Colorado Adoption Agency Guide

Steps to Adoption in Colorado

1. Choose an Adoption Agency

The first step in “giving a baby up for adoption”* in Colorado is to find an adoption agency with whom you can trust. Your Colorado adoption agency should make you feel comfortable and respected. You should never feel pressured into any decision regarding your pregnancy or adoption plan. Keep reading for tips on how to choose the right Colorado adoption agency.

*adoption is not giving up, it is a loving choice you make for your child.

2. Meet with an Adoption Counselor

Once you have found an adoption agency, you can make an appointment with an adoption counselor. Adoptions With Love offers expectant/birth mothers free counseling services before and after the adoption is complete. Our experienced, compassionate counselors understand that adoption is an emotional journey. They can listen to your concerns and help guide you through the experience of adoption as you navigate your feelings and cope with feelings of loss, joy, and grief.

3. Select an Adoptive Family

One of the many benefits of choosing adoption is having the power to select your child’s adoptive family. This can be a single person, a couple, or a family of eight. There are many types of adoptive parents out there looking to grow their family. Colorado birth parents take comfort in the fact that every person looking to adopt is thoroughly screened through the home study process. This process takes several months to complete, and includes background checks, at-home visits, interviews with each person in the household, and the examination of important documents – such as medical and financial records. This ensures that every child is placed in a home that is healthy – physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.

Expectant/birth parents can choose to speak with, or meet, the adoptive family before making their decision. You may choose to meet for a cup of coffee or schedule a virtual call. Your adoption professional can help you navigate this call or meeting.

4. Make an Adoption Plan

Another choice you have with adoption in CO is the type of adoption plan you want. There are three basic adoption plans from which you can choose, including:

• Open adoption
• Semi-open adoption
• Closed adoption

With an open or semi-open adoption, there is ongoing communication between birth and adoptive families after the adoption is complete. Your Colorado adoption agency can help guide you to find the best adoption plan that best meets your needs.

Learn how to make an adoption plan in Colorado.

How to Choose the Right Colorado Adoption Agency

Finding the right Colorado adoption agency will help make your adoption a smoother and more comfortable journey. If you are feeling overwhelmed, just know that the best Colorado adoption agencies will help ease your burden and lift that weight you are feeling on your shoulders. These adoption professionals will support you and guide you every step of the way. You can use this checklist as a guide when searching for the best adoption agency:

Factors to Consider

• Services offered. Look for an adoption agency that will offer you supportive services, such as counseling, legal support, financial assistance, medical coverage, and assistance in custom designing an adoption plan.
• Handle with care. Does the staff at the adoption agency make you feel respected and appreciated? Are you treated with compassion?
• Personal attention. Are you a priority for this adoption agency? Do they respond quickly to your calls and emails? Are you speaking directly with a staff member when you reach out?

Experience and Recommendations

It is important to choose a Colorado adoption agency that has a proven track record with placing children in safe and loving homes. Adoptions With Love has been working with expectant/birth parents in The Centennial State since 1986. You can find testimonials from birth parents who have worked with Adoptions With Love to get an idea of how they were treated and how their adoption was handled. This will help give you a sense of how you will be treated throughout the adoption process.

Cost of Adoption Services

Adoption should never cost you any money. You can, in fact, receive financial assistance throughout the adoption process. Adoptions With Love offers expectant/birth parents the following services:

• Housing assistance. We can cover a deposit and several months of rent.
• Other living expenses, such as utilities, phone bills, transportation, food, and maternity clothes, as needed.
• Legal assistance. Our experienced Colorado adoption attorneys can meet you at the time and place that is most convenient for you and answer any questions you may have about the adoption process.
• Medical coverage. We can help you find a doctor or midwife that makes you feel comfortable and can cover any uninsured medical bills related to the pregnancy and birth, reimbursed after the adoption is complete.
• Adoption planning assistance. We can help you create an adoption plan that best meets your needs and makes you feel confident in your decision.
• Ongoing counseling services. We offer compassionate counseling from experienced adoption professionals before and after the adoption is complete.

Legal Aspects of Adoption in Colorado

Colorado Adoption Laws and Regulations

Adoption laws vary by state and can be quite complex. It is important to work with a Colorado adoption agency who can ensure that your rights are protected and that you understand the legal steps that happen during an adoption. In Colorado, a birth parent may sign consent forms for adoption any time – before or after the baby’s birth.

Adoptions With Love urges birth parents to take all the time they need before signing consent forms. It is important that you are confident in your decision before signing the paperwork. It is never too late to make an adoption plan in Colorado. If you take some time after giving birth, you can meet your child and consider your decision before making it final.

The Role of an Adoption Attorney

A Colorado adoption attorney ensures that the adoption is handled safely and legally through the Colorado state court system. This ensures that every “I” is dotted, and every “T” is crossed in the adoption process. This includes the signing of adoptive parents’ parental rights and the termination of birth parents’ rights. Birth father laws can be complicated and are typically handled on a case-by-case basis. It is best to check in with your adoption agency for guidance concerning a birth father’s rights in Colorado.

Colado Adoption Agency FAQ

How do I choose the right adoption plan?

Your Colorado adoption agency can help you find an adoption plan that meets your needs. There is no right or wrong choice here; it is up to you. Adoptions With Love supports any decision a birth parent makes regarding her adoption plan. We also keep photos and letters on file, should a birth parent who has chosen a closed adoption decides to open it later.

Can I choose a different adoption plan during the pregnancy?

Yes. You can change your mind about the adoption at any point before signing consent forms. If you change your mind on the type of adoption plan you would like to have, that is okay, too. Your adoption plan  may be changed at any time to accommodate the needs of a growing child and birth parent.

When do I need to decide on the adoption plan?

You can make your decision about the adoption plan at any time. Whether you are pregnant or have already given birth, it is never too late to choose adoption.

Will I regret giving my baby up for adoption?

Many birth parents have this concern. You are making a life-changing decision, so it is normal to question how you will feel about it in the future. There is no way to predict how you will feel in the coming years, but many birth parents have positive feelings about their adoption decision. With open adoption, they can still have a relationship with their child and their child’s adoptive family, so it does not feel like a “goodbye.”

Are there any post-placement services?

Colorado adoption agencies encourage birth parents to continue professional counseling services after the adoption is complete. Adoptions With Love offers this service – at no cost to the birth parent – for up to a year following the adoption. AWL also stays in contact with birth parents for the many years following the adoption. We consider birth parents a part of our family. We also offer continued support and guidance navigating the relationship between birth and adoptive families.