Adoption Laws: Your Rights as a Birth Mother

As a birth mother, you want to make sure you are fully educated on your adoption legal rights and U.S. adoption laws in Florida because choosing adoption is such a life-changing and important decision.

Although you may have a basic understanding of what adoption is, you may not be aware of all your rights as a birth mother. This may lead you questioning, “What are my rights to give my child up for adoption in Florida?”

American Adoptions has created this guide to help you better understand the legal aspects of the adoption process and parental rights after giving up a child for adoption. Your attorney and adoption specialist will help take care of the essential legal steps in the adoption process, but having a better understanding can help ensure everyone is on the same page. 

If you have any questions about adoption rights, or anything adoption-related, you can call 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out this online form to get more information. Until then, continue reading this guide to understand your adoption rights in Florida better.

Please note, this article is not to be considered as legal advice, as laws are always subject to change. For legal advice, speak with a licensed Florida adoption attorney.

Your Adoption Legal Rights in Florida

Adoption is a brave and selfless decision. You are putting your baby's needs first and providing them an opportunity for a life filled with love and support.

Because adoption is such an important decision and dramatically impacts everyone involved, it’s essential your rights are being protected as a birth mother. Below, we will briefly cover these primary Florida adoption rights:

• The right to create your adoption plan
• The right to receive free pregnancy counseling
• The right to choose your baby’s adoptive family
• The right to legal representation
• The right to decide when to sign your adoption paperwork
• The right to revoke your consent

Please continue reading to learn how these rights are handled during your adoption in Florida and what they mean to you as the birth mother.

The Adoption Rights in Florida to Create your Own Adoption Plan

As a prospective birth mother, you’ll always be in control of every step of your adoption. This includes the right to create your adoption plan. This plan essentially decides all of the details on how you’d like your experience with adoption to go. 

Working alongside your adoption specialist, you will go over things such as the type of adoption you hope to complete, creating a hospital plan for your delivery and placement, financial assistance, and more. This is one of the most critical steps in the adoption process, but there is no need to worry; your adoption specialist will discuss and guide you through every decision.

You can call 1-800-ADOPTION at any time to get more information about creating an adoption plan.

The Adoption Rights in Florida to Receive Free Pregnancy Counseling

Given the emotional impact adoption can have on birth mothers, you should not have to worry about receiving the appropriate support throughout your pregnancy due to costs. When a birth mother chooses adoption for her baby, all adoption costs are covered through financial aid and the adoptive family. Adoption is always entirely free for birth mothers.

All birth mothers have the right to receive free pregnancy and adoption counseling. When you work with American Adoptions, you receive free 24/7 counseling services so that you will always have the support you need, no matter when you need it. 

Trained professionals are available to answer any questions you may have or guide you to other helpful resources if you may be struggling to handle your emotions during your pregnancy, during placement, and in the following years after your adoption has been completed.

The Adoption Rights in Florida to Choose Your Child’s Adoptive Family

The most important and exciting step during the adoption process is finding the adoptive family for your baby. As a birth mother, you have the right to choose your child’s adoptive family.  

During the adoption planning portion, you will work with your specialist to determine the specific characteristics you hope to find from an adoptive family. These preferences may include:

• Marital status
• Sexual orientation
• Race and ethnicity
• Religious beliefs
• And more.

Through adoptive profiles, you will review families that match your preferences to create a personal connection with a hopeful adoptive family. You can look through as many profiles as you want — dozens or even hundreds — with our agency. We work with hundreds of families at once, which gives you the best chance of finding the right family for your baby.

When you find a family or families you are interested in, your specialist will help facilitate communication between the two of you so you can get to know each other and determine if there is a genuine connection. Once you feel comfortable with a specific family, you will choose them to place your child with, and plans for placement will begin. 

When you determine your preferences for adoptive families, you also have the option to choose the type of adoption you want to pursue. The type of adoption you select will determine the post-adoption relationship you will have with the adoptive family and your child. 

Domestic adoption laws allow you to continue a relationship that you feel most comfortable with, whether that is a fully open adoption, closed adoption, or somewhere in between.

Like all steps in the adoption process, you are in complete control of who you place your child with and when/how you want the placement to occur, and the type of relationship you will have with them and your baby.

You can call 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out our online form to learn more about your adoption rights regarding choosing the adoptive family for your baby. 

The Adoption Rights in Florida to Have Legal Representation

All adoption-related expenses are covered for birth mothers at no costs. Your right to legal representation is in place to make sure you are receiving the best legal support free of charge. American Adoptions partners you with a trusted adoption attorney in Florida so you can feel confident and safe during your adoption. Your attorney will be able to explain state laws regarding adoption in Florida, as well as U.S. adoption laws. 

Your adoption attorney will handle all legal aspects of adoption and keep you educated in the process by answering any Florida adoption legal questions you may have. They will help explain your parental rights after you give up a child for adoption and fill out any and all paperwork requirements during consent.

Rest easy knowing that you will be receiving the best legal representation without having to worry about the burden lawyer fees generally bring.

The Adoption Rights in Florida to Choose When You Sign Your Adoption Paperwork

Although pregnancy lasts nine months, this does not mean you have to sign consent forms before or even immediately after delivery. As the birth mother, you are in complete control of when you decide to sign your adoption paperwork. Only when you feel completely educated on the permanence, such a decision can bring and are fully committed to your adoption should you sign your adoption consent paperwork.

Florida state laws regarding adoption state that a birth mother must wait at least 48 hours until signing any consent forms. Essentially, you can take as much time as you need to make your decision. Your adoption specialist and attorney will be by your side and support whatever decision you choose to make.

The Adoption Rights in Florida to Revoke Your Consent

Many birth mothers as the question, “Can I get my baby back after adoption?”

In Florida, a birth mother does not have the right to a revocation period to change her consent unless she is able to prove fraud or duress in the court of law. This will be explained in extent by your adoption specialist and attorney to reiterate the importance of being confident and comfortable with your decision to sign any consent paperwork.

Contact American Adoptions Today 

Your Florida adoption rights are fundamental, and we will make sure your rights are respected throughout your adoption in Florida. American Adoptions is here to make sure your needs are met and that you are fully educated on the laws regarding adoption and all legal aspects.

You can call 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out this online form to get more information. A trusted adoption professional will be happy to answer any questions or even get you started toward making an adoption plan whenever you're ready!  

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.