My point of view is coming from an expectant mother. I had an adoption plan for my son, but in the end I chose to parent. I leave the following review in hopes it may help future expectant mothers and prospective adoptive parents make an ethical and informed decision.
I knew the couple that were going to adopt my son. They choose this agency.
I met with my councelor a total of 3 times. Once was my intitial visit, we went over paperwork and the process. The next to have my then 8yr old son ask any questions and learn about what was happening. The final visit was to have the father of my son receive his paperwork and learn the process. I do not feel the prospective adoptive parents should have paid the amount they did for my counceling, when I really never got any.
I would receive phone calls periodically, wondering where my paperworks was, but nothing on how I was doing.
My son was never addressed as my son. He was addressed as "baby". I was referred to as a birthmother throughout the process. I strongly feel this is coersive as a birthmother is a mother that has signed termination of parental rights. I had never signed those papers. I was my sons MOTHER. Legal forms that I signed referred to me as birthmother and this is WRONG.
The PAPs were never required to attend any classes as well. I think it's very important to fully educate all members. I believe that they were lead to believe this adoption was a "done deal" before my son was even born.
EDUCATION is key in adoption. I feel it ways alot on the agency. This agency just seemed to go through the process and forgot to educate us all.
In the end I had no arguement in getting my son back. (I had never signed TPR) I saw the same adoption councelor post bringing my son home more then I did during my adoption plan. She had told me I was the right decision for my son. I'm not sure why this statement wasn't addressed during my pregnancy. Did she feel that all along? Why didn't we ever go over my option to parent? I was NOT unfit in anyway, so I can't understand why she called more now than before. At the time of my adoption plan I was raising two other children and didn't think I could raise a third on my own. No drugs, no abuse, NOTHING!
I feel the agency should have looked at how I could parent too. Which makes me wonder why they have "Pregnancy Counceling" as part of their title. I had none and the PAPS had none. I hope and pray the PAPs got some counceling after I changed my mind and parented.
Through the process I find this agency to be very impersonal. After bringing my son home, I find them to be warm and compassionate.
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Could be better
My point of view is coming from an expectant mother. I had an adoption plan for my son, but in the end I chose to parent. I leave the following review in hopes it may help future expectant mothers and prospective adoptive parents make an ethical and informed decision.
I knew the couple that were going to adopt my son. They choose this agency.
I met with my councelor a total of 3 times. Once was my intitial visit, we went over paperwork and the process. The next to have my then 8yr old son ask any questions and learn about what was happening. The final visit was to have the father of my son receive his paperwork and learn the process. I do not feel the prospective adoptive parents should have paid the amount they did for my counceling, when I really never got any.
I would receive phone calls periodically, wondering where my paperworks was, but nothing on how I was doing.
My son was never addressed as my son. He was addressed as "baby". I was referred to as a birthmother throughout the process. I strongly feel this is coersive as a birthmother is a mother that has signed termination of parental rights. I had never signed those papers. I was my sons MOTHER. Legal forms that I signed referred to me as birthmother and this is WRONG.
The PAPs were never required to attend any classes as well. I think it's very important to fully educate all members. I believe that they were lead to believe this adoption was a "done deal" before my son was even born.
EDUCATION is key in adoption. I feel it ways alot on the agency. This agency just seemed to go through the process and forgot to educate us all.
In the end I had no arguement in getting my son back. (I had never signed TPR) I saw the same adoption councelor post bringing my son home more then I did during my adoption plan. She had told me I was the right decision for my son. I'm not sure why this statement wasn't addressed during my pregnancy. Did she feel that all along? Why didn't we ever go over my option to parent? I was NOT unfit in anyway, so I can't understand why she called more now than before. At the time of my adoption plan I was raising two other children and didn't think I could raise a third on my own. No drugs, no abuse, NOTHING!
I feel the agency should have looked at how I could parent too. Which makes me wonder why they have "Pregnancy Counceling" as part of their title. I had none and the PAPS had none. I hope and pray the PAPs got some counceling after I changed my mind and parented.
Through the process I find this agency to be very impersonal. After bringing my son home, I find them to be warm and compassionate.