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Adoption

Giving your child up for adoption to a family member might seem like a simple solution, but it’s actually more complicated than you might imagine. Find out why having a relative adopt your baby or pursuing a kinship adoption can be tricky for more reasons than one.

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Can a Family Member Adopt My Baby?

The Ins and Outs of Kinship Adoption

Giving your child up for adoption to a family member can seem like the perfect solution if you’ve found yourself facing an unplanned pregnancy. You might believe that you’ll be able to continue on with your own life and goals while keeping your child near you and remaining involved in his or her life. Giving a baby up for adoption to a family member can seem ideal, but it’s actually a very complicated relationship that might warrant further exploration before you choose to follow through with it.

Before we dive in to the pros and cons of a relative adopting your baby, let’s first address one thing. The phrase “giving a baby up for adoption” to a family member is misleading, as the traditional meaning of “giving up” is the same as quitting or throwing in the towel. That is not at all the case with adoption, and it’s a phrase that many in the adoption community find offensive. However, it’s also a phrase that many people while searching the internet to learn more about the process, so it’s one that we continue to use simply so that more people have access to accurate adoption resources.

With that out of the way, then, let’s highlight some of the advantages of pursuing a kinship adoption, otherwise known as a family adoption.

Pros of Giving a Baby Up for Adoption to a Family Member

It’s important to acknowledge that there may be benefits involved if you want a relative to adopt your child.

Every family is different, as is every situation, so it’s absolutely possible that it might work out if you want a relative to adopt your child. However, there are also some very significant reasons to be cautious if you are considering pursuing a relative adoption.

Cons of Giving a Baby Up for Adoption to a Family Member

If you are considering placing your child in a kinship adoption, carefully consider the following:

None of this to say that kinship adoption is or isn’t the right decision for you; only you can make that choice. However, it’s important to consider all of the realities of giving a baby up for adoption to a family member before beginning the process.

You can always speak to one of these adoption agencies for more information about the options available to you when placing your child for adoption: