|
 Domestic Adoption Generations
Adoptions places newborns with married couples.
Occasionally a birthparent will choose to place an older child for adoption.
Currently, we only work with
prospective adoptive families residing in the State of Texas. Please
note that we work with families from across the U.S. in our
international programs.
Contact Us Form Types of Adoption Plans
We work with expectant mothers as they make a
plan for their child’s future. When the expectant mother chooses adoption,
she is offered the opportunity to view profiles of approved and
waiting families. The expectant mother
chooses the family. Staff at Generations then help arrange, and
facilitate, this meeting so they can get to know one another. Once chosen,
the expectant mother and
adoptive parents together determine the details of their own adoptive
plan, facilitated by their caseworker.
Prospective adoptive parents have many questions, concerns, and
fears about adoption. This is normal and we understand. We are
here to help each step of the way. A lot has changed in adoption
over the years, and today's adoptions offer many benefits for
adoptive families, birth families, and adoptive children.
Generations provides personalized care for families. In fact, we
provide an adoptive parent caseworker to work with the adoptive
family, and
an expectant mother caseworker to work with each
expectant mother.
Generations works with prospective adoptive
families who are open to having an open adoption with the
expectant mothers that God has for them. Prospective adoptive families at Generations will receive
education, training, and preparation on the various forms that
open adoption takes today. There are often misunderstandings
about open adoption and many do not really have a clear
understanding of what it is, and what it is not. Since open
adoption can take many forms, it often looks different for each
family. Open adoption will be addressed in detail at the
orientation, as well as the adoptive parent training class.
Today, the majority of expectant mothers are very educated on their
choices in adoption, having done their research. They understand
that they are able to choose the type of adoption plan they
desire, and most want some level of an open adoption. In the
vast majority of our adoptions, expectant mothers choose and meet the
adoptive family, and then begin to develop a relationship
consisting of some level of contact such as pictures, letters,
blogs, visits, etc. Generations works with both birth and
adoptive families to help them create a customized adoption plan
that serves the best interest of the birth family, child, and
adoptive family. Types and frequency of contacts vary from
relationship to relationship. Generations facilitates the
creation of a written informal "agreement - from heart to heart"
between the expectant mother and adoptive family. This agreement
helps in managing expectations and setting boundaries from the
beginning. Generations is available throughout the adoption
process, and afterwards, for all involved in the adoption. We
look forward to assisting each family in the adoption journey
that God has for them.
Types of Adoption
Years ago, all adoptions were closed. Today’s adoptions
fall somewhere in the Continuum of Openness. Many people call an
adoption ‘open’ if there is, or was, any level of openness at all. At
Generations we find it helpful to use these definitions below.
The Continuum of Openness in Adoption
Closed Semi
Open Open Fully
Open
The Continuum of Adoption illustrates that there is a
range of possible options in adoption where birth mothers and the
adoptive family customize an adoption plan that meets their needs.
An adoption plan may include contact through selection,
pre-birth meeting(s), exchange of communications, including pictures,
letters, e-mail, blogs, phone calls, and/or visits.
Definitions
Closed or
Confidential Adoption – An adoption where there is no contact between
the birthmother and the adoptive family. The adoption agency selects the
adoptive family at the request of the birthmother. No identifying
information is shared between the birth family and adoptive family.
These are less common today and are at the request of the birthmother.
Semi-Open or
Mediated Open Adoption – An adoption where the birthmother selects and
meets the adoptive family. Non identifying information is exchanged and
there are plans for contact post placement, facilitated by a third
party, usually the adoption agency. Communication is passed through the
third party and any visits are facilitated by the third party.
-
In time-limited semi-open mediated adoptions,
information would be shared through an agency caseworker but would stop
at a pre-determined time, with no plans to resume sharing.
-
In
ongoing mediated adoptions, ongoing information/contact is exchanged
and mediated by the agency.
Open or Fully
Disclosed Open Adoption: An adoption where the birth mother selects and
meets the adoptive family; identifying information is exchanged and
there are plans for ongoing contact without agency involvement. Both
the birthmother and adoptive parents are open to contact prior to, and
subsequent to, the placement. Contact information is exchanged.
Communication and contact varies adoption to adoption, birth family to
adoptive family. Contact can take various forms such as pictures,
letters, blogs, emails, visits, and/or phone calls. Some agreements
include all types of contact and some include a few.
Agency Adoption: A private adoption agency provides
services to both the birth family and the adoptive family and
facilitates the adoption planning and placement.
Private Adoption: Often attorney-facilitated and arranged
directly between the parties.
Designated Adoption: An agency- or attorney-facilitated
adoption where the birth family and adoptive family meet and decide on
an adoption plan without having worked with an agency first.
Transitional Care Families
Newborns may be able to go home directly
with the adoptive family.
However, on a few occasions the newborn will go to one of Generations Adoptions’ licensed
and loving Transitional Care families.
Stays may vary from 2 days – 2 months depending upon the legal situation
of the child.
| 
