Many Michigan families open their hearts and homes to children in need of loving parents. When adopting, you have many options. One of those is independent adoption; however, it’s crucial to know the pros and cons of this route if you’re considering it.
Understanding independent adoption
Independent adoption, also known as private adoption, means that you deal with the birth parents directly instead of going through an agency to bring a child into your family. This allows all parties to meet and get to know each other before deciding whether they want to enter into an agreement.
Pros and cons of independent adoption
One of the biggest advantages of independent adoption is that you don’t have to deal with an agency. This makes the adoption process much faster; you can avoid traditionally long waiting lists and competing with other people who are wishing to adopt. In most cases, when directly adopting from the birth parents, you can bring the child home within a year.
Independent adoption also allows you to learn all about the child’s birth family’s genetic and medical history. This eliminates any potential surprises in the future. It’s also cheaper to adopt directly from the birth parents.
There are also drawbacks to independent adoption. There may be some restrictions involved in your search, plus a financial cap on providing for the birth mother’s prenatal care. The birth mother also may not get the appropriate level of counseling during the adoption.
Of course, there’s also the risk that the birth mother, or both parents, suddenly change their minds and decide they want to keep the baby. However, even if this doesn’t happen, there’s a lot of work involved in independent adoption as no agency is involved in the process.
Adoption can be the most rewarding thing you ever do, but it’s wise to ensure you choose the right path.