1. Making Adoption a Positive Option
For Those Experiencing A Crisis Pregnancy

2. Adoption Facts Did You Know… 127,000 children are adopted annually
1 million couples would like to adopt

3. Adoption 101: A Birthparent’s Experience
Crisis pregnancy counseling
Explore options through counseling
Parenting
Adoption
Abortion

4. Crisis pregnancy counseling includes:
Parenting-connect to resources to help them be good parents
Abortion-connect to further counseling services
Adoption

5. Birthparent’s Adoption Experience
Have client seriously evaluate all aspects of ability to parent
If adoption is still their choice, an adoption plan is made
Choose type of adoption (open, semi-open, closed)
Choose a family, meet the family
Develop a hospital plan. After baby is born, baby can go into cradle care if decision is wavering, or directly home with adoptive parent.
In South Dakota, birthparents can go to court to voluntarily terminate parental rights as soon as 5 days after baby is born. Agency will prepare paperwork to file with the court and will attend court proceeding with birth parent. After termination proceedings, birth parent’s decision is final.

6. Adoption 101: Adoptive Family Experience
Application and paperwork are completed
Homestudy is done (social worker inspects home and evaluates couples’ ability to parent)
Profile, letter to birthparent, picture book are completed
Profile is shown to birthparents to be selected as adoptive parents
Birthparent selects adoptive family

7. Adoption 101: Adoptive Family Experience
Match meeting is held (open adoptions)
Baby is born and goes to cradle care until termination of parental rights or home with adoptive family (adoptive family must assume risk that birthparent can change their mind until termination of parental rights)
6 months after baby is placed with adoptive family, family goes to court to finalize adoption, the agency will provide post placement supervision
Birth certificate is issued with adoptive family name

8. Birthparents who make adoption plans for their children generally:
Are more likely to finish school and obtain a higher level degree, therefore will advance further educationally
Attain better employment and have higher income
Have more financial stability and are less likely to receive social assistance
Are less likely to repeat or abort another out-of-wedlock pregnancy
Are more likely to marry in the future, and when they do, are more likely to delay marriage to an older age
Report a high level of satisfaction with their decision for adoption

9. Birthparents Who Choose Adoption
May feel they are not ready to parent
May want to concentrate on educational or career goals
May not have the financial resources to raise children
May not want to financially burden their own parents
Want more for their baby than they feel they can provide
Want what is best for their baby

10. Consider… What do I want for myself?
Can I handle child, job, school, social life?
Am I ready to give up freedom? What would I give up?
Can I afford a child?
Do I want to raise a child where I am living now?

11. Consider… How would parenting a child change my educational plans?
Am I willing to give AT LEAST 18 YEARS of my life to being a responsible parent?
Do I like children? Do I want my child to be like me?
Do I expect a child to make my life happy?
Am I able to give the child the love he/she needs/deserves?

12. All About U Adoptions, inc will provide to those in crisis pregnancy…
Connection to medical and social services
Empowerment in the decision making process
Counseling throughout pregnancy
Assistance with unplanned pregnancy no matter what choice is made
Help to identify support system
Post-pregnancy counseling
Phone cards for clients