Lifetime Adoption > Adoption in Maryland

Adoption in Maryland

Maryland Adoption, Home Studies and More

Are you in the Free State and want to learn more about your adoption options? Lifetime Adoption is a nationwide leader in modern adoption and can explain what adoption looks like today. Are you considering placing your child for adoption? Are you interested in adopting a child? All you need to know about adoption you can find at Lifetime Adoption.

Pregnant and Considering Adoption in Maryland

Adoption Services in Maryland helping pregnant women
It’s so important that you understand your options before you take a course of action in an unexpected pregnancy. Additionally, it can be helpful to talk with family, friends, and the baby’s father, but be prepared for a lot of different and sometimes strong opinions. At the end of the day, remember, the choice is up to you.

Furthermore, talking to someone who is not personally involved, can help. Someone who can calmly listen to your story and ask you some thoughtful questions to help you work through your options. Take a minute to call, text, or contact Lifetime via the online form. A Lifetime coordinator will be there to support you and explain open modern adoption.

What is the Adoption Process in Maryland?

It’s easy to get your adoption process started, just call, text, or go to the Lifetime online form. Expectant women or those who are currently struggling to parent in Maryland can reach out to learn more about the adoption process. You will connect with a supportive adoption coordinator ready to help.

Your coordinator will show you how to access adoptive family profiles online. She can also send profiles or choose a family for you that she feels is a good match. You can look at families who live in Maryland or anywhere else across the nation.

Your Hospital Plan

If you are going to be placing your newborn for adoption, you will want to have a hospital plan in place before the birth. This will include:

Notifying the hospital of the adoption.
Deciding how involved you would like the adoptive parents to be.
Deciding who will be in the delivery room with you and hold the baby first.
Do you want a room in the maternity ward or a different area of the hospital?

In addition to your coordinator helping you create a hospital plan, she will make sure you have your own attorney to explain your rights regarding the adoption and take care of all legal paperwork for you.

What if it is not a newborn you want to place, but you are struggling to parent an older child, special needs child, or a sibling group? Don’t worry. There are wonderful Lifetime families interested in adopting a toddler, sibling group, or older child. You can even have a professional counselor create a plan to make the transition easier for the child at no charge.

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Open Adoption in Maryland

Parenting might not be right for you, but that does not mean you have to say goodbye to your child forever or not know how they are doing. Because open adoption is a beautiful way to place your baby for adoption. Even better, you can choose the adoptive parents for your child and can receive updates, pictures, and even occasional visits. To begin creating your adoption plan, your coordinator may ask questions such as:

Are you looking for a family of a certain faith or race?
Would you like a family that values travel or education?
Is a country setting or city setting something you’re looking for for your child?
Do you have pregnancy-related expenses you could use some help with?

Placing your baby for adoption is not easy, but it is a very loving and brave choice. Many birth parents have created close relationships with the adoptive families of their child. For example, one of our wonderful birth mothers became engaged and asked if her daughter could come to the wedding. Her daughter was so excited to be there, and it shows how close they all are as the adoptive father walked the bride down the aisle.

Help With Pregnancy Expenses and More

Kim was not in a good relationship and wanted out when she found out she was expecting. Then she felt trapped because she had nowhere to go and had added expenses. Still, she didn’t want her baby to be brought up as she had been. So her adoption coordinator let her know that in the state of Maryland, some pregnancy-related expenses may be covered, such as.

Fees for adoption hospital, counseling, legal, or medical services
Transportation for medical care due to the pregnancy or birth of the baby
Reasonable expenses for clothing, food, and shelter for a birth mother if the birth mother cannot work or support herself due to medical reasons impacting the pregnancy or birth of the child

In Maryland, counseling for the birth mother is always available both before and after the adoption is final at no cost to the birth mother.

Maryland Adoptive Families

Adoption profiles let you browse waiting adoptive parents of all types and backgrounds in Maryland. When you browse these profiles, you can learn more about their:

Lifestyle
Family
Home and neighborhood
Values and religious beliefs
Reasons for adopting
And much more!

At Lifetime Adoption, we believe the more options you have, the higher the chance of finding a family for your baby.

To start, click on the “Search for Families ” button below and search by whatever is important to you.

Search For Families

Families Wanting to Adopt in Maryland

Are you in Maryland and see yourselves adopting a newborn, sibling group, or child up to the age of 6? If so, Lifetime Adoption is one of the nationwide leaders in modern, open adoption and we can help you make your adoption dreams come true.

Starting the Adoption Process

First, fill out our FREE online application to get started. It’s short, and does not obligate you in any way. Then your application will be reviewed by Lifetime, and once pre-approved, your journey can begin. Next, a Lifetime representative will contact you and will introduce the Lifetime Adoption process to you.

Guided by Mardie Caldwell, the founder of Lifetime Adoption, Lifetime coordinators have vast experience leading families through the adoption process. Additionally, this program has been helping families successfully adopt for over 35 years.

Adoption Laws in Maryland

Maryland adoption laws are not something you want to tackle on your own, so your coordinator will refer you to legal representation in Maryland.

Typically, in Maryland, the timeline for legal documentation and the timeline for adoption are as follows:

Relinquishment papers can be filed as soon as the baby is born.
Revocations cannot happen thirty days after the birth parent signs the consent or thirty days after the adoption petition is filed with the court.

Maryland Home Studies

Every state requires a home study. This is a legal document that is filed with the court. Generally speaking, a home study is required to confirm your ability to become a parent to an adopted child and to confirm you have a safe and healthy home in which to raise a child.

A home study may include but is not limited to:

Conduct at least three visits at the home of the prospective resource parent, with one home visit including a meeting with each resource parent individually and other visits that include the following:
Interviews with the entire family
27 hours of preservice training
Tour of the adoptive family’s house
Obtain three personal references, two references from a personal interview and one reference from a relative
Verification of income
Certification of marital status, if applicable
Health inspection of the home by the local health department
Criminal Background Checks

Lifetime Adoption staff look forward to guiding you through the adoption process. Whether you are considering placing your baby for adoption or are hoping to grow your family through adoption, Lifetime will be here to support, educate, and help you access the resources you need.

Mardie Caldwell

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