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When Can You Give a Child up for Adoption?

What You Need to Know about Choosing Adoption

When you consider putting a child up for adoption, you are thinking about one of the most significant decisions of your life. Still, there is hope for you and your child, and there is professional support available to you. We’d love nothing more than to be that support for you.

It’s still possible to place your older child for adoption, but it does become harder the older your child is. That’s because most adoption professionals have the resources to only place infants and younger children. Here at American Adoptions, we mainly work with children under 4.

To learn more about how to put a child up for adoption, contact us online to get more adoption information now. We would love to help you out in any way that we can.

When Can You Give a Child Up for Adoption?

If your child is still a baby or toddler, then adoption may be the best path for your needs. Most adoption agencies, including American Adoptions, specialize in domestic infant adoption, and plenty of hopeful parents want to adopt a child within this age range.

But, as they get older, you and your child will form a deeper bond. Children start forming these attachments at an early age. The more a child consciously understands that attachment, the more difficult adoption can be for them to understand and process.

How Long After a Baby Is Born Can You Give It Up for Adoption?

Each adoption agency has its own age requirements, like a maximum age, for putting a child up for adoption with them. Because of this, your child’s age does matter. For the most part, adoption agencies work with children who are under the age of 4.

So, you have a lot of time to make your choice if you’re considering putting a child up for adoption. Still, the matter of when you can give a child up for adoption starts as early as when you give birth.

To learn more about what your options are based on your child’s age, fill out our online contact form to get more free information now.

Is Putting a Child Up for Adoption Free?

Yes, putting a child up for adoption is 100% free for prospective birth mothers. When you put a child up for adoption with our agency, you will receive adoption financial assistance that covers all your adoption- and pregnancy-related expenses. You’ll also receive our many free adoption services. 

All states have their own laws about how much financial assistance you’ll be eligible for, but you can also receive financial help for living expenses, including:

  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • Maternity clothing
  • Transportation to and from medical visits
  • And much more

Also, if you want to give your child a life that you can’t currently afford, working with our agency is a wonderful way to do that. We’ll provide you with essential, free adoption services, like:

  • 24/7 adoption counseling and support so that you’re never alone
  • Open adoption education to help you understand the process
  • Free medical expenses so you don’t have to worry about the costs
  • Free legal expenses so your adoption is fair and ethical
  • And much more

For many people, adoption is a way to find some stability and build a better future for themselves and their children alike. When you put a child up for adoption with our agency, you can do the same.

Where Can I Put My Child Up for Adoption?

If your child is 4 or younger, then the best way to complete the adoption process is with a national adoption agency, like American Adoptions. We’re equipped with all the necessary resources to handle each step of your adoption journey from start to finish.

As a national adoption agency, we’re licensed to work with hopeful families across the whole country. This means you’ll have the greatest chance of finding the perfect family for your child. Our large, trained staff will always be there to support you when you put a child up for adoption with our agency.

How to Put a Child Up for Adoption

Regardless of your situation, putting a child up for adoption is a unique journey for everyone.

From a general perspective, though, your adoption journey will consist of these five steps:

  • Step 1: Contact our agency.
  • Step 2: Browse profiles of hopeful families.
  • Step 3: Choose the level of openness in the adoption.
  • Step 4: Give birth and complete the official paperwork alongside your adoption attorney.
  • Step 5: Complete the placement.

If you would like to learn more about how to put a child up for adoption, then you can contact us online to get more adoption information now.

Alternatives to Adoption for Older Children

Choosing adoption is a brave, selfless and loving choice, but it may not be possible depending on your child’s age.

The transition to a new family can be especially difficult for an older child, too. Also, because most hopeful adoptive parents want to adopt infants, finding a family for your older child may prove challenging.

Still, there are other options available to you besides putting a child up for adoption, including:

  • State-run social services programs
  • Kinship adoption
  • Temporary legal guardianship

If you do choose to parent, then here are some resources that could be useful for you:

To learn more about your adoption choices based on your child’s age, then complete our online contact form to get free adoption information now. We are here to help you whenever you need our support.

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is American Adoptions the right adoption agency choice for many birth mothers?

American Adoptions is one of the largest licensed adoption agencies in the United States. Each year, we work with thousands of women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy and offer assistance to these women. Our large, caring staff is able to assist you seven days a week and provide you with one-on-one counseling about your pregnancy and available options.

You should choose an adoption agency where you feel completely comfortable with their services and staff. With American Adoptions, you will work with an Adoption Specialist who is on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Adoption Specialist will be your advocate and will provide support and guidance as you create an adoption plan that is right for you.

How will the family tell my child about me and the adoption when my child is older?

Each family has their own style of introducing adoption to the child. When you are matched with an adoptive family, you can ask them this question. If you would like your Adoption Specialist to discuss it for you, just let her know. He or she can share your wishes or provide good ideas from other adoptive families.

You will also be able to share what you want your baby to know about you. You can complete a keepsake booklet to share hobbies, stories, photos of you and your family and a letter to your baby. The adoptive family can provide this to your child as he or she grows older. Be as creative as you like! Some birth mothers have even knitted a special blanket as a gift to their baby or given a similar symbol of their love.

The father of your baby can fill out the birth father's keepsake booklet or write a letter too. You may have other family members who would also like to share photos or a letter to the baby. This is your opportunity to pass on your and your family's love and to share your personality, history and reasons for choosing adoption. The adoptive family will treasure whatever information you provide and will share it with the baby at an appropriate age. In most adoptive homes, the word adoption is in the child's vocabulary early on, and adoption is celebrated in their lives.

Additional Resources

Teen Pregnancy - Information for Young Women

While not every woman who chooses adoption is a young mother, many are. Through adoption, many young women have found an ability to give their babies the best life possible, while finding the opportunity to realize their own dreams, as well. Call American Adoptions today at 1-800-ADOPTION.

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Adoption Glossary

Do adoption terms and phrases leave you feeling confused? Learn the meaning to key adoption words and phrases with our comprehensive adoption glossary.

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