Page 10 | ABUSE Magazine
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T or F? Adoption means I will be
a stranger to my baby.
FALSE Most adoption agencies like
Lutheran Social Services practice
what is called “open adoption”. This
means that you select the adoptive
family and begin a relationship with
them before your baby is born. This
way, you are not giving your child to
“strangers”, but rather a couple who
you have come to know and who have
come to know you. The relationship
between adoptive and birth families
will last a lifetime and it is important for everyone to be comfortable.
There are varying degrees of open
adoption, including semi-open adoption, and it is important for you to
discuss what you would like in an
adoption plan with a counselor.
T or F? If I choose adoption, I may
never get to see my baby again.
TRUE In the State of Wisconsin, there
is no such thing as a legal “open
adoption”. Once birth parents legally
terminate their parental rights they
will not have any legal rights to the
child. However, all families at Lutheran Social Services are educated on
the many benefits of open adoption
and are required to commit to having
a fully open adoption before they can
even be in our program! Most people
recognize that openness in adoption
is the very best for the child – and
that is the main focus in adoption.
Almost every birth parent is worried
that they will never be able to see
their child again after they place
them for adoption! The truth is that if
an adoption starts off with full openness, it will most likely stay open.
T or F? Open adoption is confusing
to an adoptive child.
False Today most kids are raised understanding they are adopted and
knowing their birth parents made this
choice out of love for them. Children
do very well with open adoptions
where they know who everyone is –
they can never have too many people
who love them! Research has shown
it is less confusing to know the truth
than to have unanswered questions
about adoption and their birth parents.
T or F? Not very many people consider adoption.
FALSE Every year, Lutheran Social
Services birth parent counselors offer
guidance and support to over 350 birth
parents.
Of course, not all of them choose
adoption. Each one of them had a decision to make and used our services
to help. We can offer a supportive
shoulder, a non-judgmental ear, and
understanding guidance when you may
not have anywhere else to turn. We
can help!