Finding a Prospective Birth Mother With or Without an Agency
In pursuing a private domestic infant adoption, many prospective parents wonder how to find a birth mother to adopt from. After all, this is one of the most important aspects of an adoption process — and finding a prospective birth mother can seem overwhelming at the start.
Fortunately, there are plenty of adoption professionals who can not only explain the process of finding a birth mother to adopt from in Iowa but also can assist in doing so with professional matching services. Hopeful parents need not be on their own during this part of the adoption process; all they need to do is contact the appropriate adoption professional.
Attorney Ken Nelson is always available to discuss the process of finding a birth mother for private adoption when you contact his law firm. Prospective adoptive parents who wish to find an adoption opportunity on their own and those who wish to work with a matching agency can both contact Ken for more information about this process, either to start it with his legal services or to be referred to an appropriate matching professional.
Keep reading for a breakdown of the two paths adoptive parents can take in finding a birth mother to adopt from.
Find a Prospective Birth Mother Independently
If prospective adoptive parents wish to find a prospective birth mother on their own, attorney Ken Nelson can assist them in this process. In addition to providing all of the legal services needed to adopt a baby in Iowa, Ken will keep your adoptive family on profile with his law firm and advise you as you search for prospective birth mothers independently.
Adoptive parents who search for adoption opportunities on their own will be responsible for creating their own adoptive family profile and advertising through several mediums to obtain as wide a reach as possible. They may experience a longer wait than if they choose to work with a matching professional who has a wider advertising reach.
As mentioned, Ken can always provide guidance on finding a birth mother to adopt from without a matching professional. Many prospective adoptive parents find adoption opportunities through:
- Family and personal connections
- The internet and social networks
- Adoptive family websites
- Advertisements for local papers
- And referrals from their adoption attorney
Completing an independent adoption comes with more than just added personal responsibility for prospective adoptive parents. Because there is no professional providing a match and mediating contact, independent adoptions are typically much more open in contact because of the logistics involved. Prospective adoptive parents finding a birth mother to adopt from on their own do not have access to the same kind of screening that matching agencies provide, potentially making them more at risk for adoption fraud and requiring them to hire a screening professional before solidifying a match.
While prospective adoptive parents finding a birth mother for private adoption on their own do avoid the costs of a matching professional, they will still need to work with an adoption attorney and home study provider — and often hire a counseling professional to assist the prospective birth mother through her adoption decision.
If you are considering an independent adoption in which you find an adoption opportunity on your own, please contact attorney Ken Nelson to learn more about what is involved in this process.
Find a Prospective Birth Mother with an Agency
Adoptive parents who want assistance finding a birth mother for private adoption often choose to work with an adoption agency. These matching professionals can provide experienced guidance in finding the perfect adoption opportunity, screening them to ensure a safe match and even mediating contact throughout and after the adoption process.
Each adoption agency is different, but there are usually a few crucial steps involved in how to find a birth mother to adopt from through this method:
- Be assigned a personal caseworker. This caseworker will be your assistant throughout the entire adoption process and help you coordinate contact with a prospective birth mother.
- Create an adoption plan. Adoptive parents have the right to choose what kind of characteristics they are comfortable with in an adoption opportunity. You and your caseworker will determine what race, medical background and social background you desire in an adopted child.
- Create an adoptive family profile. Your profile will be a written and visual description of who you are and what your family is like. This will be presented to prospective birth mothers who contact your agency to help them determine which family may be a good match for them.
- Meet with a prospective birth mother. Once a pregnant woman who meets your preferences shows interest in your family, your caseworker will likely set up a conference call or an in-person meeting so you can ask any remaining questions you have and make sure the match is right for your family before moving forward.
After finding you an adoption opportunity, your adoption agency will continue to assist you through the rest of your adoption process, helping you navigate the unique challenges that may arise. Many adoptive families believe that these services, as well as the important matching services, are well worth the extra cost of an adoption agency.
If you choose to find an adoption opportunity with an adoption agency, attorney Ken Nelson can provide referrals to trusted local agencies. He can also explain which additional services you will need in your agency-assisted adoption journey and which ones he can provide as an adoption attorney in Iowa.
Prospective adoptive families who are deciding between finding a birth mother for private adoption on their own or with an agency should do diligent research on each process before determining which one is right for them. Attorney Ken Nelson can discuss with you the pros and cons of each and, when you’re ready, help you start making your parenthood dreams come true. To learn more, please contact the Nelson Law Firm today.