Talk continues to grow about ethical adoption in the United States. While adoption and ethics is a complicated topic of conversation, there are always ways to place your child for adoption with ethical practices.
In your search for adoption options, you will likely come across articles and blogs that warn against unethical adoption agencies and practices. There are so many options on ethical adoption issues, and we understand that reading them can be enough to want to give up on the process completely.
That’s why we’re here. The last thing we want for you, a prospective birth mother considering adoption for her child, is to feel lost and confused. This article was created with you in mind, to help you:
- Understand ethical adoptions
- Find ethical adoption agencies
- And ask the right questions when you’re searching for the right adoption professional
Along with this article, you can also contact us online. We’ll connect you with a trained adoption specialist to ask questions and get free adoption information. We want to provide you with the resources and education you need to help you make the best choice for you and your baby.
What Makes an “Ethical” Adoption?
Even though there is no one true ethical adoption definition, there are some key factors that should be acknowledged for an adoption to be ethical:
- The prospective birth mother is offered objective information and educational resources
- That open adoption is strongly encouraged
- That professional support is available to all members of the adoption triad long after placement
- That birth mothers retain the right to make their own choices about their adoption and can change her mind at any time about her decision prior to giving consent
- And more
The most important part in having an ethical adoption is that no person involved in the adoption is ever pressured into moving forward until they feel comfortable and ready. Even when they are ready, their adoption professionals should work to protect the rights of the birth parents, adoptive parents, and the child.
Benefits of Ethical Adoption:
When you choose to work with an adoption agency to complete a private domestic infant adoption, you can gain a lot from their help. However, not all agencies operate with the best interest of the birth parents and/or adoptee in mind.
Finding an adoption agency that offers you great advantages and benefits to ensure you’re getting support and protection of your rights can lead to a successful and ethical adoption.
When it comes to finding that type of ethical adoption agency, here are a few things you always want to look for:
Counseling and Support for Prospective Birth Mothers
Ethical adoption agencies make sure that every woman who comes to them understands all of her options: parenting, adoption, and abortion. Especially if she is interested in the first two, they should have specialists on staff who can provide references to resources she will need.
Screening of and Education for Adoptive Parents
Not just any person can adopt a child. Ethical adoption agencies should always talk with prospective adoptive parents about all aspects of adoption – both positive and negative – as well as their goals for adoption.
Adoption agencies should also thoroughly screen each prospective parent to make sure they can provide a safe and healthy home environment. Ethical adoption agencies should also educate adoptive parents about proper and appropriate adoption contact with birth parents.
All of these steps help ensure you, as the birth mother, are given safe options when choosing the adoptive family for your child.
Experienced Legal Representation
An ethical private domestic infant adoption cannot take place unless both parties are informed of their legal rights. Ethical adoption agencies should only work with experienced, trusted, and licensed adoption attorneys throughout the United States so you have proper legal representation throughout the adoption.
Your adoption attorney will explain your adoption consent rights, state adoption laws, and all documentation you will need to complete. And, as a prospective birth mother, all of this legal support will be provided to you for free.
Professional Licensing
By working with a fully-licensed adoption agency, you are working with an adoption professional whose work has met certain standards and been reviewed thoroughly by government officials.
Proper licensing holds the adoption agency accountable for completing only ethical adoptions. Some agencies are licensed in multiple states, so this means more officials are holding them to a higher standards and ethical adoption practices.
Post-Adoption Contact or Open Adoption Agreement
While there are still many birth parents who choose closed adoption, this can lead to many different ethical issues in the adoption process. Ethical adoption agencies should always encourage birth parents to pursue an open or semi-open adoption and post-placement contact.
Even in a fully open adoption, you get to choose the frequency and manner of the communication and contact with the adoptive family and your child after placement. Your adoption agency will also help you find an adoptive family who shares the same adoption goals and desires as you.
Reasonable Costs and Fees for Adoptive Parents
Adoption is always free for prospective birth mothers.
While you can’t get paid for placing your child for adoption, working with an adoption agency means there are opportunities for you to receive financial assistance for your adoption. Adoption agencies will have specific costs and fees for the adoptive families, but ethical adoption agencies will use those funds in proper and legal ways.
How to Find an Ethical Adoption Professional
When you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy, you are the only one who can make the best decision for your situation. You always have the right to choose the option you believe in, and no one can force you to choose differently.
However, trying to finding a professional who respects that right can be challenging. While there are an unfortunate number of professionals who don’t respect the women facing unplanned pregnancies, there are still good and ethical adoption professionals out there.
Your search for the best ethical adoption professional can lead you down many paths while you’re researching your options. Some of the most important aspects you should look for in an ethical adoption professional should include:
- Services they provide
- Experience and reputation
- Licensing and regulation
- Educated and experienced staff
- And more
Believe it or not, there are adoption professionals out there that meet every one of those aspects; it’s just a matter of finding them.
Also, just because you contact an adoption professional to ask some questions does not mean you are agreeing to work with them immediately.
You have time to find the right professional, so think of questions you should ask:
- What readily available information does this professional have about all of my options for my unplanned pregnancy?
- Does this agency make me feel obligated to choose adoption when I speak with them?
- Do I feel comfortable and respected when I speak with a specialist from this agency?
- Is this agency asking too much personal information of me too early in the process?
- And more
Whatever you do in looking for an adoption professional, pay attention to what your gut is telling you. By taking the time you need and making sure you feel comfortable with the professional you find, only then can you feel confident in making a life-changing decision like adoption.
Find an Ethical Adoption Professional Today
When it comes to ethical adoptions, the best choice you can make is working with an ethical adoption agency. They will provide safe, legal, and successful adoption resources and support for all of their clients, including you. It’s just all about knowing where to start your search.
Our adoption professionals are always ready and available to answer your questions and help you better understand your options before you make your decision. Contact us online today and we’ll get you the help you’re looking for.
