Lifetime Adoption | States | Mississippi

Adoption in Mississippi

Mississippi 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

If you live in the Magnolia State and have been thinking about adoption, Lifetime Adoption coordinators are here to guide you on your adoption journey. If you are considering placing your child for adoption or are interested in adopting a child, our Lifetime coordinators are here for you. You will receive all the information and resources you need.

Pregnant and Considering Adoption in Mississippi

That pregnancy test is positive, now what? Are you unsure where to turn? Did you share the news with the baby’s father, family, or friends and received mixed reactions? Do you feel even more confused about what to do?

Contact a Lifetime Adoption coordinator who will be a non-judgmental voice who will listen and help you understand all of your options. You can call, text, or fill out our online form, and a caring and kind coordinator will be there to provide the support you need. She will also offer you the opportunity to talk to a professional or peer counselor at no cost to you.

What is the Adoption Process in Mississippi?

Lifetime Adoption has been helping pregnant women in Mississippi for over three decades with the adoption process. Just call, text, or fill out our online form. A Lifetime coordinator will listen to you and answer your questions and concerns.

Next, you can view adoptive family profiles and choose adoptive families to talk to that you feel may be right for you and your baby. You may want a family who lives in Mississippi or from another state. You will be able to choose a family open to the amount and kind of contact you are interested in. Also, if you have a toddler, older child, or sibling set you would like to place for adoption, it isn’t just for newborns. Lifetime can help with these situations as well. A professional counselor will be there for you to assist with the transition plan so it is a healthy transition for you, your child, and the adoptive family. Your counselor will also help you work on a post-adoption contact agreement that is best for the child, you, and the adoptive family.

A hospital plan will be an important part of your adoption process if you are pregnant. This plan will be created with your coordinator and document things such as who will be in the delivery room, who holds the baby first, and other similar details. You will also have legal representation, at no cost to you.

Get In Touch

Open Adoption in Mississippi

Have you heard many people talk about modern, open adoption? Probably not because most people don’t know much about it. They don’t know that today, the birth parents make all the decisions. For example, you choose the adoptive family and what kind of contact to have in the future with your child and the adoptive family. Your adoption coordinator will work with you to create the right adoption plan for you and your baby. She will ask:

Do you want a family who lives in your state or not?
Would you like a family of a certain faith?
What kind of contact do you see yourself having with the family in the future?
Do you need help with pregnancy-related expenses?

Adoption is a loving and brave choice and there is a family for every single child who is loving and excited to grow their family through adoption. Today with modern adoption, you are not saying goodbye to your child forever, you can receive updates, pictures, and even visits. We have many birth mothers and adoptive families who have close relationships. Recently, one of our amazing birth mothers was getting married, and she asked her daughter to be there. Not only was she 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

Eva contacted Lifetime because she wanted to place her baby for adoption. She was going through some hard times and wanted a better life for her baby. She was trying to stay safe and now she had extra pregnancy-related expenses. Her Lifetime Adoption coordinator explained that in the state of Mississippi, pregnancy-related expenses can be covered by the adopting parents. The expenses include:

Attorney and legal costs
Living expenses of the birth mother such as rent and food
Pregnancy-related medical and hospital costs
Peer and professional counseling services

Families Wanting to Adopt in Mississippi

Is adopting a newborn, toddler, or child up to the age of six on your mind in Mississippi? As one of the nationwide leaders in open adoption Lifetime is here to guide you on your adoption journey. Matching birth parents with adoptive families for over thirty years is a passion for our coordinators. They are dedicated to making sure our birth mothers have all the resources they need to make the best match with adoptive families.

Starting the Adoption Process

So, what do you do to get the adoption process started? It’s quite simple. Just fill out our short online application. Applying is free and does not obligate you in any way. When your adoption application is reviewed by our team and pre-approved, you will be contacted by a Lifetime Adoption coordinator. She will introduce you to the Lifetime adoption process. You will be given information on creating an adoption profile, help preparing for your home study, and access to the education resources such as webinars, blogs, and podcasts you need on our membership site.

The founder of Lifetime Adoption, Mardie Caldwell, created the Lifetime program due to the journey she experienced while navigating the adoption of her son. For over thirty years, the program has been successfully matching birth mothers with adoptive families. Our coordinators will guide you through the adoption process so that you can see your adoption dreams come true.

Adoption Laws in Mississippi

Mississippi adoption laws  may seem confusing but don’t worry, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will refer you to a Mississippi adoption attorney who will handle the legalities.

In Mississippi, the timeline for legal documentation for adoption is as follows.

The expectant or birth mother can sign consent to adopt papers 72 hours after the birth. A birth father may surrender his parental rights by signing a Waiver of Notice or Denial of Paternity at any time, before or after the child’s birth. The adoption is irrevocable 6 months after the signing is signed.

A home study is a requirement that must be completed before the finalization of the adoption. Depending on the individual facts of each adoption, there may be different legal requirements. Depend on your Mississippi adoption attorney to make sure all legal requirements are followed.

Mississippi Home Studies

A home study is a legal document required by all state courts and is meant to demonstrate your ability to parent and care for a child. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will refer you to a qualified home study provider in Mississippi.

With a home study be prepared to provide the following:

Background checks
Four character references
Medical reports
Employment verification
Visit to the home

Every member of your household over the age of 14 will be interviewed and have a criminal background check. You will also provide information about why you want to adopt, what your lifestyle is like, what support system you have, what your parenting style is, your education level, and more. You will have four in-person visits, one of which will be in the home. There will also be two post-placement visits once a month for six months.

Whether you are hoping to adopt or are a parent considering placing your child for adoption, Lifetime Adoption looks forward to working with you and providing the information and support you need for successful adoption.