Birth Parent Services
Services for birth parents begin with counseling services as you make your decisions. Should you chose not to pursue adoption, we can help connect you with referrals that can help you in a number of ways. If you do decide to make an adoption plan for your child, Adoption Partners offers the following services:
Selecting and meeting an adoptive family
You have as much or as little involvement in matching your child as you would like. If it feels right to you, you can review parent profiles and ask as many questions about a family as you need to. Once you select a family, we can arrange a meeting in person so you can connect with the prospective parent(s). If this is something that you don’t wish to do, you can provide Adoption Partners guidance on what type of family you desire for your child, and we can make a match for you. You are always in charge of the process.
Financial Support
The State of Maine allows for birth parents to be supported financially in matters pertaining to an adoption. Eligible expenses include those related to your health and safety during pregnancy and postpartum periods, such as rent, maternity clothes, and prenatal care. Support and counseling through our social workers is always free. You will also be provided with a lawyer during the adoption process at no cost to you.
Your Adoption Plan
Women who make an adoption plan for their child have many choices along the way. We work with you to determine what you want your adoption to look like, and provide education on all the choices available to you. Your social worker will be available to help you set up appointments with care providers, get to and from appointments as needed, select a family, communicate with your adoptive family, plan for the hospital, and more. You get to decide who you want present at the birth, how much you would like to care for your baby, and more. Some women change their mind about details of their plan as they get comfortable, and that’s okay!
Post Adoption Communication
You can decide how much contact with your adoptive family following the adoption feels right for you. We can help you consider all the options, and you drive the process. We will help you set up an open, semi-open, or closed adoption. Adoption Partners maintains records and close contact with all our adoptive families, and can help you stay up to date on the growth and development of your child if you so desire. Some birth families choose to have direct, ongoing contact with their adoptive families, including annual visits.
Search and Reunion Services
Adoption Partners takes our commitment to serve birth mothers in Maine very seriously. If you have placed a child for adoption in Maine at any point in your life, regardless of how long ago – we may be able to help you find and make contact with those adoptees. We currently maintain case files for MAPS Stepping Stones and St. Andre Home, and have access to files dating back to 1940. While we can’t always connect everyone we seek, we can help you if you wish to consider initiating contact. These services are available at an hourly rate for adoptees and adoptive family members, and are always free for birth parents.
