Pregnant and Considering Adoption in Utah
Have you just found out you are pregnant, and it’s not a great surprise? If you feel that parenting is not the right option for you and your baby, you may not know what to do. You may have confided your news to the baby’s father, family, and even close friends, or you have decided to keep the news private. If you told others, you might get many different opinions. This can leave you feeling unsure and confused about what to do.
Don’t make a decision until you fully understand all of your options. For over thirty years, Lifetime coordinators have been helping women facing unexpected pregnancies. You will be given information on all of your options and what resources are available to you. You can text, call, or fill out our online form, and a Lifetime Adoption coordinator will be there for you.
What is the Adoption Process in Utah?
The Lifetime Adoption staff has decades of experience helping birth mothers in Utah navigate the adoption process. Just call, text, or fill out our online form. You can ask questions and talk with a kind, non-judgmental adoption coordinator who will address your concerns and provide the necessary resources and information.
If, after reviewing your options, you decide adoption is the right choice for you and your baby, you will work with an adoption coordinator. She will walk you through the adoption process and help you choose a family or families to speak with. Check out Lifetime adoptive family profiles. You may be looking for a family from Utah or from another state. You may want a family with a certain lifestyle or maybe from a certain faith. You choose the right family for your baby, or if you prefer, a coordinator chooses for you. It’s important to know that if you have already given birth or are parenting a toddler or older child and it is a struggle, adoption is still an option. In this case, a professional counselor will work with you and the adoptive family to create a transition plan that is healthy for everyone involved, most importantly, the child.
Your Hospital Plan
To ease some anxiety about labor and delivery, creating a hospital plan is key. Your Lifetime coordinator will help you decide how you want things to go at the hospital ahead of time. You can decide things such as who will be in the delivery room, who will hold the baby first, who will cut the cord and other hospital details. She will also share your plan with the hospital staff, social worker, and adoptive family, so everyone knows what your wishes are. You will also have an adoption attorney from Utah available at no cost to you. Your attorney will make sure you understand your rights and that they are protected.
Open Adoption in Utah
- Would you like a family of a certain race or religion?
- What kind of post-adoption contact agreement would you like to have?
- Would you like the adoptive parents to attend doctor’s appointments with you?
- Do you have pregnancy-related expenses you need help with?
There is no more loving and brave choice than choosing adoption for your child if you are unable to parent at this time. With open adoption, you don’t have to say goodbye forever. You will know your child is happy and thriving because you can receive pictures, updates, and even some visits. Many of our birth parents have developed close relationships with their baby’s adoptive families. Recently, one of our birth mothers was planning her wedding, and she asked if her daughter would like to be there. She was not only there, but the adoptive parents were there as well, and the adoptive father even walked the bride down the aisle.
Help With Pregnancy Expenses and More
- Legal expenses
- Counseling expenses
- Maternity expenses
- Medical and hospital expenses
- Temporary living expenses along with lost wages during the pregnancy of the birth mother for up to 8 weeks after the day of delivery
- Expenses for adoption-related travel
Post-Adoption Contact Agreements in Utah
Utah law does recognize legally enforceable Post-Adoption Contact Agreements under Utah Code Ann. § 78B-6-146. These agreements must be written and approved by the court at the time of the adoption. The court will only enforce a PACA if it determines that the agreement serves the best interest of the child and that all parties voluntarily consented. While the agreement can be enforced, it cannot be used to overturn or challenge the final adoption decree. This ensures that adoption remains permanent, while still honoring post-adoption commitments.
At Lifetime Adoption, we believe in the value of open adoption and the important role PACAs can play in keeping birth and adoptive families connected. Additionally, we make efforts to ensure that expectant mothers or anyone considering placing a child for adoption has the opportunity to share their expectations for ongoing post-adoption contact, as outlined in our Post-Adoption Contact Agreement. Our adoptive families are fully screened and prepared to honor those commitments when included in the adoption plan.
We’re here to support both adoptive and birth parents in building relationships based on mutual respect, honesty, and what’s best for the child.
Utah Adoptive Families
Lifetime Adoption works with families across the nation. This means that whatever you are looking for in an adoptive family, you’ll probably find it with Lifetime. By searching our families, you can learn more about their:
- Lifestyles
- Reasons for adopting
- Home and neighborhood
- Values and religious beliefs
- And much more!
Start by clicking on the “Search for Families” button below.
Families Wanting to Adopt in Utah
Are you in Utah and are considering adopting a newborn, toddler, or child up to the age of six? As one of the leaders in modern, open adoption, Lifetime Adoption is here to guide you through the adoption process. Our experienced adoption coordinators have been matching pregnant women and hopeful adoptive families for over three decades. Lifetime coordinators have a passion for making sure our birth mothers have all the resources they need. And we’re here to help you find the perfect adoptive families for your baby.
Starting the Adoption Process
You can start by filling out ourshort online application. Additionally, there is no application fee, and you will not be obligated in any way. First, Lifetime will review your application, and then once you are pre-approved, a Lifetime Adoption coordinator will contact you. Then she will outline the entire adoption process for you. Also, you’ll have immediate access to our membership site, which is a wealth of information covering every aspect of adoption. Our Lifetime team will get you started on creating your personal profile that birth mothers can view. Next, your coordinator will provide referrals for your home study and, eventually, your adoption attorney.
As a result of the experience she gained when adopting her son, the founder of Lifetime Adoption, Mardie Caldwell, created Lifetime. Since that time, which was over three decades ago, Lifetime Adoption has been successfully matching birth mothers with our adoptive families. Our coordinators will guide you expertly through the entire adoption process so that you can see your dreams of growing your family through adoption come true.
Adoption Laws in Utah
In Utah, the timeline for legal documentation for adoption is as follows.
Consent to adoption cannot be executed until 24 hours after the birth. Once consent is executed, and parental rights are terminated, they cannot be revoked.
Like every other state, Utah has its own laws that must be adhered to. Utah law mandates that there must be an evaluation six months after the placement of the child. Every adoption is unique, so rely on your adoption attorney for the information and regulations regarding your particular adoption.
Utah Home Studies
With a home study, be prepared to provide the following:
- Criminal history records check
- Reports and investigations of child abuse, neglect, and dependency for each person who has lived in for the previous five years
- Descriptions of in-person interviews with the prospective adoptive parent, the parent’s children, and other individuals living in the home
- Two references from individuals who are not related to the adoptive parents and at least one individual who is related to the prospective adoptive parents
- Medical history made within two years before the date of the application
- Home inspection to confirm there is sufficient space and facilities exist to meet the needs of the child
A post-placement visit must be conducted prior to the adoption finalization.
Mardie Caldwell
Funding Your Adoption
Called To Adoption
Open Adoption Webinars
Lifetime Adoption, Inc. is a Licensed Child Placing Agency in Arkansas. (License AR #00050809)
Copyright © | Lifetime Adoption
