• Your Options
• About Adoption
• The Process
• Resources
• FAQs
• Parental Rights
• Birth Parents Guide

Only you can determine the right path for you and your child!

If you determine that adoptive placement is your preferred option, your adoption counselor will assist you in finding a family that will provide your child with the type of environment that you envision for him or her. We have many loving families that are dreaming of adopting a special child into their lives. You will be able to look through detailed family profiles and determine if there is a good match for your child. You are encouraged to interview prospective adoptive families and meet with them in person whenever possible. You can be assured that all of the families presented to you by Children of All Nations have been thoroughly screened and assessed for their appropriateness to adopt.

Children of All Nations values the role of the birth mother and the magnitude of the decision that you are making.

When you choose adoption, we encourage you to consider an open adoption. This can range from the occasional sharing of pictures and letters, to exchanging telephone calls and even in-person visits. Not all birth parents are comfortable with having contact, and if that is your preference, we respect your decision. Throughout the process, your adoption counselor will assist you and the adoptive family in working out a plan that is comfortable and positive for everyone!

Did you know?

• Approximately half of all US pregnancies are unintended.
• About one third of all births are to unmarried women.
• Over 20,000 newborns are voluntarily placed for adoption yearly in the United States.
• There is approximately 1.5 to 2 million US children living with adoptive parents.
• Around 15 percent of non-stepparent adoptions are domestic infant adoptions.
• Of the women who place their children for adoption, 25 per cent of those women are teenagers.
• The majority of these women are high school graduates, many of whom have children already.

Approximately 90% of birth mothers today have met the adoptive parents of their children and a majority of birth parents choose the adoptive family by reviewing Family Profiles. Current research shows that birth mothers who have been able to select the adoptive family for their child and have ongoing contact and knowledge results in lower levels of grief and greater peace of mind with their adoption decisions.

Through our domestic program, a pregnant woman does not have to make the decision to “keep” their baby or “give them up” forever. There is a middle ground. Birth mothers have the opportunity to choose and meet the adoptive family and work cooperatively to determine the right amount of contact between both families. This way you have the opportunity to see that your child is safe and thriving, and your child will have the opportunity to know who his birth mother is. In most adoptions, pictures and letters are shared a couple times a year. In some, telephone contact or face-to-face visits are arranged. Every adoption is different and custom-tailored to the families involved!

For more information, please call us at 512.323.9595 to speak with an adoption consultant, or send us an email here. You may also send a text message or call 24 hours a day at 512.947.2334.

About Adoption

Children of All Nations’ domestic program is one of the latest programs offered by one of America’s leading international adoption advocates. Since 1996, CAN’s sister company, Great Wall China Adoption has assisted in uniting almost 9,000 children with loving forever families. We work hard each and every day to be experts and advocates for children, birth families, and adoptive families by staying up to date on all areas of adoption. We are committed to an open adoption philosophy and endorse a cooperative adoption plan that embraces the well-being of the child, the birth family, and the adoptive family. We believe when adoption is the plan, an open adoption is the healthiest choice for all.

Our domestic adoption team focuses on adoption services and family and children’s advocacy without sacrificing intimate guidance provided by highly educated counselors and representatives of the organization. Having someone trained and ready to help with each specific item that evolves during the adoption process is key to getting through the process in a smooth and timely fashion, with less worry and more time to focus on your busy life.

Our organization offers families more options, more dedication to personal service, more services, and more amenities than any other non-profit adoption agency.

For more information, please call us at 512.323.9595 to speak with an adoption consultant, or send us an email here. You may also send a text message or call 24 hours a day at 512.947.2334.

The Process

1. Preparation: Research agencies and determine which one is right for you. If you select domestic adoption, you may contact us by phone, email, text, or in person. We offer free counseling to women experiencing a crisis pregnancy, regardless of the outcome of their choice. Some women contact us know that adoption is their desired plan, but others are unsure of what they want. Our counselors will assist you in exploring your options for your unexpected pregnancy and support you in determining the right path for you and your child. Adoption may not be the right fit for everyone, and we would not want to proceed with an adoption plan if it is not right for you.

If you proceed with making an adoption plan, you will be assigned an adoption counselor who will become your primary contact at Children of All Nations. If there is an involved birth father, he is also encouraged to participate. Your adoption counselor will help you understand the ins and outs of the adoption process and will be there to support you through each step.

2. Application and Information: The first step is completing the agency’s application paperwork, including the Social and Family History Report and the Medical History Report. Additionally, you will need to provide us with written confirmation of your pregnancy and details about your healthcare coverage (if applicable). If possible, it is best to include the birth father if he is aware of the pregnancy. Texas state law does not require you to notify the birth father, unless you are married to him. However, it is usually best practice to gain his consent to the adoption so as to give him the opportunity to learn about adoption options, provide medical and family history information, and avoid legal complications later. If your child’s birth father is uninvolved, unknown, or unreachable, it is his responsibility to place his name on the Texas state paternity registry prior to the baby’s one month birthday. This is very important, as they will need to consent to the adoption and relinquish their parental rights of the child. If the birth father cannot be located, and has not made claim to the child via the Texas paternity registry, the court will need to terminate his parental rights prior to finalizing the adoption. Your adoption counselor will be there to assist you in gathering essential information and locating and contacting the birth father.

3. Selection: After you have completed the application and information process, we will help you explore the qualities that are important to you when selecting an adoptive family for your child. You are the best candidate for choosing a family that will be a good fit for your child and are encouraged to take an active part in the selection process. Your adoption counselor will present you with profiles of qualified families who are appropriate for your situation and your child. You may also explore available adoptive families on the Children of All Nations website. You may come across a family that stands out to you as the one. The reality is that you will probably narrow your options down to a handful of families to choose from. You are welcome to personally contact adoptive families to get a better feel for them and ask pertinent questions. If you are uncomfortable with this, your adoption counselor may contact the family for you, or assist in a conference call to gather more information and gain answers to your questions.

4. Match: When you have chosen one family who you believe to be the most appropriate for your child, your adoption counselor will contact the adoptive family to discuss your situation with them and mail your social, family, and medical history information to them (names and other identifying information removed). You may also have another phone or in person visit, if desired. The identified family will have the option to pursuer or decline this adoptive placement. If they wish to pursue, we refer to this as a potential match and your adoption counselor will arrange for a match visit. It is preferred this visit occurs face-to-face, but when that is not possible, phone contact is acceptable. Following your match visit, your adoption counselor will speak with you and the indentified adoptive family, separately, to determine if everyone agrees that this would be an appropriate adoptive placement. If so, your match is complete and you move into the pre-placement stage.

5. Pre-placement and Future Planning: During the pre-placement phase, your adoption counselor will maintain weekly contact with you. Your adoption counselor will assist you and the adoptive family in creating a mutual adoption plan. This plan will include the type of contact desired during labor and delivery and the post-delivery hospital stay, as well as outlining the type of contact desired during post-placement and following the adoption. Your adoption counselor understands the relationship you develop with the adoptive family evolves over time, which also means that your adoption plan may also change. The pre-placement period is a time where you and the adoptive family will have the opportunity to get to know each other better. If you are comfortable, you and the family can exchange phone calls and you can update them on the progress of your pregnancy and the baby’s development. In return, they can provide you support and encouragement during your pregnancy. Some birth mothers are not comfortable with this type of arrangement and would prefer to communicate through their adoption counselor only. In either case, your counselor will be there to support you every step of the way and assist you and the adoptive family in reevaluating the adoption plan throughout the process.

6. Delivery: When you go into labor, you will contact your adoption counselor, who will make arrangements to meet you and the adoptive family at the hospital. Your adoption counselor will ensure that everyone respects the adoption plan that you and the adoptive family have agreed upon. This will be a very emotional time, so having the adoption plan in place will help keep everyone’s wishes in the forefront. You may also experience some unexpected feelings at this time, but your counselor will be there for you to help you process your feelings. You will decide what you need at this time and no one will pressure you in to making any decisions right away. Texas law requires that a mother wait for at least 48 hours following the birth of a child to sign the Affidavit of Relinquishment of Parental Rights.

7. Relinquishment: In most cases, the birth mother signs the Affidavit of Relinquishment of Parental Rights soon after the 48 hour point and designates Children of All Nations as the managing conservator of the baby. Your adoption counselor then places the child in the care of the adoptive family, with their agreement to allow CAN to supervise the placement until the adoption is finalized. The adoptive family will be able to leave the hospital with the baby. It is important for you to know that once you sign the Affidavit of Relinquishment you may not change your mind.

8. Post-placement and Finalization: After the Relinquishment is signed, the adoptive family returns home with the baby, the unknown or uninvolved birth father’s rights are terminated after one month, and the adoption is finalized after 6 months. During this time, you will be experiencing a myriad of feelings. You are encouraged to receive counseling to help you sort through those feelings. Your adoption counselor will continue to be there to support you or may refer you to an independent therapist, if you wish. The adoptive family and your counselor will maintain contact with you as it was previously agreed upon and outlined in the adoption plan.

9. Post-adoption: The benefit of open adoption is saying goodbye at the hospital does not always mean saying goodbye forever. You will be able to have the amount of contact that you and the adoptive family determined in your adoption plan. You will be able to see your child grow and develop, knowing that he or she is being well cared for by their adoptive family.

As time goes by, your child may have the opportunity to get to know you and have the confidence that you are also thriving. This is usually the healthiest situation all around and may help alleviate the insecure feelings that could arise when such details are unknown. Some people are concerned that an open arrangement may be confusing to a child. Similar to divorce, if handled with positive and cooperative interactions by the parents, the child may be reassured that everything in this situation is okay. In turn, the child will also feel comfortable with being an adopted child. If you decide to have no contact, you are, at a minimum, expected to contact Children of All Nations if you or a family member develop a genetic condition or terminal illness, or in the case of the death of a biological child. Children of All Nations also agrees to contact you when any such information is brought to our attention. For this reason, it is important that you inform Children of All Nations if you move, and provide your most current address and phone number.

For more information, please call us at 512.323.9595 to speak with an adoption consultant, or send us an email here. You may also send a text message or call 24 hours a day at 512.947.2334.

Resources

We now offer access to FREE pregnancy tests!

Counseling

Through our domestic adoption program, we also offer counseling services. If you’re not sure what the right option is for you and your baby, we can help you figure it out. Birth parents do not need to make a commitment to adoption in order to receive our counseling services! The goal of our counseling is to provide you information about pregnancy options, while extending professional support during this confusing time in your life.

We understand the important of receiving accurate information about all of your options, allowing you to make a well-informed decision for you and your unborn baby. The decisions you make now are life changing and need to be well thought out and made without feeling pressure from anyone else. Counselors are available to help you navigate your options.

Should you choose adoption as the option for you and your baby, your counselor will help you explore the type of adoption plan that you would be most comfortable with, as well as determine what qualities are most important to you when selecting an adoptive family.

As your adoption plan progresses through identifying and working with an adoptive family, developing a mutual adoption plan, labor and delivery, post-placement and post-adoption, counselors will be there every step of the way to provide you with emotional support and professional guidance.

For more information, please call us at 512.323.9595 to speak with an adoption consultant, or send us an email here. You may also send a text message or call 24 hours a day at 512.947.2334.