How to Give Up a Child for Adoption in Washington State
Placing a child up for adoption is one of the most selfless things you can do when you know that another family will be able to give your child a better life than you can. It is not only a wonderful thing to do for the child, but you are giving a gift to a family who is able and eager to welcome a new child into their home. If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy in Washington state and are interested in placing your child with an adoptive family, follow these steps.
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Instructions
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Think about whether you want to have an open or closed adoption. An open adoption allows you to stay in touch with the parents and child and receive updates via letters and photos, whereas with a closed adoption, you generally do not ever meet the adoptive parents and will not receive any updates on the child. There is also the possibility of customizing an adoption plan that allows for some degree of contact between a closed and fully open adoption, which the adoption agency that you choose to work with can help you pursue if you're interested.
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Look up adoption agencies in your area; these can be found either online or in the yellow pages. Consider what services each agency offers as well as how much they will charge for the entire process. Washington state law mandates that the only fees that can be charged for adoption are hospital and medical expenses, attorney's fees and court costs, and home study and agency fees. Do not attempt to work with any agency that tries to charge for services other than these.
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Contact the agency you choose and talk with them about your situation. Make sure that you feel comfortable with the agency and its employees; they should be compassionate and treat you with respect. If you feel at all uncomfortable, try a different agency until you find the perfect one. They will then help you decide which type of adoption is best for you if you're having trouble deciding on your own and will answer any questions you have.
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Search your agency's database of potential adoptive families. Decide what attributes are important to you in a family for your child, such as the parents' education or religion. You will be able to read profiles of each family with information about those aspects as well as their jobs, ethnic background, and interests.
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Inform the agency when you've found a family that feels like a perfect fit. The agency will then help you with the required paperwork and walk you through any additional steps you will need to take. Once you've officially been matched with an adoptive family, you can relax and feel content in knowing that you've made the right choice for your child.
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- Photo Credit family image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
