My work is fueled by my passion for ensuring kids grow up in safe, permanent and loving homes. For me, this means focusing on adoption and guardianships for children.
My work is fueled by my passion for ensuring kids grow up in safe, permanent and loving homes. For me, this means focusing on adoption and guardianships for children.
Added to this, a woman considering adoption can fear or face social stigma, push-back from family and friends, and financial difficulty.
The fact is, a decision to place a child for adoption is one of the most difficult decisions any parent will make, and one of the most selfless. It is a decision that should be respected, honored, and supported. And it should also be informed. Biological parents should know exactly what their legal rights are in the adoption process, and should understand fully the consequences of consenting to the termination of their parental rights and to the adoption of their child.
The good news is, you do not have to figure this out alone. Under Missouri law, an adoptive family is allowed to pay for an independent attorney to represent a parent who is placing his or her child for adoption.
As your attorney, I will make sure you know what to expect from the legal process, including the information you will be asked to provide and the forms you will have to complete. We will cover the general timeline for the legal proceedings, including what to expect prior to delivery, at the hospital and after delivery. Most importantly, we will fully address the requirements and consequences of you signing a consent to the termination of your parental rights and to the adoption of your child.
In addition to the legal process, we will discuss all of the types of support available to you under Missouri law. In addition to an attorney, this includes:
counseling before and after delivery;
help with certain living expenses; and
payment of your pregnancy and birth related medical expenses.
Finally, we will discuss whether or not you want continued contact with the adoptive family after the adoption is complete.
Throughout this process, to the extent you desire, I will communicate with everyone else involved in the process to make sure we are all on the same page with your adoptive plan.
These are just some of the issues that are involved when a parent chooses to place a child for adoption. If you have chosen an adoptive family for your child and are unsure of what comes next, you do not have to go it alone. Please call.