Giving your child up for adoption
Some women believe that the best thing they can do for their baby is to give it up for adoption.
This is a very difficult decision and if you are thinking about this you should contact the social services at your local council as soon as possible. There might even be staff at the maternity hospital who can help.
What information do I have to give to the social services?
If you do decide to give your baby up for adoption, the social worker will spend some time with you talking things through. At some point you'll need to give some personal information about yourself, your family and your family's health. This is so that the people who adopt your child can tell them information about you as they grow up.
Once I've decided, is that it?
Although you can prepare for the adoption before the baby's born, nothing will definitely be arranged until after the birth. Once your baby's born you'll have to talk over your decision with a social worker again and you can't sign any papers agreeing to the adoption until your child is at least six weeks old.
What happens to my baby in the mean time?
An adoption agency can take the child into care temporarily during these six weeks and then they'll arrange to place your child with the most suitable adopters.
Can I change my mind?
If, in the first six weeks you do change your mind you'll need to have another chat with your social worker about it. This is only because you will be in a very emotional state and they will need to make sure your decision is final. If everyone's happy you can ask that the baby is returned immediately.
If you change your mind after the baby has been placed with adopters but before they've made the application to the court the baby would also be immediately returned to you, as long as the everyone involved agrees.
Even if the application has been made and you've agreed to it you can still change your mind but the court will have to be sure that it's in the child's best interest to be returned to you. If you do change your mind at this point you will need to get legal advice and tell the social worker immediately.
But, if all the adoption papers have been signed, the adoption order has been made to the court and the child has been legally placed with another family, you then don't have any legal right to your child. Legally, you'll no longer be the parent. But, when the child turns 18 they'll be able to obtain details of his or her original birth certificate and adoption papers and could then trace where you are.
Read on for more common questions about giving your child up for adoption
Where next?
- Pregnancy and health
Sources and other help:
- www.adoptionuk.com
- After Adoption support group
- Department for children, schools and families
- British Association for Adoption and Fostering
By Vicky Woollaston
Average rating:
carrie, 3 days
I don't know if this is the right place for this but i am sure something will come out from it, I have been talking to some friends about looking for adoptive parents for my baby and the only help they gave me was sending me here, I am NEW! I am a single birth mother and i wish for a good and loving home for my baby, he is just 9 getting to 10 months and i need advice if not help from a family interested in adoption, Please i will attend and respond to any advice from viewers.
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