What type of adoptions do I have to choose from?

With Adoption Circle you decide what type of adoption you feel most comfortable with, as well as design your own adoption plan. Open Adoption includes the birthparents and adoptive parents meeting one another, sharing full identifying information, and having access to ongoing contact over the years. Openness in Adoption refers to various forms of communication between birthparents and adoptive parents, such as exchanging letters and pictures, meeting on a first name only basis, meeting once but not engaging in ongoing contact. Closed Adoption is when the birthparents requests that the agency choose an adoptive family for their baby, or they choose the family from agency profiles, but do not meet them. No information, except social/medical (which Ohio law requires), is shared with the adoptive family about the birthparents. If you decide on this type of adoption you can always request more information about the adoptive family later. Adoption Circle believes that the birthparent and adoptive parents should design their own adoption plan. Therefore our agency facilitates individual adoption plans for each and every birthparent.

How does a family become approved to adopt?

All adoptive families that are approved to adopt through Adoption Circle have met and exceeded all of the ridged requirements mandated under ohio law. An Adoption Circle social worker meets with the family in their house to assess their ability/potential to become adoptive parents as well as the safety of the home. References, criminal record checks, financial statements and the home itself are all reviewed by the agency worker as part of the approval/homestudy process. Adoption Circle requires that all applicants complete an infant CPR and childcare class. All families must complete an extensive education process that includes how to talk to your child about adoption and relationship building with birthparents.

Will there be a family for my baby?

Adoption Circle believes that all children are wanted and has approved families ready to adopt children of all races and medical backgrounds.

Will my baby need to go to foster care?

No! Your baby can go home from the hospital with the parents you have selected. Foster care is available if you need more time to consider your decision.

How do I select the adoptive family?

Birthparents who work with Adoption Circle choose how they select an adoptive family. Some birthparents choose to review profiles written by the prospective adoptive parents, while others will request that the agency select an adoptive family. If you choose to read profiles you will have the opportunity to learn about different adoptive families and their lives including their strengths and weakness, occupations and education, hobbies and leisure activities, courtship, marriage and family life, religion, home and neighborhood, infertility issues and various other topic areas that describe the adoptive family. By getting to know the families through their profiles you are able to select a family with a similar lifestyle and interests. You also are able to select the religion and where your child will be raised (in Ohio or another state). Once you select a prospective adoptive family you have the opportunity to meet with them or talk with them over the telephone, if more openness is desired in your adoption plan.

How will my child be able to find me later in life if he/she desires?

One of the forms that you complete with your social worker allows birthparents to authorize or prohibit the release the identifying information to the adoptee. You as the Birthparents can write a letter to your child and share all identifying information. You may also choose to share this identifying information with the adoptive family. By choosing to disclose this information you are eliminating the need for your child to search for you. At Adoption Circle we encourage all of our adoptive families and birthparents to keep us informed of their current address and telephone number so that we can assist in reuniting families whenever possible.

What information, if any is needed by the birthfather?

Adoption Circle believes it is important, if at all possible, for the birthfather to be actively involved, as early as possible, in the adoption process. This is only possible if the birthmother can provide the agency with the information to contact the birthfather. Children deserve a complete medical history and a legally sound adoption. Although an adoption can take place without the birthfathers involvement, it is in the best interest of all parties for him to participate. If this is not possible, a court hearing may be scheduled to legally terminate his parental rights. There is a 31 day period of time after the birth of the child when he can come forward and register his parenting intentions with the court. A placement of the child may be made in the home of the adoptive parents without the consent of the birthfather but would be considered an "at legal risk placement" until his parental rights are terminated.

May I write the adoptive parents or my child a letter explaining to them the reasons for making an adoption plan, and will I have the assurance that they will receive and read it.

Absolutely!! As a matter of fact Adoption Circle strongly encourages the birthparents to write these letters. Most adoptive parents would love to have these for the children. Adoption Circle can provide birthparents with journals to write their stories and letters in, to either keep or present to the adoptive family. Although Adoption Circle will give your letter to the adoptive family, you will also have the opportunity to give them the letter or journal yourself.

If the adoption agency and the adoptive parents help with my expenses, what would that include?

Legal, medical and counseling expenses that are part of the adoption process are acceptable for payment by the adoptive parents. Adoption Circle may assist birthparents with maternity clothes and housing, if needed.

What kind of contact will I have with my child after the adoption?

The contact that you have will depend on the adoption plan that you design with the adoptive couple. Adoption Circle has a policy that adoptive parents are to send pictures and letters to the birthparents through the agency, once a month for the first year and encourages annual update pictures and letters after the first year if agreed upon by the birth and adoptive parents. As the Birthparents you may send gifts, letters, books, etc. to your child through the agency and we will give them to the adoptive family if they agree to receive them. It is up to the adoptive family to decide when the child receives these gifts.

Will I have to go to court?

No. If the child is under 6 months of age and the birthparent is working with Adoption Circle it is not necessary to appear in court to relinquish parental rights.

Will me and my family and friends be able to visit with my baby in the hospital?

Yes! Absolutely!!! Adoption Circle encourages birthparents and their families and friends to see the baby and to have as much contact with the child prior to placement as the birthparent desires. We believe it is an important time for the birthparent and the baby and we realize it is difficult to say goodbye to someone you have never met. However, if a birthparent does not wish to see the baby while in the hospital, that request will be respected. It is important to remember that you, the birthparent, are in charge of making the decisions about you and your baby. Adoption Circle encourages birthparents to verbalize all their special requests regarding the adoption and makes every effort to assist birthparents in completing the plan as they design it.