As an adoption attorney, I have had the fortune of witnessing the miracles of domestic adoption on a daily basis. In domestic adoption, a birth mother chooses the perfect parent(s) she wants to adopt her child. She may have had a wonderful childhood that she feels she cannot replicate for her child or she may …Read More about In Their Own Words: Birth Mothers Describe Their…
Adoption Education
Employer Adoption Benefit Programs and the Federal Family…
Did you know that your employer may have an adoption benefit program to help you with the costs of your adoption? Indeed, in an effort to offer competitive employee benefits, more and more companies are implementing employee adoption benefit programs to help their employees defray adoption costs. Employer-based adoption benefit programs take different forms. Typical …Read More about Employer Adoption Benefit Programs and the Federal Family…
Questions For Adoptive Parents To Ask When Interviewing…
Choosing the right adoption attorney, agency, or facilitator is a critical first step in creating your adoption plan. The following is a list of questions I have created to assist prospective adoptive parents with their investigation. I recommend that you fully research and interview the professionals you seek to hire and be sure not to …Read More about Questions For Adoptive Parents To Ask When Interviewing…
A New Look on Adoption: A Birthmother’s View…
It was four years ago that I ended my nine-month journey towards adoption and headed into the land full of women called birthmothers. Before that time, I did not fully understand the journey of adoption or what I was getting into as a “birthmother.” Through my journey, I learned that when the circumstances are right, …Read More about A New Look on Adoption: A Birthmother’s View…
How to Obtain a Passport for the Child…
I have fielded many questions from adopting parents regarding the procedures to obtain a passport for their adopted child (U.S.-born only) when they are in the process of adopting or shortly after their adoption has been “finalized” but prior to receiving the child’s amended birth certificate. The good news is that prospective adoptive parents can …Read More about How to Obtain a Passport for the Child…
Study of Adopted Children Shows They Thrive
In 2007, the National Survey of Adopted Parents (NSAP) published a nationally representative survey measuring a variety of attributes related to adoption and adopted children in the United States. The study focused on the personality characteristics of adopted children, general adoption experiences, and the well-being of adopted children and their families. Overall, the study found …Read More about Study of Adopted Children Shows They Thrive
Federal And State Law Require Health Care Insurers…
Adoptive parents can be reassured that under federal and California law, their health insurance plan must treat an adoptive child the same as a “natural” child and must provide coverage at the time the adoptive child is legally placed in their custody prior to finalization of the adoption. Section 609(c) of the Employee Retirement Income …Read More about Federal And State Law Require Health Care Insurers…
How to obtain Social Security Card
In order to obtain a Social Security number for your adopted child, your adoption must be finalized and the court must sign a final order of adoption or adoption decree. If the adoption is finalized in California, the final order is called an Adoption Order. The Social Security office requires you to bring proof of …Read More about How to obtain Social Security Card
What You Should Know About The Federal “Indian…
The federal Indian Child Welfare Act (“ICWA”) is an important law that needs to be considered and evaluated in every domestic adoption. The ICWA was passed by the United States Congress more than 30 years ago and is codified in 25 U.S.C. 1901 et seq. California codified ICWA in its Family Code and Welfare and …Read More about What You Should Know About The Federal “Indian…
A Birth Mother’s Point Of View
As birthmothers working with AdoptHelp to place our children in the loving arms of another, we are a unique group of women. We come from different places with different backgrounds and different lifestyles. We are different in many respects yet each share one common dream. We want the miracle we created to be loved and …Read More about A Birth Mother’s Point Of View
How to obtain Social Security Card
In order to obtain a Social Security number for your adopted child, your adoption must be finalized and the court must sign a final order of adoption or adoption decree. If the adoption is finalized in California, the final order is called an Adoption Order. The Social Security office requires you to bring proof of …Read More about How to obtain Social Security Card
Federal And State Law Require Health Care Insurers…
Adoptive parents can be reassured that under federal and California law, their health insurance plan must treat an adoptive child the same as a “natural” child and must provide coverage at the time the adoptive child is legally placed in their custody prior to finalization of the adoption. Section 609(c) of the Employee Retirement Income …Read More about Federal And State Law Require Health Care Insurers…