Delaware Adoption

Delaware 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 in the First State and considering adoption? If you are new to adoption, you may have many questions, and the Lifetime Adoption coordinators have the answers. Whether you are placing your baby for adoption or are interested in growing your family through adoption, Lifetime Adoption coordinators are here to help you along your adoption journey.

Pregnant and Considering Adoption in Delaware

Where do you turn if you find out you are unexpectedly pregnant? Some women will turn to the baby’s father, or some to their friends and family and ask for advice. Sometimes, however, those close to you may have a lot of advice that is not right for you. Make sure you understand all of your options before you make any decisions.
Call or text a Lifetime coordinator who will listen to your story without judgment and ensure you have all the information about modern, open adoption. To get started, just call, text, or complete our online form.

What is the Adoption Process in Delaware?

Learn about the adoption process in Delaware whether you are an expectant woman or someone currently parenting in Delaware. To get started, just call, text, or fill out our online form. A Lifetime Adoption Coordinator will be ready to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Your coordinator will give you access to view adoptive family profiles online and will send profiles of adoptive families she feels would be a good fit. Take a look at families in Delaware or in most other states.

If you are currently pregnant and have an adoption plan, a hospital plan will be helpful. You can decide things such as:

Do you want the adoptive parents to head to the hospital when you are in labor?
After delivering your baby, would you like to hold or feed the baby?
Who would you like to cut the umbilical cord?
Would you like your room to be in another department than the maternity ward?

As part of the adoption process, you will have a legal representative who will review your adoption rights and handle all legal proceedings.

Did you know adoption isn’t just for newborns? If you are struggling to parent an older child, children, or special needs child, adoption is a loving option. There are Lifetime adoptive families interested in adopting a toddler, sibling group, or older child. Professional counseling will be available at no charge to you, and you can create an adoption transition plan that will help your child with the change.

Get In Touch

Open Adoption in Delaware

Are you worried that if you place your baby for adoption, you will never know how he is doing or see him again? With modern, open adoption, you can receive photos, updates, and even occasional visits.

You can be the one to choose the adoptive parents. You will decide what you are looking for in a family. You may want a family that lives in Delaware or another state. You can look for a family that has the characteristics you want for your baby.

Your Lifetime coordinator will provide you with family profiles she believes would be right for you. To help you find the best family for you, she will ask questions such as:

Would you like a family of a certain race or religion?
In the future, would you like updates, social media contact, photos or even visits?
Would you like to create a hospital plan that outlines who will be at the hospital and how everything will go during the labor and delivery of your baby?
Are there pregnancy-related expenses you need assistance with?

If you choose adoption for your child, it is a loving choice, and it can be a comfort knowing that you can remain in contact, get updates and know your baby is thriving in their adoptive home. Many birth mothers have formed close relationships with the adoptive families they chosen, and this benefits everyone, most importantly the child. One of our amazing birth mothers asked if her daughter might be able to come to her wedding. Not only was her daughter there, but the adoptive parents were also there, and the adoptive father even walked the birth mother down the aisle.

Families Wanting to Adopt in Delaware

Are you hoping to adopt a newborn, child up to the age of 6, or sibling group in Delaware? Lifetime is a leader in modern, open adoption, and our adoption coordinators are ready to help make your adoption dreams come true.

Starting the Adoption Process

To start the adoption process is easy. Just complete our short online application. Filling out the application does not obligate you in any way or cost anything. Once your application is reviewed and pre-approved, you will hear from a Lifetime representative who will introduce you to the Lifetime Adoption process.

Mardie Caldwell founded Lifetime Adoption and created the Lifetime Adoption process after the experience she had when adopting her son over thirty years ago. Our Lifetime coordinators have tremendous experience matching families with birth mothers through the process created by Mardie.

Adoption Laws in Delaware

Delaware adoption laws need to be followed, so you will have an adoption lawyer along with your coordinator to guide you through the process. Your Lifetime Adoption Coordinator will be happy to refer an adoption attorney in Delaware to you.

Typically, in Delaware, the timeline for legal documentation and the timeline for adoption are as follows: Relinquishment papers cannot be filed until at least after birth by the birth mother. No judgment may be entered until after the birth of the child. The birth parents have up to 60 days to rescind the adoption order.

Delaware Home Studies

Each state requires a home study which is a legal document. This is done to confirm your ability to parent a child or children and to show you have an adequate and healthy environment for the child or children. A home study is required before the adoption.
A home study includes but is not limited to the following:

Proof of income, such as paystubs and tax returns.
Criminal background record checks, including checks on any child abuse records or neglect registry for anyone 16 years or older living in the home.
A visit to the home to confirm it is safe and has room for a child.
A health report for adoptive parents.

Lifetime Adoption looks forward to guiding you along your adoption journey, whether you are placing your baby or child for adoption or are hoping to adopt a child.