Safe Haven Baby Box or Adoption
If you’re pregnant and not in a position to raise a child — or another child — you still have the opportunity to make a thoughtful and loving choice for your baby’s future: adoption or Safe Haven Baby Box surrender. Safe Haven laws were established to give parents a safe and anonymous way to surrender their unharmed infant. These laws typically apply to babies from birth up to one year old, although the age limit varies by state.
What is a Safe Haven Baby Box?
A parent can bring their baby to designated locations – such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations, and place their babies in Safe Haven Baby Boxes – without fear of being prosecuted for baby abandonment.
These laws aim to reduce the unsafe abandonment of newborns, which can result in serious harm or death, by offering a secure and legal alternative for a parent who feels they cannot care for their baby.
Choosing Safe Haven allows you to remain completely anonymous. However, you will have no information about who is raising your child or how they are growing. Likewise, your child will have no knowledge of their birth family, any important family medical history, or the opportunity to develop a relationship with their birth parents. To go further into this topic, please read our blog article entitled “Understanding Safe Haven for Babies and Adoption.”
Safe Haven vs Adoption: A Quick Comparison
| Aspect | Safe Haven Surrender | Private Adoption |
| Confidentiality | Allows complete anonymity; parents are protected from legal consequences of abandonment | Both birth and adoptive parents are identified; a relationship may be developed |
| Infant Placement | Birth parent has no say in where the baby goes; child may be placed in foster care or with an agency-selected family | Child is placed directly with the adoptive parents chosen by the birth parent |
| Birth Parent Involvement | No involvement after surrender | Birth parents are engaged throughout the adoption process |
| Selection of Adoptive Family | Not an option | Birth parents have the right to choose who adopts their child |
| Legal Services | Baby is legally abandoned under Safe Haven laws; no legal services needed | Legal counsel is provided to complete the adoption process |
| Counseling Availability | Typically not offered | Counseling is encouraged and should be provided by the agency |
| Financial Support | No financial aid for pregnancy-related needs | Assistance may be available depending on state regulations |
| Post-Adoption Communication | No contact or updates | Communication based on birth parents’ choice, sometimes through legal agreements |
| Right to Reclaim Child | Nearly impossible once surrendered | Possible, but depends on state laws and time limits |
| Emotional Support | Not part of the process | Support services should be accessible through the adoption agency |
Get More Information About Adoption
This form is intended for pregnant women or women wanting to place their child for adoption after birth. If you live outside of the U.S., please click here.
Lifetime Adoption, Inc. is a Licensed Child Placing Agency in Arkansas. (License AR #00050809)
Copyright © | Lifetime Adoption
