As an adoption agency in Florida, we often get calls from expectant mothers wanting to place their newborn for adoption. Some worry their baby will go to and end up growing up in Foster Care. That’s because adoption is still misunderstood, and those who have never seen an adoption first hand have no idea how it actually works. If

you’re a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy, stop and breathe, because you have more options for your child than you realize.

First of all, CFS can provide pregnancy help. This can include your pregnancy medical expenses, groceries, transportation, utilities and rent, as well as help applying for Pregnancy Medicaid and finding an OB/GYN. Caseworkers will meet with you to discuss your needs, as well as guide you through every step of the adoption process. We’ll discuss whether you want a closed or open adoption or somewhere in between. We’ll create a hospital plan, which includes how much time, if any, you want to spend with your baby after he/she is born. Caseworkers will prepare you as best as they can about what to expect and what you may feel. We want to help make sure your adoption plan looks the way you want it to, which includes your baby never entering the Foster Care System.

After you have been cleared for discharge from the hospital, you will sign “Consents for Adoption.” This paperwork is what allows you child to be placed for adoption right away and leave the hospital with their new Forever Family.

Keep in mind, it is never too late to create an adoption plan. Maybe you’re already home with your baby, circumstances change, and you feel unable to care for your baby. You can still make an adoption plan. You can still choose an adoptive family. You can still make sure your baby goes straight from you to their Forever Family, rather than a Foster Family or the Foster Care System.

Perhaps DCF has already placed your children in Foster Care and are threatening to involuntarily Terminate your Rights. CFS can often still help you create an adoption plan that will allow you to still receive updates on your kids so you know how they’re doing.

If you’re unsure how you want to proceed with your unplanned pregnancy, consider reaching out to CFS for pregnancy help. Expectant mothers who want to learn more about adoption for their newborn are welcome to reach out to a caseworker. If you’re considering placing your child for adoption and would like to speak with a caseworker to learn more, please give CFS a call at (352)-378-6202 or text us at (352)-600-2138.