| Please
click question/topic below to jump to the answer. How
can adoption be good for my baby and me?
Does
the birth mother have to pay legal fees or expenses?
How
much financial assistance may the birth mother receive?
What
if I am under the age of eighteen?
Can the birth mother
choose the adoptive parents?
How will I know the adoptive
parents will take care of my child?
Can the birth mother
see the baby after birth?
When does the birth mother sign
the adoption papers?
How soon after birth can my baby
go to the parents I choose?
Can the birth mother receive
pictures and updates after the baby is born?
How
much will my child know about me?
Can my child find me
if he or she wants to search someday?
Is the birth mother
required to appear in court?
Does the birth mother
have to live in or move to Florida in order to work with you?
What
about birth fathers?
What is an open adoption?
What
are my rights?
Are there any books I can read to learn
more?
How do I begin the process? How
can adoption be good for my baby and me?
Adoption is a very loving and
unselfish decision. There are many women, of all ages, who have an unplanned pregnancy,
and do not feel they are ready to parent. They know there are countless couples
who cannot conceive a child, and who have a loving home ready for a child. The
greatest dream of these couples is to be parents and make a child the center of
their lives, as every child deserves. If
you are not ready to be a parent, you can still give your baby the gift of life
by choosing adoption. We will work with you to select a stable, loving family
to care for your baby. After birth, you can see your baby, name your baby, and
spend time with your baby. If you so choose, you can get updates on your child's
progress or have ongoing visits throughout your child's life while you continue
your education or career goals. Finally, you can be proud that you chose life
for your baby. Does
the birth mother have to pay legal fees or expenses?
No. All fees
and expenses, including medical expenses, are paid by the prospective adoptive
parents. The birth mother is not required to pay anything. How
much financial assistance may the birth mother receive?
A birth mother
is permitted to receive financial assistance for her actual living and medical
expenses during the term of the pregnancy and for a period after the child is
born, not to exceed six weeks. This includes OB and hospital care, prescription
medications, counseling, living expenses (rent, food, phone, utilities, toiletries),
insurance, clothing and transportation. What
if I am under the age of eighteen?
A birth mother under the age of eighteen
has the power to consent to the adoption of her child without parental consent.
It is not necessary to contact the birth mother's parents or other family members
in order for the birth mother to consent to an adoption plan. If a birth parent
is 14 years or younger, their consent or affidavit of non-paternity must be witnessed
by a parent, legal guardian, or court-appointed guardian-ad-litem. Can
the birth mother choose the adoptive parents?
Yes. A birth mother is encouraged
to specify the characteristics of the family (age, religion, hobbies, length of
marriage, etc.) she prefers to raise her baby. She may speak with the adoptive
family by telephone or meet them in person and ask questions, so she feels assured
that she has chosen the perfect family for her baby. The birth mother is also
encouraged to freely communicate with the adoptive parents throughout the pregnancy,
through either personal meetings or by letter and telephone. Through communication,
a warm bond can be established between the birth mother and her chosen family. How
will I know the adoptive parents will take care of my child?
Prospective
adoptive parents must go through an extensive screening process before they are
approved to adopt. The adoption process includes social worker visits to their
home, interviews, criminal background investigations, child abuse checks and references. Can
the birth mother see the baby after birth?
Yes. The birth mother determines
how much contact she would like to have with the baby. Some birth mothers desire
to "room in" with the baby at the hospital, while others choose to have
very limited or no contact. When
does the birth mother sign the adoption papers?
After the birth of the
child, usually, before the birth mother is discharged from the hospital, she will
sign the legal papers which will surrender her parental rights to the child. A
consent for adoption, once signed, is generally binding and irrevocable. How
soon after birth can my baby go to the parents I choose?
As soon as you
desire. In fact, many birth mothers request that the adoptive mother be present
in the delivery room so that the adoptive mother may be with the baby from the
moment of birth, but that is your option. The adoptive parents can take the baby
home directly from the hospital. The baby is not required to be placed in a foster
home. Can
the birth mother receive pictures and updates after the baby is born?
Yes. We require the adoptive parents to provide the birth mother with pictures
and updates for a period of at least five years after the baby is born. The adoptive
parents send the pictures and updates to us for forwarding to the birth mother.
If you would like pictures for a longer period of time, please let us know. How
much will my child know about me?
That depends on what type of adoption
plan you choose: open, semi-open, or confidential. We encourage you to provide
your complete medical and social history to your child, no matter what type of
adoption plan you make. You may choose to share your identity and where you live
with the adoptive family. If you've made an open adoption plan, you may have ongoing,
direct contact with your child and the adoptive family. Can
my child find me if he or she wants to search someday?
Florida has an adoption
registry that will allow your child to locate you if you so choose. We will give
you detailed information about the registry. Is
the birth mother required to appear in court?
No. Does
the birth mother have to live in or move to Florida in order to work with you?
No. If the birth mother lives in another state, we will coordinate efforts with
another attorney, counselor or licensed child-placing agency to provide the best
services possible to the birth mother. If the birth mother lives in Florida, we
will meet with her in person, either at our office, her home or at any other place
that is convenient for her. A birth mother may also choose to relocate. What
about birth fathers?
Florida law requires birth fathers to provide financial
and emotional support to the birth mother during her pregnancy and after birth
to be able to interfere with the birth mother's adoption plan. In addition, Florida
has a paternity registry that cuts off the rights of unmarried birthfathers who
do not timely register. We are available to speak with birth fathers and help
foster a mutual understanding of adoption. What
is an open adoption?
Many different relationships may develop between
the birth mother and the adoptive family. In closed adoptions, the birth mother
chooses to have little or no information about the adoptive parents and the adoptive
parents receive little information about the birth mother. The birth mother may
choose to delegate the selection of the adoptive family to the adoption professional. In
an open adoption, the birth mother and adoptive parents exchange comprehensive
information. The birth mother receives a family profile and pictures of the adoptive
parents, as well as non-identifying information about the adoptive parents' marriage,
education, career, religion, hobbies and interests. The adoptive parents receive
family, medical and social information about the birth mother. In addition, the
birth mother may prepare letters or a scrapbook for the adoptive family to share
with the child. What
are my rights? - The
right to participate in all phases of adoption planning.
- The
right to counseling.
- The
right to request financial assistance (within the limits of the law) with adoption
and pregnancy related expenses; such as medical care, maternity clothes, housing,
transportation and counseling services.
- The
right to have an independent lawyer represent your interests, if you desire.
- The
right to meet and interview as many prospective families as you choose, in order
to make the best decision for you and your baby.
- The
right to ask questions of the adopting family, and to receive information before
deciding to place your child with them.
- The
right to select the family who will raise your child.
- The
right to an open and honest relationship with the adopting family.
- The
right to receive ongoing counseling and continuous support throughout the adoption
process and following the birth of your baby.
- The
right to be treated with dignity and respect for your selfless and loving decision.
Are
there any books I can read to learn more?
Two books discussing the emotions
of placing a child for adoption from a birth mother's point of view are Dear
Birthmother by Kathleen Silber and Phylis Speedlin and Pregnant? Adoption
is an Option by Jeanne Warren Lindsay. They are both excellent books and very
helpful. How
do I begin the process?
Please complete the Birth
Mother Family and Medical History and the Birth
Father Family and Medical History, call us at 1-800-874-4916 or 1-813-258-3355,
or e-mail us at info@jtatelaw.com | 
The
Florida Statutes govern the requirements for adoptions in the state of Florida.
If you currently reside in another state, the answers to the questions may be
different because each state has enacted its own set of adoption laws. We often
work with birth mothers from other states and will be able to provide you with
the help you need.