoptions are happy to engage with their growing relationship together. In fact, many birth parents form a strong and meaningful bond with the family over the years.
Adoptions With Love counsels both parties on the importance of respecting one another by upholding their open adoption agreements. Should anything happen between the birth and adoptive families, we can help maintain communication for the first 18 years of a child’s life. We also keep photos and updates on file just in case they are ever needed down the road.
While PACAs are legal contracts design to be upheld, Adoptions With Love can work with you to make changes to the plan, as needed, over the years. We understand that a growing child can having changing needs, and we are a flexible adoption agency that can work with you to make sure your – and your child’s – needs are being met.
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Free Services for Georgia Open Adoptions
Choosing to work with a reputable adoption agency, like Adoptions With Love, means having many free services available to help you throughout the pregnancy and beyond. Expectant/birth parents who choose an open adoption in Georgia can take advantage of the following services available:
- Financial assistance with rent, utilities, phone, maternity clothing, and other living expenses impacted by the adoption
- Custom designing your adoption plan, whether open or closed
- Complete counseling services by compassionate and experienced professionals
- Medical care. If you do not already have a doctor, we will help you find a doctor who understands your emotional and physical needs. Adoptions With Love will cover any uninsured medical expenses when you complete the adoption.
- Legal assistance provided by experienced lawyers who specialize in adoption. Making sure that the rights of all those involved in the adoption process are respected and upheld is our utmost priority.
- Ongoing contact through pictures and letters from the adoptive family of your child over the years. These letters and pictures are always available to you if and when you want them. You are also welcomed to send letters, pictures or gifts to the child and the adoptive family.
A Flexible Adoption Agency for Your Open Adoption
When considering adoption, it is important to find an experienced open adoption agency with whom you can feel comfortable. You want to find an organization that will take the time to help you understand your rights, custom design your adoption plan, and listen to your concerns and wishes – all while showing you the respect and compassion that you deserve.
At Adoptions With Love, expectant/birth mothers are a part of the family. We understand what a difficult time this is, and we always offer a guide throughout the process, free of pressure, judgment, or bias.
It is Never Too Late
Adoption is a life-changing experience. It is never too late to make an open adoption plan. Georgia open adoption means having options and having your needs met by your adoption agency. Whether you just learned of your pregnancy, or you have already given birth – it is never too late to make this loving decision. An adoption professional can meet you at the hospital or your home to help you design a plan that is right for you.
If you are looking for an adoption agency with a long record of caring and compassion that has been serving Georgia for more than 36 years, contact us by text (SMS) at 617-777-0072, by phone at 1-800-722-7731, or by message online. Our staff is here to answer your call any time of day or night, any day of the week.