All About Adoption Plans And Why You Should Create One

An adoption plan is a strategy that you develop to help map out everything that may happen concerning your child's birth and adoption. This article will tell you how to create an adoption plan and why it is so important.

What things do you want out of your adoption? How do you see it going? You may think that placing your child for adoption is something out of your control but the reality is you have a voice. There are many important decisions you will make regarding the future of your child.

If you want your adoption to be successful for you and your child, you'll need to give a lot of thought as to what you want out of your adoption plan - even before starting to search for adoptive parents. Keep your plan in mind as you begin to search for the right adoptive family for your baby. You'll want to meet adoptive parents who have a favorable and similar view of your adoption plan in order to keep things running as smoothly as possible over the years.

Here are some questions to ask yourself while thinking about what you want out of an adoption plan.

What is an adoption plan?
An adoption plan is what you are looking for, wanting from, and planning for from your adoption in regards to post placement.

How much involvement do you want from the adoptive parents at the hospital?
It is your right to decide who you want involved in your hospital experience. If you are not one-hundred-percent sure of adoption yet, do not consider inviting the prospective adoptive parents into the labor room with you. If you do choose to have them present, make sure you have someone there to support you as well. As much as this experience is about your baby (and he or she is your baby until you sign relinquishment papers), it is also important to remember that this experience is about you too. You need to feel comfortable and supported.

How much contact do you want after your baby is born and what type of contact do you want?
Think about what you are going to want after your baby is born. Will you want visits or just updates and pictures? And how often? Where will visits take place? Will the updates come directly to you or would you prefer that they go through a third party, such as an adoption social worker?

Who will you want to include when contacting your child and his/her adoptive family?
Contact with your child and your child’s adoptive family may include other people such as your parents, any children you may be parenting (or subsequent children you may have), other extended family members, or your baby’s father, and any of his extended family.

Should I put all of this in writing?
Yes! Putting your adoption plan in writing is called a Post-Adoption Agreement and it is important. Although not legally enforceable in all states, putting everything in writing is strongly encouraged as it helps you and the adoptive parents ensure that you are all on the same page regarding future contact. It is also very helpful to look back on this document in the future if problems should ever arise.

A Few Tips:

• It’s important to remember that you are not going to know exactly how you will feel about post-adoption contact until after your baby is born. Be as flexible as you can when you create your plan.
• Consider your 'non-negotiables'. Your must-haves. If there are things that you absolutely will not ever sway on, add them to your list and don't look back!
• Don't just plan all this in your mind. Having it in writing is so helpful as you move forward. Situations will arise, emotions will cloud your judgment. And of course, circumstances and people will change. You will need to have your plan to fall back on, to remind you of what is most important.
• Don’t rush as you compose your adoption plan. A due date that is getting closer and closer may feel like a very good reason to rush. But don't let panic overcome you. This decision does not have to be made before your baby is born. You can take as much time as you need to make your decisions. With proper planning, you will find the right family and create the right adoption plan for you and your baby.