Private Adoption in MO: What To Know
One common misconception towards private adoption in MO is that a birth mother gives up their baby to an agency, and that is it. Most people don’t understand that adoption is like one big umbrella, with numerous options, terms, and agreements that are unique to each adoption process. No adoption process looks the same. Every individual or couple has their own unique story of why they are putting their child up for adoption and the type of adoption they are looking for. While there are many emotional aspects when deciding on an adoption process, there are also a lot of logistical considerations such as legalities and financial status, and the stability of the birth mother in terms of being a suitable role in what happens to their child. These are important factors that play a big role in if adoption is public or private. In some situations, the person giving up their child gets no say in what happens, while in other cases, the person gets a full say. Adoption Choices of Missouri and other local adoption agencies in Missouri offer in-depth advice on all of the options available for unplanned pregnancies and all of the outcomes. One option for the adoption process is a private adoption, or in some cases referred to as an independent adoption. This article will be going over everything you need to know for private adoption.
So What Exactly is a Private Adoption?
This applies to domestic adoption and international adoption. When you choose a private adoption, you are choosing to work alongside a private adoption agency in Missouri to help you find a family to adopt your child. Unlike foster care, where a majority of the children have been put into their system due to circumstances that are out of the birth mother’s control and were forced (homelessness, abuse, substance abuse, etc.) Instead, private adoption means that you are voluntarily willing to place your child up for adoption and want to have a say in what happens to your child and the relationship you will or will not choose to have with them.
Through private adoption agencies, you will have much more freedom throughout the entire process. You can choose to have an open adoption, where you will still have a relationship with your child once they are adopted by a family and can still have contact/access to see them. You can also choose a closed adoption, which means the child and adoptive family will have no contact or information about you as the birth mother. Some agencies will even allow you to have some control over which family your child is placed with. This way, you can feel confident, comfortable, and content with where your baby ends up.
On the other hand, public adoptions are a funded system that works to relocate children out of dangerous or unfit households and are placed into a foster care system without any say from the birth parents. If you go with public adoption, you will likely have no contact between the birth mother and adoptive parents. While this option for people looking to adopt a child is often more affordable, it can be a more difficult process. These children have already built a relationship with their birth parents and are being forced away from them.
Private adoption can be a long process and more costly, but you will often be given a child who has been in the agency since birth.
Both public and private adoption choices are wonderful opportunities to give a child a chance to have a family that is loving and caring, but knowing the difference between them, what to expect out of each process, and doing your research beforehand on what type of adoption you prefer- whether you’re the one putting your child up for adoption or looking to adopt, is very important. Adoption Choices of Missouri’s website is a private adoption agency in MO that offers an abundance of support for birth mothers or people looking to adopt a child. You can get in touch with a representative via phone or email to begin your process and have the best insight into the knowledge and support you are looking for.
Adoption Choices of Missouri serves birth parents statewide and beyond, please call us or text us to learn more! Call us toll-free at 877-903-4488 or, in Missouri call or text us at 816-527-9800
Meet the Author: Allie Nowak is in her senior year of undergrad at Illinois State University studying public relations, with a minor in health & wellness coaching. She is extremely passionate about writing, digital content creating, and all things related to lifestyle & wellness. In her free time, she enjoys serving as editor-in-chief and publishing articles for her university’s chapter of Her Campus, the nation’s largest media platform for college women. You can also find her spending time with friends and family, traveling, reading, and walking her two golden doodles. She currently lives in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago where she was born and raised.
