Lifetime Adoption | States | North Carolina

Adoption Charlotte

Charlotte Adoption, Home Studies and More

Adoption Services for
Birth Parents and Adoptive Families

Please choose where you’d like to begin:

Information about placing
a child for adoption
or
Information about adopting a child

Are you considering adoption in Charlotte, North Carolina? If you are looking for adoption help in Charlotte, North Carolina, you will find all the resources and information you need at Lifetime Adoption. Our adoption coordinators provide birth parents with the resources and support they need and help hopeful adoptive families with their adoption journey.

As a leader in domestic, open adoption nationwide, at Lifetime Adoption you will find kind, experienced adoption coordinators ready to help you with the adoption process. For over three decades, Lifetime Adoption has been connecting birth families and adoptive families. You will find articles, webinars, counseling, podcasts, and any referrals you need at Lifetime Adoption.

Help for Pregnant Women in Charlotte

If you are in need of adoption services in Charlotte, North Carolina, due to an unexpected pregnancy, Lifetime Adoption is here to help. Our adoption coordinators will work with you to create an individualized adoption plan. The open adoption process will be explained in detail, and you will receive guidance, information, and support. All you need to do is call or text our Lifetime Adoption coordinators, who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Choosing adoption is often the most difficult and the most loving thing you can do for your baby. Adoptive parents who are emotionally and financially ready for a new baby can help create a brighter future for your child and for you. At Lifetime Adoption you will be the one to choose the adoptive parents for your baby. You just view Lifetime Adoption family profiles and decide what values you are looking for. You can also choose how much contact you would like to have with the family after the adoption is final.

One issue with an unexpected pregnancy can be unexpected expenses that can come along. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will help find solutions for you. In North Carolina, you can receive help with doctor expenses incurred for your prenatal care. Payments made by the adoptive parents to an intermediary or a third party for reimbursement of the following expenses, calculated without regard to the income of the adoptive parents, are permissible:

Medical, hospital, nursing, pharmaceutical, travel, or other similar expenses you incur related to your pregnancy and the birth or any illness of the child to be adopted.
Counseling services for you or your child that are directly related to the adoption and are provided by a licensed psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed professional counselor, licensed or certified social worker, fee-based practicing pastoral counselor, or other licensed professional counselor.
Your ordinary living expenses you have during your pregnancy.
Your legal services connected with the adoption.

What can you do when you find that parenting your toddler or young child is not healthy for you or your child? If you are considering adoption for your toddler, young child, special needs child, or sibling set, Lifetime Adoption can help. Emily* had a baby when she was a junior in high school. She had raised her baby for two years and graduated high school. Now she was struggling. She was on her own, barely making it and felt her dreams of going to college slipping away. She called Lifetime because she felt she was not giving herself or her child the best life she could. Our adoption coordinator explained open adoption and let her know adoption no longer meant saying “goodbye” forever. Emily is now attending community college and always looks forwards to the updates on her daughter and the time they spend together on her birthday every year.

Choosing adoption for your child is a difficult and heartbreaking decision. It can also be the most loving choice. Lifetime Adoption coordinators are always available to help you as well. They can show you many adoptive families interested in adopting toddlers, sibling sets, and special needs children. When you call Lifetime, a caring and non-judgmental adoption coordinator will explain your options and put you in touch with the resources you need such as counseling. All of your questions and will be answered honestly, and you will never receive pressure, just information. Call or text Lifetime Adoption anytime, and we will be there for you.

*Name has been changed for privacy.

Adoption Help in Charlotte, NC

Lifetime Adoption can help you place your baby with an adoptive family either in the state you live in or another state as we work nationwide. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will guide you through the entire adoption process.

At Lifetime Adoption, you can be sure you will have:

Free peer and professional counseling
A wide variety of adoptive parents’ profiles to choose from. All have completed home studies and background checks.
Support is available 24-hours/seven days a week.
The opportunity to receive help with your pregnancy-related expenses.
Continued support after the adoption.
And much more!

Adoption Counseling in Charlotte

Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will explain the two types of adoption counseling available to you at no cost.

Birth mothers who have gone through their own adoption journey and are happy to share their experiences with you are ourpeer counseling. They will listen to your story and how you are feeling and offer tips and advice.

Adoption is a big decision and an emotional one which is why Lifetime Adoption also offers professional counseling. A professional counselor walks you through the decision-making process and help you understand all the different emotions you may have.

Maternity Hospitals in Charlotte

In addition to providing support and resources, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will also help you create a hospital plan. She will ask you questions, such as:

Will you hold your baby after the birth?
Who would you like in the room when you go into labor?
Would you like to be the first person to hold your baby?
Would you like the adoptive parents to come to the hospital?
Would you like to go home before or after your baby is released?

Your coordinator will also work with the hospital staff, such as nurses and social workers, and will work with the adoptive parents once your hospital plan is in place. She will make sure your wishes are understood and followed.

In the Charlotte area, there are several hospitals with labor and delivery services:

Your coordinator will work with you whichever hospital you choose to deliver at. Our Lifetime Adoption coordinators have even worked with women who went into labor while traveling out of state and some who have given birth at home.

How to Start the Adoption Process

If you are considering placing your child for adoption in Charlotte, NC, first call or text Lifetime Adoption or go online and fill out the contact form. A Lifetime Adoption coordinator will provide you will all of the information, resources, and services you need. An adoption coordinator is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In addition, your adoption coordinator will show you profiles of Lifetime adoptive families, which can be viewed online. You can view adoptive families by clicking here. You can learn all about their lifestyles and values. You can choose a family who lives in North Carolina or somewhere else in the United States. You can choose a Christian adoptive family or a family of another faith. Your adoption coordinator be there with you through the entire adoption process.

If you need support and additional resources in the Charlotte area, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will help you access those resources. Just call or text Lifetime today to get started.

Get In Touch

Other Paths to Adoption in Charlotte

If you are not sure if adoption is the right choice at this time, foster care may be another option. If a baby is born with signs of exposure to substances, you may find North Carolina Child Protective Services makes that choice for you and places your child. In this case, you will probably not get to decide where they are placed or if you will have any contact.

Relative or kinship adoption is also an option in Charlotte. This option gives you a say in where your child is placed. You can choose a family member who is usually blood-related to the child to adopt your child. There can be some challenges. You all need to be sure your relative understands that adoption is a permanent situation.

Look at the pros and cons to decide which of these options is right for you and your baby and speak to a counselor if you are unsure.

Adopting in Charlotte

Do you dream of enjoying Discovery Place Science with your son or daughter or viewing the birds with your child at the Carolina Raptor Center? Are you considering adopting an infant or a child in Charlotte, North Carolina, and believe domestic adoption is the way to grow your family? If so, Lifetime Adoption coordinators are available to walk you through how to adopt a child in Charlotte. Your Lifetime Adoption professional will answer all of your questions and provide you with the information you need for a successful open domestic adoption.

Adoption for Adoptive Parents in Charlotte

If you are considering adopting a newborn baby or a child up to the age of six, a sibling set, or special needs child in the Charlotte area, contact Lifetime Adoption at 704-333-8393. Our Lifetime Adoption coordinators, who are experts at matching birth mothers and adoptive families, are available to speak with you. You can also visit the Lifetime Adoption website for a free online adoption application for more information.

Adoption Attorneys in Charlotte

Adoption laws can be complex, so it is important to be represented by an adoption attorney. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator can refer you to a Charlotte adoption attorney who will take care of all paperwork and schedule your finalization hearing.

Home Study Services in Charlotte

All adoptive parents must complete a home study. Your adoption coordinator will provide you with a reference to a Charlotte Home Study Service provider.

In Charlotte, how does the home study process work? You will have a home study social worker, who will have a background check done, and you will provide her with the following:

Financial and Employment Statements such as tax returns, if self-employed -profit and loss statements, and paystubs.
Medical Statements from your doctor verifying you are both physically and mentally capable of caring for a child.
You will provide three written references from friends or co-workers verifying that you are suitable adoptive parents.
Verification of marital status

A visit is to establish that you can provide a safe and loving home to raise a child in is part of your home study. A home study social worker will conduct this visit. She will also interview everyone who is living in the home. She will ask questions such as what are your views on parenting, marriage, and family. This information will be gathered and included in the home study report that is submitted to the court.

Finalization of Adoption at Court

Finalization of adoption is your final step on your adoption journey and will take place in court. This will happen once you have been matched with a birth mother, your baby has arrived, and your home study has been completed.

North Carolina adoption law requires that the birth mother can sign the relinquishment papers right after the baby is born but not before. The adoption is then usually finalized about six months after placement.

Your adoption attorney will file all of the adoption paperwork at the district courthouse and set a date for the hearing. In Charlotte, that will be at your local County Courthouse.

The judge will review your home study and other required documents at the adoption finalization hearing. Once satisfied, he will then issue the final decree of adoption. This will be a wonderful occasion and a time to celebrate.

Begin the Adoption Process

It is easy to get the adoption process started. Your first step is to fill out our online application. Applying is free and does not obligate you in any way.

Once you are pre-approved, a Lifetime Adoption coordinator will be in contact with you. Your adoption coordinator will explain the Lifetime Adoption process and will answer any questions you may have.

Other Paths to Adoption

Charlotte International Adoption Agencies

International adoption is another path to adoption you can choose.

With an international adoption, it is important to work with an international adoption agency that specializes in adoption in the country you would like to adopt from. Check their track record of successful adoptions in the country of your choice, as well as their references. The nations of Africa, China, and Eastern Europe are some of the more popular countries to adopt from. Here are some agencies that specialize in international adoption:

Adopt International

Holt International

Foster Care Adoption

Foster care adoption is another option. In Charlotte, you will reach out to the County Department of Human Services.

To adopt from foster care in Charlotte, you must qualify as a foster parent, and those requirements are:

Must be at least 21 years of age.
Home must be inspected by the fire department.
Each family member must have a physical exam and a tuberculosis test.
Must have adequate bedroom space per child.
Must be willing to provide care for children of all ages based on departmental needs (foster care only).
You must have identified support services to assist with emergencies that occur with the children placed in your home, e.g., picking up a sick child from school or daycare during business hours.
You must be willing to secure your swimming pool or trampoline.
Must have a land-line telephone.
Must permit a home consultation with a social worker.
Must undergo a criminal record check and be fingerprinted.
Must provide copies of marriage certificate if married, divorce decrees or death certificate for former spouse if previously married.
Must have sufficient income to meet your needs.
Cannot be receiving government public assistance, e.g., food stamps, public housing, and TANF.
Capacity guidelines for YFS:

No more than 2 children under the age of 2.
No more than 3 children under the age of 5.
No more than 5 children under the age of 12.

You must be aware that any person with an extensive criminal history, including crimes against children, drugs, and any felony, can be screened out by the agency.
If you are a couple, both parties have to meet all criteria and complete the required training.
You must be employed, unless you receive retirement benefits or disability.

You can also view children in the foster care system who are waiting to be adopted across the nation at AdoptUSKids.

Working with Lifetime Adoption

Whether you are an expectant mother, a parent now or a hopeful adoptive parent, Lifetime Adoption is here for you. If you are a parent who is thinking about adoption for their child, Lifetime looks forward to supporting you and making sure you have all of the resources you need. If you are hoping to grow your family through adoption, we will guide you through your adoption journey.