Agency Adoption vs. Private Adoption
For Birth Families
Your Needs:
AGENCY – New Life ministers to pregnancy women in a variety of ways. Housing, medical care, family relationships, and your emotional health are important to us.
PRIVATE – In adoption, financial assistance to pregnant women is regulated by law. You should be cautious if you are offered money to place your baby with someone.
Your Wishes:
AGENCY – Your New Life counselor will spend time with you exploring what your wishes are in regard to your adoption plan. Your counselor will be supportive of your needs during all stagers of your pregnancy and after the birth of the baby.
PRIVATE – You will be responsible to insure that your thoughts and opinions are heard and given full consideration.
Choosing a Family:
AGENCY – You can choose from New Life adoption families that have been through an extensive screening and approval process. These families have had training about adoption issues, and are aware of your viewpoint and your issues as a birthparent. New Life will complete a thorough assessment of the family, including visits with the family in their home.
PRIVATE – You might be told of an adoptive family by a friend or family member who may not know detailed information about that family. This adoptive family may not have knowledge of adoption issues or the needs and issues of a birthparent.
Personal Information:
AGENCY – You will have control over how much information you want your New Life adoptive family to have about you. The adoptive family will share who you are with your child in a respectful and loving way.
PRIVATE – Full disclosure of identifying information (last names, phone numbers, addresses, etc.) could be shared. This may be uncomfortable for birth families or adoptive families. You may not know the attitude with what the adoptive family presents you to the child.
Continued Contact:
AGENCY – You can have continued contact with your child. You can work with your New Life counselor to decide what type of relationship you would like to have. New Life will help to promote an ongoing relationship between you and the adoptive family for many years to come.
PRIVATE – There is no advocate for you if the adoptive family does not carry through with what they might tell you relating to continued contact.
Birthfather:
AGENCY – If you and the birthfather disagree about adoption or you no longer have a relationship with him, New Life will work with the birthfather and/or the courts to determine if his rights can be terminated. You will NOT have to talk with him if you do not want to.
PRIVATE – If you and the birthfather disagree about adoption or you no longer have a relationship with him, you must work with him or you must find someone who will work with him to determine if his rights can be terminated.
Attorney/Court:
AGENCY – You will not need to have an attorney, nor will you need to go to court. New Life will handle all legal details for you. Our agency attorney has handled many adoptions. There is NO cost to you.
PRIVATE – You will need to insure that a competent attorney handles all legal issues pertaining to the adoption, and that you can trust that person. You will have to work out how his fee will be paid.
New Life Adoptions
19911A Tomball Parkway
Houston, TX 77070
(281) 955-1001
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