Domestic Adoption, Questions about the Birthparents
(Nightlight maintains two Domestic Adoption Programs: one in Southern California, and the other in South Carolina. The information presented here is general and applies to both programs. For the specific details of the two programs, please download the program information packets on the main Domestic Adoption page.)
How do birthparents come to Nightlight?
Most of our birthparents are referred to us by Pregnancy Resource Centers, Crisis Pregnancy Centers, Maternity Homes, Hospital Social Workers, Attorneys and Churches with whom we have established relationships. Other birthparents may find us through referrals from friends, the internet or phone book.
What age are the children placed for adoption?
We typically place newborns in our domestic program. It is rare for an older child to be placed through private adoption.
Does the birthparent have a counselor that she works with?
Yes. She will have a social worker as long as she is involved in an agency adoption whether it is an agency, modified or interstate adoption.
How much counseling does the birthparent receive prior to and following the child’s birth?
It depends upon the stage of pregnancy she is in when she comes to work with our agency and what her needs are. The earlier in her pregnancy, the more opportunity her social worker will have to provide counseling. These visits may occur weekly, bi-monthly or monthly depending upon her needs.
Are birthparents drug/alcohol tested before they are matched with prospective adoptive parents?
No. This is something that the birthparent generally discusses with her social worker. If you are not open to a birthparent with a history of substance abuse you would not be matched with a birthparent who had used drugs/alcohol during the pregnancy.
Are we given the birthparent’s medical/general background information? If so, when do we receive it?
Birthparents are given an information form to fill out that includes social and medical history information. They will also sign an authorization to allow the agency to share medical information with you.
Will we be at the hospital when the baby is born?
Your birthparent will create a Hospital Plan with her social worker which indicates her wishes for her time in the hospital. She will decide if she wants you at the hospital when the baby is born and/or, depending on the relationship you develop, whether she would like either of you in the delivery room.
What is expected of us at the hospital?
You must remember that the hospital stay is your birthparent’s time with the baby. It serves as her time to confirm she is making the right decision to place the baby for adoption and gives her, the birthfather and their family an opportunity to say good-bye. You need to be respectful of the emotions she is going through and her wishes for her time in the hospital. Her social worker will help guide you through this.
Do we bring our birthparent a gift?
Yes. birthparents give the greatest gift a person can give and there is nothing you can give your birthparent that can compare to the gift she is giving you. Generally, we encourage you to give her something that signifies the relationship that has been established between all members of the triad. You will learn more about what this means from your social worker and during the Domestic Adoption Decisions class.
At what point can we bring the baby home?
Once the baby has been medically discharged and the birthparent has signed the discharge paperwork.
If we are completing an Interstate Adoption how long will we need to stay in the receiving state?
In general, you will need to stay about a week to 10 days until the Interstate Compact paperwork has been approved by both states. In rare cases, the paperwork process can take longer so you will need to be prepared to stay up to 2 weeks.
If you have any additional questions that were not addressed, please send us a message using our contact form or give us a call. If you live near or in South Carolina, you can call our SC office at (864) 268-0570. Otherwise, call our CA office at (714) 693-5437.
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Nightlight Christian Adoptions is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) adoption agency, licensed by the states of California and South Carolina to provide adoption services, and is Hague Accredited through COA. Nightlight can perform adoption homestudies for residents of South Carolina and Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties).