What is an Adoption Plan in Kansas and Do I Need One?

You may have an unplanned pregnancy that catches you off guard. You are considering adoption, but you aren’t sure where to even start. Maybe you feel alone and don’t have much support. Maybe you are feeling very confused on if adoption is even the right decision.

Not to worry. Through Adoption Choices of Kansas, you won’t be at any point in your adoption journey. We are here to offer you the support and advice that you need to get started with the adoption process, and will help you create an adoption plan.

But, what is an adoption plan? Do you need one as a birth mother?

What is an Adoption Plan?

An adoption plan is a step-by-step outline of what you want during your pregnancy and adoption journey. This will greatly reduce your anxiety levels and help ensure that you are not caught off guard making last-minute decisions with a baby on your hands. Instead, you’ll smoothly move from choosing the adoptive family to the baby’s birth to post placement, all while receiving the proper care you need.

When you place your baby for adoption through Adoption Choices of Kansas, you will never be alone. You will be able to meet with our adoption counselors and get comforting advice, so that you can feel confident and positive about your decision. Additionally, you will be assigned an adoption caseworker, who will give you all the information and resources you need to be prepared and ease the stress that an unplanned pregnancy may bring.

What are the Steps to Create an Adoption Plan?

When creating an adoption plan, there are various things you’ll want to consider. What type of adoption do you want? How involved do you want to be with your child and the adoptive parents after the adoption has been finalized? What kind of life do you envision for your child? All this and more will go into your adoption plan.

Here are some of the official steps of the adoption process you’ll encounter and want to include details about in your adoption plan:

• Choosing the Adoptive Family

When choosing the adoptive family, you have the ability to know who your child will go to. Depending on the type of adoption you chose, you can also get to know them before your baby is born. Your adoption caseworker will provide adoptive parent profiles for you to review and choose from. The adoptive families presented will reflect any requirements and preferences you want for your child. Remember, you have the ability to choose who you think will provide the best life for your child, and who you think would align with you the most.

• Deciding What Future Contact with Your Child and the Adoptive Family will Look Like

After you’ve chosen your child’s adoptive parents, you will get to discuss what contact will look like with them and your child after the adoption has been finalized. In a semi-open adoption, this could be occasional updates, pictures and letters through the secure, confidential online portal called ChildConnect. Both you and the adoptive parents will set up an account and exchange information at the agreed-upon frequency, allowing you to know that your child is safe, happy and healthy without having direct involvement.

In an open adoption, post-placement contact can look differently. For instance, you could talk with the adoptive parents about in-person visits, phone calls, and any special holidays you’d like to celebrate together. There is no right or wrong way to go about this. It’s whatever you and the adoptive parents agree works the best.

• Designing Your own Hospital and Birth Adoption Plan

This may be your first time having a baby, or it may not be. Either way, it can be a nerve-wracking experience to deliver a child or feel alone doing so. But, even when you are putting together the hospital plan portion of your adoption plan, you don’t have to be alone. Your adoption caseworker will be there with you, and our adoption counselors are always available to give you advice every step of the way. You will be able to prepare for not only the birth of your child, but also where you would like to deliver your baby. Any preferences for medical care for you and your baby can be included in this portion of your adoption plan as well.

Why is an Adoption Plan Useful to Me?

An adoption plan is incredibly useful to have as a birth mother seeking adoption support. There are many things in life that aren’t planned for or expected, but what can be planned for is an adoption. You may be uncomfortable about your pregnancy, and feel as if you are in a transition phase with an unknown outcome. However, it doesn’t have to be this way with the right help and resources. An adoption plan will not only be useful for your mental health and well-being, and put your mind at ease, but will also ensure that your child is placed with a loving, caring adoptive family.

Adoption Choices of Kansas wants to give you the most comfortable and safe experience during the adoption process. We highly encourage you to consider reaching out to us to create your adoption plan and/or speak with our adoption counselors. While having an adoption plan is not a requirement, it can be incredibly beneficial and promote a more successful and empowering adoption experience.

Adoption Choices of Kansas serves birth parents statewide and beyond, please call us or text us to learn more!
Call Us 877-903-4488 or Text Us 316-209-2071

Meet the Author: Tatiana is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College of California where she pursued a degree in Business with a concentration in Marketing. She first discovered her passion for journalism in high school when she joined Yearbook, allowing her to interview others and learn their intricacies, ultimately giving them a voice. Her empathetic nature motivates her to write about others and be interested in details of each individual and their story.

Tatiana’s passion for writing deepened when she took a college journalism class, which allowed her to write various types of content consisting of Feature Story, Review, and Profile pieces. She went on to hone her writing and marketing skills through her position as a Marketing Associate at the Lesher Arts Center in Walnut Creek, CA, where she managed social media content and advertising assets. In her free time, Tatiana enjoys writing poetry and her thoughts about philosophy. She explores her creative and musical side through instruments, singing, and nature.