Should You Keep Your Adoption a Secret?

Choosing adoption for your baby can be a difficult decision. It’s even more difficult when you don’t have a strong support system and feel you have to keep your adoption a secret from certain people in your life for fear that they won’t understand or support you.

While we always encourage you to confide in friends and family members about your unplanned pregnancy and adoption plan, we’re committed to supporting your adoption decision, even if the people in your life don’t know about your adoption plan. For women who are concerned about negative or potentially harmful reactions from the people in their lives, know that we can help pregnant women pursue a secret adoption so that they can keep themselves, their baby and their adoption plan safe.

You deserve to be supported in this loving decision for your child. The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly are here to support you however we can.

This can include…

  • helping you to create a confidential adoption that works around your current situation.
  • arranging an alternative living situation for you throughout your pregnancy if necessary, either in temporary safe housing or with friends/family who are supportive of your adoption decision.
  • access to The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly’s legal counsel in seeking an anonymous adoption.
  • access to medical and prenatal care.
  • access to free counseling services.
  • help with certain adoption-related expenses.

Adoption becomes even more difficult when you have people in your life who are unsupportive of your decision. We want to help make your adoption process an easier one, even if you choose to opt for keeping adoption a secret.

Note: If you need a secret adoption due to an abusive situation or an unsafe environment, please call an adoption professional or counselor right now to get help and to find an immediate solution.

Although keeping adoption a secret may not be an option for every situation, confidential adoptions have helped many women provide better futures for their babies while protecting them from the people in their lives who would be unsupportive of the adoption decision.

Contact The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly to learn more about the legal process of keeping adoption a secret.

5 Things to Know About Enforcing Open Adoption in PA

When it comes to openness in adoption, it’s more common today than ever before. In fact, 95 percent of adoptions completed today are either open or mediated, meaning there is some sort of communication between the birth parents and adoptive parents during and after the adoption process.

However, even though open adoption is common, you may have some reservations about it as a prospective birth or adoptive parent.  You may worry about whether the other party to the open adoption will keep their promise for postadoption contact. One of the questions in your mind might be: “Can I protect my open adoption by making it legally binding?”

Pennsylvania is one of the few states that actually allows for a postadoption contact agreement to be made legally enforceable. However, because the laws regarding this legal enforceability can be complicated, you will need the legal counsel of experienced professionals like The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly to make sure your agreement is completed correctly.  Any information presented in this article may help you better understand the legalities of enforceable contact agreements, but it should not be taken as legal advice — you can only get that by contacting an experienced attorney.

That said, here are some things you need to know about legally binding postadoption contact agreements in Pennsylvania:

  1. Who can be a part of them: The child’s prospective adoption parent and any birth relative of the child being adopted can be involved in these agreements.
  1. The requirements for a postadoption communication contract: A court must approve the contact agreement, making sure it:
  • Is in the best interest of the child being adopted
  • Recognizes both parties’ interests and desires for ongoing communication or contact
  • Is appropriate, given the role of each of the parties in the child’s life
  1. How to make a legally binding postadoption communication contract: First, both parties to the agreement must enter into it knowingly and voluntarily. That’s why it’s so important that you consult with a legal professional before moving forward with any kind of legal agreement for open adoption.

Just writing a postadoption communication contract does not make it legally binding; it must be presented before the court for approval on or before the date any adoption decree is issued. Usually, this can be done during the adoption finalization. However, because a birth mother is not normally present at this finalization, it’s important that she understands this step of the process — and has her own lawyer representing her in court at this time.

Once the court approves the contact agreement, it will become legally enforceable.

  1. How to enforce the agreement if one of the parties breaks their contact: If you want to enforce a contact agreement you believe has been broken, you must file a movement in the court that finalized the adoption. You cannot request monetary damages or modification of the agreement; you are only enforcing specific performance by a member of the party. You’ll need to have an experienced attorney to represent you in this situation.

It’s important to remember that even if a contact agreement is broken, an adoption will remain valid.

  1. How an agreement can be terminated or modified: The only one who can modify the agreement (for example, increasing or decreasing contact) is the adoptive parent or the child, if they’re over 12 years of age. Any modification made must be deemed to be in the best interest of the child.

The birth parent, the adoptive parent or a child over the age of 12 may terminate the contact agreement as long as the termination is in the best interest of the child at the center of the adoption.

Clearly, the legal enforceability of a postadoption contact agreement can be complicated. If you’re interested in pursuing these legal steps, you can contact the law professionals at The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly by calling 814-237-7900 or submitting our online form.

Remember, while open adoption will likely come with challenges, it’s important to keep up your honest communication, even if your contact agreement is not legally enforceable. This postadoption contact will be beneficial to all involved, especially to the adopted child at the center of the agreement.

Finally, be reassured knowing that, in our experience, the vast majority of prospective birth and adoptive parents who choose open adoption do so with the full intention of maintaining their postadoption contact in the best interest of the child involved. It may be difficult at times — but it’s all worth it in the end.

Can I Get My Child Back After Adoption in Pennsylvania?

As a prospective birth mother or someone who has already placed her baby for adoption, there may be a point where you may find yourself asking, “Can I get my baby back after adoption?”

In many cases, this question may arise out of overwhelming feelings of fear, panic and uncertainty. Choosing to place a baby for adoption and adjusting to the post-adoption period can be full of confusing emotions that make you question your adoption decision. However, it’s important to understand that these feelings are completely normal — so there’s no reason to feel like you’re thinking anything wrong.

If the question of “How can I get my child back after adoption in Pennsylvania?” plagues you, you should evaluate where these feelings are coming from before moving forward. It’s also important to know that very rarely can you get your child back after an adoption is completed and finalized, so you should be 100 percent confident in your decision before signing any legal adoption documents.

The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly will help you understand all of your adoption rights as a prospective birth mother, no matter where you are at in the adoption process. You can always contact us with your questions or concerns at any time (and for free) by calling 814-237-7900.

Keep reading to learn more about your adoption rights in Pennsylvania.

Birth Mother Adoption Rights in Pennsylvania

If you’re a prospective birth mother who is reconsidering her adoption decision, know that you have the right to discontinue the adoption process at any time until you sign consent paperwork after your baby is born. Even then, if your adoption was completed under Pennsylvania law, you may have up to 30 days to revoke  your adoption consent.

If you feel like you were pressured into giving your consent and want to regain your parental rights after you give a child up for adoption in Pennsylvania, contact the law offices of The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly at 814-237-7900 right away. We can talk to you about your individual circumstances and help you understand your options for moving forward.

However, keep in mind that the longer you wait to request a revocation of your consent, the less likely it may be that your petition is accepted. Therefore, to reduce the stress and heartbreak that could come from reversing an adoption, you should ensure that you’re ready to commit to your adoption plan before you sign away your adoption rights.

Why You’re Questioning Your Decision

As mentioned before, confusing feelings are common for prospective birth mothers. No matter how committed you are to your adoption plan, you will likely experience moments of heightened emotion that may make you second-guess placing your child for adoption.

If you’re wondering if you can get your baby back after adoption, if you haven’t already placed your child, one of the most useful things you can do is to reevaluate decision overall. Here are some things to consider:

  • Are you just having a bad day? Overwhelmed by emotion, almost all prospective birth mothers experience moments of doubt when they question if adoption is the right choice. If you’re asking yourself, “Can I get my baby back after adoption?” you might want to think about where you are at emotionally. Is this a question that comes from desperation, exhaustion and stress, or is it a serious consideration that you’ve been thinking about for a while? If you’re not sure, talk out your feelings with your adoption support group and your adoption professional. You should also look back on the reasons why you chose adoption in the first place.
  • Are you worried about post-placement contact? As you get closer to the end of your pregnancy, it can be scary to think that your baby will not be an everyday part of your life after you give birth. You may be scared at the thought of losing them and be hesitant about giving up your parental rights. However, know that choosing adoption for your child is not akin to cutting them out of your life completely; on the contrary, with today’s standard of communication between birth parents and adoptive parents, you will have certain birth mother rights in open adoption.

You and the adoptive parents should agree on open adoption communication as early as possible. Knowing exactly what to expect after you give birth may help make your pregnancy and upcoming transition easier on you, especially during emotional times when you consider getting your child back after adoption.

  • Are you being completely honest about your feelings? If you’re constantly questioning, “How can I get my child back after adoption?” you may have underlying feelings about your adoption that you haven’t admitted to yourself. Maybe you’re simply not ready to make this commitment yet — and that’s totally fine. You shouldn’t rush into adoption if you’re not completely ready for it, but also remember that it’s never too late to choose adoption if you decide it’s what’s best later on.

To help navigate your feelings and decide what’s the best choice for you, talk to your adoption support group and your adoption professional.

If you’re a birth mother who has already signed her adoption consent and is looking to get her child back, we are The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly can walk you through the options available for your individual situation. If you haven’t yet placed your child for adoption, we can also provide you resources and educate you on your birth mother adoption rights in Pennsylvania. Call us today at 814-237-7900 or contact us online for more information.

What You Should Know About Adoptive Family Profiles

When you decide to become parents through adoption, you know you’ll have to go through extensive background screening before being approved to adopt. But, whether you adopt through an agency or search for an adoption opportunity independently, there will be one more step before you can begin your search: the adoptive family profile.

Adoptive family profiles are incredibly useful tools to decrease the amount of time you spend waiting for a birth mother match and to make you more attractive to prospective birth mothers. They can be in a physical or digital form, and they’ll be entirely unique based on your own family.

Like many adoption professionals, The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly recommends prospective adoptive families complete an adoptive family profile to extend their reach to more potential birth mothers. There are plenty of adoption profile book examples offered up by adoption professionals, and these are a great place to start if you’re considering making an adoptive family profile.

You might be excited at the prospect of creating an adoptive family profile, but you also might have several questions about how to make an adoption profile book as well. We give you some answers here.

  1. What does an adoptive family profile look like?

Each family’s profile will be different based on what they wish to emphasize but, in general, an adoptive family profile is a print or online brochure or book that describes who you are and why you’re choosing adoption. It’s a detailed peek into your daily life for prospective birth mothers, so they can see what kind of family their adopted child could grow up in.

Some adoption profile book ideas to include are:

  • Your personal background, your love story (if you’re married) and how you decided on adoption
  • Your home and your community
  • Your extended family and family traditions
  • How you will tell your child about adoption as they grow up
  • And more

Depending on what kind of adoptive family profile professional you work with, you could also create an online or video profile that will increase your reach to potential birth mothers. These profiles will include all the same details, but they will be presented in a multimedia way that may appeal to younger prospective birth mothers.

  1. What should I know about how to make an adoption profile book?

There’s no one “right way” to make an adoptive family profile. What you decide to include in your profile will be determined on what you think is most important for a prospective birth mother to know about you.

However, there are some common things to keep in mind when thinking about how to write an adoption profile:

  • Respect the prospective birth mother and her rights. When a prospective birth mother is viewing adoptive family profiles, she is still in the process of considering adoption. Therefore, when you express your gratitude, make sure you use the phrase “considering adoption” instead of “choosing adoption,” and always refer to the unborn child as her baby, not yours.
  • Be honest. While it can be tempting to portray your family in a way that you think prospective birth mothers would like, it’s more important to accurately represent yourself. Use photos of you in everyday clothes doing everyday things so a prospective birth mother will know what her child’s life would really be like in your family. Formal, overdressed photos do not give a good impression to prospective birth mothers looking for a loving, natural family. Pregnant women choose adoptive families for all kinds of reasons so, as long as you’re honestly putting yourself forward, you’ll find the perfect birth mother match for you.
  • Be descriptive — but don’t write a novel. How to write an adoption profile can be tricky as you try to walk the line between too much and too little detail. Keep in mind: You’ll want the prospective birth mother to know enough to imagine her child’s life with you, but you don’t want to overwhelm her with lots of text.
  • Talk about your feelings on adoption. Don’t be afraid to express your excitement and desire to become adoptive parents — this is perhaps the most important thing that a prospective birth mother looks for. You might be afraid of hurting her feelings by talking about a life with her child, but know that the first thing a pregnant woman wants for her child is a family who will love and embrace them. Sharing your true emotions is an important part of communicating that to her.
  1. Where can I make an adoptive family profile?

Many adoption agencies provide profile design services to adoptive families, so if you are working with a matching agency, they can likely help you complete this step or refer you to another professional who can.

If you’re willing to create your adoption profile design on your own, you can use programs like InDesign or Shutterfly. But, if you’re pursuing an independent adoption and looking for a professional to design your adoptive family profile, you could reach out to local graphic design companies or My Adoption Advisor.

This company not only provides adoption profile design services, but they can also give you adoption profile feedback and help you create online versions of your profile. Many adoption agencies provide the same services, so you’ll need to research to decide which option is best for you.

If you’re concerned about creating an adoption profile book on your own, remember that there are plenty of resources out there to provide you examples of adoption profile books. At The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly, we can help refer you to some of those professionals, if need be. However, no matter how nervous you are, don’t overthink the process; by making the perfect adoptive family profile for you, the perfect match will happen.

To learn more about the entire adoption process in Pennsylvania, call The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly today at 814-237-7900 or contact us online here.

Birth Mother Adoption Rights in Pennsylvania: What You Should Know

The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly is committed to protecting your adoption rights as a potential birth mother, as well as the rights and future of your baby. You can contact us with any questions that you may have about your legal rights in adoption; your legal counsel is paid for by the adoptive parents.

Here are a few of your basic adoption rights as a prospective birth mother in Pennsylvania:

  • You have the right to reconsider your desire to pursue adoption for your unplanned pregnancy at any point before the baby is born.
  • You have the right to reconsider your adoption decision after the baby is born during your state-mandated 72-hour waiting period. Your adoption decision does not become final until you sign the adoption consent forms that legally terminate your parental rights and the child is placed with the adoptive family.
  • You have the right to petition to regain those parental rights after you give up a child for adoption before the final adoption decree is issued. Your rights may be reinstated if the court approves your request.
  • You have the right to alter your adoption plan details throughout your pregnancy.
  • You have the right to access free adoption services, including legal counsel through The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly, help finding the perfect adoptive parents, emotional counseling and support, prenatal and medical care and even financial assistance with some living expenses during your pregnancy.
  • You also have the right to choose an open adoption. Birth mother rights in open adoption mean that you’re able to maintain as much or as little contact with the adoptive family and your child as you feel comfortable with before, during, and after the adoption.

Want to learn more about your legal adoption rights as a potential birth mother in the state of Pennsylvania? The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly can help. Contact us now for more information.

5 Questions You May Have About Safe Haven Adoption in Pennsylvania

Deciding you’re not ready to be a parent after your baby is born can be one of the most difficult decisions you’ll ever make. Some women feel guilt at the idea of “giving up” a child they thought they could raise, while others may feel like they’ve failed at motherhood.

But that’s not the case — deciding to place your child for adoption after you’ve tried being a parent is one of the most mature decisions you can make. Recognizing that you can’t be the parent you want to be is a selfless decision and nothing to be ashamed of.

Some overwhelmed mothers don’t realize they can still place a child for adoption after birth and instead turn to safe haven laws that protect them if they relinquish the custody of their baby at a safe haven location. If you’re considering a safe haven baby adoption in Pennsylvania, you may have a few questions about the process. We’ve answered them for you below:

  1. When can I relinquish my newborn with safe haven laws?

In Pennsylvania, you can relinquish the custody of your newborn under safe haven laws as long as they are less than 28 days old.

  1. Where can I leave my newborn?

The only place you can leave your newborn is with a healthcare provider at a hospital. There are no “baby drop off boxes” in Pennsylvania; you must directly put your child into the custody of another person to avoid charges of child abandonment.

  1. Does the law protect my anonymity? Do I have to give information about my baby?

Pennsylvania law does not specifically protect your anonymity, but it also does not state you have to provide medical history or identifying information for your newborn. However, it’s highly recommended you provide that information to aid in a quicker adoption process for your baby.

  1. What happens after I leave my baby with a healthcare provider?

Once a mother has relinquished custody of her child for a safe haven baby adoption in Pennsylvania, the healthcare provider will contact the county agency and the local municipal police department, who will write a report and then start the adoption process for your child.

  1. Will I face any legal charges for giving up the custody of my newborn?

As long as you express your intent to have the hospital accept your newborn and the newborn is not a victim of child abuse or criminal conduct, you will not be held criminally liable for child abandonment.

For some mothers, placing their baby for a safe haven adoption may seem like the best solution when they are overwhelmed and unprepared to be parents. However, just because it seems like the best choice for you does not mean it’s always the best decision for your child.

If you want to make sure your child is adopted into a safe and loving family quickly, you might instead pursue an adoption through The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly. Just like a safe haven baby adoption, you will not face legal repercussions for terminating your parental rights — and you can be absolutely sure that your child will have the best future possible.

An adoption with The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly will let you:

At the end of the day, the only one who can decide what’s best for you and your child is you, but we highly encourage working with us to ensure a safe and quick adoption process for your baby. Here at The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly, you can call us confidentially, for free and with no obligation at 814-237-7900 or contact us online here to talk about your adoption situation.

Will ICWA Impact Your Adoption?

ICWA (the Indian Child Welfare Act) is a federal law that protects children of members or eligible members of federally recognized Native American tribes. If the child you wish to adopt is a member or eligible to be a member of a tribe, they’ll be protected under ICWA laws.

The attorneys of The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly are very familiar with the processes and requirements of ICWA, so we can ensure that the adoption of your child with Native heritage is legal on tribal, federal and Pennsylvania-state levels.

If you think ICWA might apply to your adoption, we encourage you to contact us at 814-237-7900 to make sure that your adoption is handled legally. In the meantime, we’ve provided some background information to help you understand ICWA requirements and what they could mean for you.

Understand Why ICWA Exists

Prior to the law’s enactment in 1978, it was common for American Indian children to be removed from their families and tribes to be placed in non-Native foster families. This removed the children from their cultural heritage and devastated Native families whose children were wrongfully removed from their care, as well as the integrity of the tribe’s continued preservation of culture.

The adoption consent and placement processes under ICWA are different than those under state laws to help protect American Indian families and their children.

What Happens If Your Adoption Requires ICWA Clearance

If you’re adopting a child from a prospective birth mother (and/or birth father) who is a registered member or eligible for membership with a federally recognized American Indian tribe, then you may need to secure ICWA approval before you can proceed with the adoption.

If The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly believes that you’ll need ICWA clearance in your adoption of a child with Native heritage, we’ll make several attempts to contact the tribe.

  • If the tribal court fails to respond to the contact attempts, then the adoption will move forward without further need for ICWA clearance.
  • If the tribal court waives its right to participate in the adoption proceedings, then the adoption will also move forward.
  • If the tribal court says that the birth mother should be the one to decide who the best adoptive family is for her child, it will respect her choices regardless of the adoptive family’s affiliation (or lack thereof) to the tribe.
  • If the tribal court feels that it’s in the best interest of the child and the tribe’s continued preservation of family ties and culture to intervene in the adoption, it will rule on where the child should be placed — usually with extended family members of the birth mother.

With most adoptions that are conducted through The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly, the tribal court will rule in favor of whatever the prospective birth mother wants in the adoption — whether that’s to keep the child within her family or tribe, or to place the child with a non-Native family of her choosing.

If you think your adoption may involve ICWA clearance, you can contact The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly to learn more about adopting a child with Native heritage or tribal ties.

The Best Interview Questions to Ask Adoptive Parents

Whether you’re just starting to learn about the adoption process and search for potential adoptive parents for your baby or you’ve already found a prospective adoptive family and you’re ready to talk to them for the first time, you’re probably worried about finding the right couple to adopt your child.

You want your baby to have the best childhood possible, and you want to find them a set of loving adoptive parents. That starts by asking questions.

Some adoption questions to ask the adoptive parents are just to figure out what they’re like, and others are to establish whether or not you have the same dream for the adoption.

When brainstorming what to ask adoptive parents, first come up with plenty of ice-breaker questions: How did you meet? What do you do for fun? What’s your favorite tradition that you share together? What kind of music are you into?

Just listening to them share stories about their life together will help paint the picture of what their family would be like if they adopted your baby. Get to know them, and see if you get a good gut feeling!

Consider interview questions to ask adoptive parents such as:

  • What holiday traditions would you share as a family?
  • Is there any place you’d want to travel to as a family?
  • What would you consider to be a priority in your family?
  • Would you be interested in staying in contact with me after the adoption? How often?
  • Would you want to be with me at the hospital for the birth?

At this point in the adoption process, you will likely already have your adoption plan laid out. Your plan will be used to match you with prospective adoptive families who have a similar vision for the adoption.

For example, if you want to have a very open adoption with regular correspondence with the family, you’ll be matched with an adoptive couple who wants the same. This is why it’s important to ask questions when talking with adoptive parents that will help you confirm whether or not they want the same kind of adoption as you.

However, there are some questions that would be better directed toward your adoption professional, rather than the potential adoptive parents.

There are three types of questions not to ask adoptive parents when you speak with them:

  • Questions about infertility
  • Questions about money
  • Questions about personal details

Questions about infertility could, of course, be very hurtful to an adoptive couple who have been struggling with fertility problems for years. On the other hand, some prospective adoptive parents don’t have fertility problems; they simply want to build a family through adoption. Regardless, you should avoid bringing up their ability to have biological children in case it’s a sensitive subject for them.

All questions about adoption finances should always be directed to your professional at The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly. While the adoptive parents may be able to assist you with certain adoption-related expenses during your pregnancy, these payments should always be handled by an adoption professional. When in doubt, ask your adoption specialist.

Personal details like addresses, phone numbers and last names should only be exchanged if both you and the prospective adoptive parents are comfortable with it and at the recommendation of Denise or Bobbie.

The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly can facilitate communication between you and potential adoptive parents to preserve your anonymity and privacy. If you decide to proceed with an adoptive family, you can share some basic contact information to keep in touch directly, or you can continue talking through an adoption professional for updates, letters and photos if you want an open adoption that still preserves your privacy.

The first time talking with adoptive parents can be intimidating, but it’s also exciting! You may find that this is the family that you want for your child, and it’ll help you to feel more comfortable with the idea of adoption.

If you’d like to match with prospective adoptive parents, you can call The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly at 814-237-7900 to get free information and start the process now.

How Long Does It Take To Adopt a Child in Pennsylvania?

Growing your family through adoption is an exciting process, and once you’ve decided to take that step, you will probably be eager to welcome a new child as soon as possible. However, after hearing that adoptions can take months or even years to complete, you may be wondering just how long the process will take.

Fortunately, U.S. adoptions do not take as long as you might expect; the majority of adoptive families pursuing domestic infant adoption are matched with an opportunity within a year. But for some families, the adoption wait time may be longer or shorter than this average.

So how long will it take you to adopt a child in Pennsylvania? And what can you do to reduce your adoption wait time?

The length of time you’ll wait to adopt a child into your family depends on:

  • The adoption professional you use to find an adoption opportunity
    If you haven’t already found a prospective birth mother to adopt from, The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly can refer you to a trusted adoption agency for matching services or advise you as you search for an adoption opportunity independently.Typically, the fastest way to find a potential adoption opportunity is through an agency that works with a large number of prospective birth mothers. The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly can refer you to an agency and complete the legal processes required in Pennsylvania adoptions.
  • How open-minded you are about different birth mothers, adoption opportunities and adopted children
    Prospective adoptive parents who are more restrictive in the types of adoption opportunities that they’re willing to accept will spend more time waiting to adopt than a couple who is open to many different types of adoption opportunities with many different types of birth mothers.For example, if you are only interested in adopting a Caucasian girl from a prospective birth mother in Pennsylvania, you’ll wait much longer than a couple who is open to adopting a child of multiple races from any state or of any gender.
  • How flexible you are about post-adoption contact
    Potential adoptive parents who say they want no contact with the birth family after the adoption will wait much longer than couples who are willing to commit to a more open adoption. Open adoption has been proven to benefit adopted children, adoptive parents and birth families and to strengthen the relationships within the adoptive family.Closed adoptions are rare today because most birth families want to maintain some level of contact with the adoptive family after placement.

    If you remain flexible about the amount of contact you’re open to with the birth mother after the adoption is complete, you’ll likely be chosen by a birth mother more quickly.

How Long Does the Adoption Process Take?

The average wait time for adoption can be anywhere from one month to two years, depending on the three major factors listed above as well as any unpredictable variables that can occur in the adoption process.

The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly will be there every step of the way to help the legal process of your adoption move along quickly and smoothly. To learn about how you can begin the Pennsylvania adoption process now, contact The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly.

Thinking About Adoption for Your Baby? What You Need to Know

Are you pregnant and looking into adoption for your baby? You’re not alone.

The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly have helped countless women in your situation place their babies with loving adoptive families that have been waiting and hoping for child. We partner with other adoption professionals in Pennsylvania and across the country to help you find the perfect adoptive family for your baby and to give you the information and support you need when you’re considering adoption.

However, we know that adoption isn’t right for everyone. If you’re thinking about adoption for your baby in Pennsylvania, here are some of the things you should know that may help you make a decision.

How Your Baby Would Benefit from Adoption

Adopted children have been shown to have better health care and educational opportunities than non-adopted children and are less likely to live in poverty than children who aren’t adopted. They’re also more likely to be sung to, told stories, read to and participate in extracurricular activities on a daily basis than children who aren’t adopted.

If you’re not ready to raise this baby — financially, emotionally, or mentally — that’s alright. There is an adoptive couple out there who has carefully planned for a baby and would be honored to raise yours as part of their family. Adopted children are loved, cared for and treasured.

How You Would Benefit from Adoption

If you’re not able to raise this baby and thinking about adoption, then the immediate benefits are obvious: you wouldn’t have to parent this child, but you could still see your baby raised by a loving family and growing up happy and provided for. In addition, you’d be able to pursue your goals in your education, career and personal life.

For many women, avoiding an abortion is also a benefit, as the procedure can be financially costly and emotionally difficult for them. Adoption is also emotionally difficult, but adoption services are always free to you, and counseling is available to help support you throughout the pregnancy.

What to Consider When You’re Considering Adoption

Assessing where you are in your life right now is the best place to start. Are you able to raise this baby at this point? Can you afford an abortion if that’s what you want?

Then assess where you want to be. How would this unplanned pregnancy affect your future based on the decision you make? Could adoption help you get to where you want to be in your future, and provide the kind of future you want for your baby?

Remember that through an open adoption, you can maintain the amount of contact that you want with your baby and the adoptive family you choose. You’ll be able to communicate with your child and the adoptive family before, during and after the adoption.

Every choice in the adoption process is yours to make — nobody else’s.

If you’d like to learn more about what to do when you are thinking about adoption in Pennsylvania, you can contact The Law Offices of Denise M. Bierly to begin the adoption process now.

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