How to Work Most Effectively with Prospective Birthparents

When you are seeking to adopt an infant, one of the most harrowing aspects of the process can be the uncertainty involved. Even though you may have met with the prospective birthmother, and feel that you have a relationship of trust, the birthmother can still change her mind, even after the child is born. Statistics show that approximately one-third of adoptive parents have at least one failed adoption effort.

A recent study by Building Your Family asked birthmothers to identify the principal reasons they decided to go through with the adoption of an infant. Here were their responses:

• Almost universally (95%), the birthmothers said that the ability to screen and choose the adoptive parents made a critical difference.
• An overwhelming majority of birthmothers (84%) told researchers that the ability to communicate with the adoptive parents before the adoption, whether by phone, e-mail or in person, made them much more inclined to go through with the adoption
• A majority (60%) cited access to post-adoption services, such as counseling, participation in support groups, and periodic updates about the child, gave them the confidence to complete the process
• Nearly one in two (47%) said that counseling was essential to completing the process
• A quarter of the respondents stated that having the ability to talk with other birthmothers who had made an adoption plan convinced them that it was the right thing to do
• One in five (22%) said their decision was based in part on the willingness of the agency or adopting parents to pay medical expenses.

Experts say that, if you want to maximize the chances of successfully working with a prospective birthparent, make certain that the above issues are either discussed or are a part of the process.

Contact Adoption Attorneys Cofsky & Zeidman, LLC

At the law office of Cofsky & Zeidman, LLC, our lawyers bring more than 25 years of experience to every matter we handle. Attorney Donald C. Cofsky has personally handled more than 1,500 adoption proceedings since joining the bar in 1974. Attorney Bruce D. Zeidman has protected the interests of clients in state and federal courts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania since 1984. We understand the challenges you face, and can help you identify all your options so that you can make good decisions that are in your best long-term interests.

Contact our office online or call us at (856) 429-5005 in Haddonfield, NJ, at (856) 429-5005 in Woodbury, NJ, or in Philadelphia, PA, at (856) 429-5005.