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Cooperate with the agency. Give information about the other parent. Give your consent to the adoption. Finalize the adoption.
After you have chosen an agency that is right for you and your baby, it is your duty to cooperate with the rules and procedures. Depending on where you are in your pregnancy or if this is an older child, the agency will set up a timeline for the adoption. If this is to be an open adoption, you may be allowed to look over profiles of adoptive families and choose those that match your hopes and expectations for your child. If you are pregnant, follow through with your medical care and doctor's orders. Act in the best interest of your child. You will have to give the agency all the information you have about your partner. Do not lie or withhold information. If you say you don't know who the father is or where the other parent is, the court may act accordingly in granting the adoption. However, if the birth parent comes forward and refutes this, the adoption could potentially be cancelled and you could be held in contempt for lying to the court. The agency will try to get the other birth parent to consent or serve him or her with notice of the adoption hearing. Specifically, if a birth father wants to contest the adoption, he must acknowledge paternity, prove he has (or intended to) have a relationship with the child, and be prepared to provide support. He will have to have his own attorney and your interests will be represented by the agency's attorney. Cooperate and provide any information that is requested. If you are pregnant, you will typically not give consent until the child has been safely delivered. Most states have a waiting period, to give you time to recover from the birth and not be under the influence of pain medication. The waiting period can be as short as 12 hours or up to 15 days. The typical waiting period is 24 to 48 hours. Consent documents will be signed in front of a notary or a judge. Even if you have been working with an agency, you have a right to consult with an independent attorney before you sign the consent forms. Once you sign the consent forms, the decision is considered permanent unless you revoke during the very limited window or can prove your signature was obtained under fraud or duress. Once you sign the consent forms, your participation is complete. Stay in touch with the agency to be aware of the adoption timeline and that it was completed without incident. If the adoption is open, you can receive more detailed information about the procedure and finalization. The agency should have after-care programs, such as counseling to help you recover for the birth and the surrender of the child. If not, consider seeking independent counseling.