Adoption Paperwork
There are five types of adoption forms you’ll fill out during your adoption journey. You’ll fill out some of these forms while creating your adoption plan and some to complete your adoption. Your adoption professional will help you fill out your adoption paperwork and answer any questions.
Contact an adoption professional today to start your adoption journey.
Continue reading to learn more about the five types of adoption forms you’ll see during the adoption process.
What Papers are Needed to Give a Child Up for Adoption? [The Initial Adoption Paperwork]
Once you’ve decided that adoption is the right choice for you and your baby, you’ll want to find an adoption agency to help facilitate the adoption.
After you choose an agency, you’ll get to start working with an adoption professional. This person will be by your side throughout the entire adoption process. In addition to providing emotional and practical support, your professional will help you fill out your adoption paperwork.
The first part of your adoption paperwork will happen before you match with an adoptive family.
What are Initial Adoption Forms?
The first part of your adoption paperwork will help your adoption professional pair you with the right adoptive family. Your professional will send you the forms through:
- Fax
- The mail
The Social and Medical Adoption Forms
The social and medical adoption forms are the first forms you receive from your adoption professional. Your adoption professional will use this adoption paperwork to get to know you and understand your situation.
You’ll be asked to include information such as:
- Your first and last name
- The state you live in and your address
- The name of the birth father and your relationship with him
- And more
The information you provide on your social and medical history form is confidential. Your adoption professional will use this information to support you during the adoption.
Adoptive Family Preferences Adoption Paperwork
As a prospective birth mother, one of your biggest responsibilities is finding the best adoptive family for your baby.
The adoptive family preferences form allows you to choose the qualities you want your child’s adoptive family to have. Your preferences take priority when it comes to finding an adoptive family. Some common preferences include the following:
- The adoptive family’s race and age
- How many children you’d like them to have
- Their level of education
- Their religious beliefs
- Where they live
- And more
Once you’ve filled out the adoptive family preferences form, your adoption specialist can start showing you different adoptive family profiles with qualities you admire.
Living Expenses Adoption Forms
Prospective birth mothers often wonder if they’ll be paid for adoption. While this won’t necessarily be the case, most women considering adoption will receive financial assistance. This type of financial assistance is referred to as your living expenses.
When you complete this form, your adoption professional will determine whether you can receive assistance for the following:
- Transportation
- Rent and utilities
- Groceries
- Phone plans
- And more
The living expense assistance you receive depends on what state you live in and your situation.
What are the Giving a Child Up for Adoption Legal Papers? [The “After” Adoption Paperwork]
After giving birth to your child, your adoption professional will have some final adoption forms for you to sign.
Consent to the Adoption Paperwork
The first and most important form is your consent to the adoption. Without this, the adoption can’t be finalized.
Your consent to the adoption is a legally binding contract, and once you’ve terminated your parental rights, the adoption is complete. Your adoption professional and attorney will ensure you understand everything before signing this legal document.
Post‐Adoption Agreement
If you have decided to have an open adoption or a semi‐open adoption with your child, you can sign a post-adoption contact agreement with the adoptive family. This will include details such as the frequency and type of communication you will share moving forward. Post‐adoption contact adoption forms are enforced according to state laws.
Remember, nothing that you sign before your adoption consent obligates you to choose adoption. You may change your mind for several reasons, and that’s perfectly okay.
Start Your Adoption Journey Today
Your adoption professional will ensure you understand your adoption paperwork before you sign anything. Contact a professional today to get the process started.