We define “open adoption” like this– anything that is not closed! Seriously, a close adoption is where the parents and adoptive parents agree not to have any future contact and do not know much about one another. An open adoption is everything else! It could mean limited contact, like periodic cards, pictures, letters, etc. to a lot of contact throughout the year at school functions, holidays, birthday parties. What is acceptable depends on the people involved and what each wants and is comfortable with. On Point Legal will work with you and the adoptive parents to determine what is best [...]

Our team with work with you to create a hospital plan before your due date. This hospital plan will be used to communicate to the hospital staff what you would like to happen before, during and after delivery. This ensures everyone is on the “same page” to avoid surprises and extra stress. After birth, the hospital staff will discuss your discharge options and plan. We will be in touch with hospital staff and often come to visit everyone. Usually, the hospital, with the mother’s permission, will discharge the baby to the adoptive parents through one of our attorneys.

After the legally required five day waiting period, you will be asked to sign a voluntary act of surrender transferring custody of the child to adoptive family. Before signing the surrender you are required to participate in two counseling sessions with a licensed professional.We will let you know where you need to be and when; we’ll facilitate the required counseling - and any additional counseling if it will help. We will also provide transportation if that will help you. We want you to feel supported, not pressured; welcomed, not exploited. In exchange, we want you to always be honest with [...]

Yes, you may visit your child before hospital discharge and after discharge. At the hospital – before discharge, we encourage contact with your baby, if you want it. Future long term contact is an item of discussion, which will be thoroughly covered and the options are explained when you sit down with us.

Great question. An important one. First, if asked, we will put the terms of future contact in writing and ask everyone to sign an agreement called a Continuing Contact Agreement. Everyone will receive a copy and we will remind the adoptive parents about the terms of the agreement and their obligations.