adoption programs Explained

Identified/ Matched Adoption

In an Identified/ Matched Adoption, the agency provides placement services. This type of adoption occurs when an expectant and adoptive family come to the agency together for placement services. They have already found each other through friends, family members or perhaps a place of worship. The law is very specific about the adoption process; it is much safer for an adoption to proceed under an agency’s guidelines. In a matched adoption we ensure that financial resources, counseling opportunities, and case management services are provided to both expectant and adoptive families. In these cases we offer separate advocates for expectant/birth families and adoptive families. This ensures everyone receives fair and unbiased representation throughout the process. 

Traditional Adoption

The most common adoption program is Traditional Adoption. Traditional adoption occurs when birth and adoptive parents match through an adoption entity or attorney. Often traditional adoption placements occur after the agency has worked with an expectant mother or family for a period of time. The agency gets to know the birth mother or parents as well as their waiting adoptive families and helps secure a match that best suits all parties desires for future relationships.

Types of Adoption

Expectant parents can choose whether they want an open, semi-open, or closed adoption. Some have a strong preference for an open adoption. Other expectant parents prefer a closed adoption and want no further contact with the child or the adoptive family after placement. The type of adoption chosen by the expectant parent drives the search for adoptive parents.

Adoptive parents also get to decide what type of adoption is most comfortable for them. The best matches occur when all parties want the same kind of arrangement. Both expectant and adoptive families should give heartfelt consideration to the the choice of how much contact they would be willing to have after the adoption occurs. These agreements are legally binding in perpetuity.

Open Adoptions

In open adoption, expectant and adoptive parents mutually agree to ongoing contact. This means they expect to have regular updates or visits after the Termination of Parental Rights and Finalization. These agreed-upon updates and/or visits may be for the child’s first year of life, the first several years, or maybe until adulthood. Identifying information such as first and last names is disclosed and known by all parties. In an Open Adoption, all members of the Adoption Triad (Expectant Parents, Adoptive Parents, and Baby) understand that contact between the parties will continue after the formal adoption process is finalized and sometimes throughout the child’s life.

While there are differing degrees of openness, expectant parents often choose to have some openness in their adoption plan. Because it is so important to establish ground rules for these relationships, we contract with an Openness Counselor to work with both expectant and adoptive families separately and together to define expectations and future relationships. Open Adoption

Semi-Open Adoptions

Semi-open adoptions involve limited information sharing about the adopted child. In this type of adoption, information sharing/meetings occur, and contact happens after Consent papers have been signed via Child Connect. Semi-open adoptions are facilitated online with Child Connect. Child Connect allows for personal but private interaction between birth parents and adoptive parents until the child reaches 18 years of age. Frequently Semi-Open adoption includes visits in the future.  Semi-open Adoption

Closed Adoptions

In a closed adoption, there is no information shared between Adoptive and Expectant Parents. The Expectant Mother and Adoptive Parents will know each other only by first names. The Agency will notify the hospital that the Adoption is a Closed Adoption, and baby’s armband will be covered, and all identifying information will be kept confidential. Closed Adoption

How Matching Works

We will discuss the different types of adoption in detail during your initial consultation. Adoptive parents must eventually decide which type of adoption they would prefer. Expectant parents will also select the type of adoption they want. In addition, there may be other considerations for matches. Ultimately the expectant parent will choose the family that seems best suited to their desires for adoptive parents. In addition to the type of adoption they want, adoptive families will also want to consider whether they want a child that shares their racial background or if they would be open to considering a child of mixed race or a different racial background to their own.

Florida Adoption Center usually finds matches for most expectant mothers by their late second or third trimester. We often work with our expectant mothers for several months before finding the perfect match. Expenses to help support birth mothers throughout their pregnancy begin to incur as soon as they join the program. Upon match, approximately 3/4 of the support budget is due from the adoptive family. The remainder of the payment becomes due at placement. Final placement fees are waived in the case of a “Disruption”. In addition, any portion of refundable fees not spent will be returned approximately 30 days after a disruption. This is common practice for private adoption in Florida.