Lifetime Adoption | States | North Carolina

Adoption in Durham, North Carolina

Durham Adoption, Home Studies and More

Adoption Services for
Birth Parents and Adoptive Families

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Information about placing
a child for adoption
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Information about adopting a child

Are you considering adoption in the capital city of Durham, North Carolina? If you are looking for adoption agencies in Durham, North Carolina, you will find all the resources and information you need at Lifetime Adoption. Both birth parents and adoptive families will find all of the help with their adoption journey from our adoption coordinators.

They are ready to help you with your adoption process. As a leader in domestic, open adoption nationwide for over three decades, Lifetime Adoption has been connecting birth families and adoptive families. Adoption articles, webinars, counseling, podcasts, and referrals will all be available to you through Lifetime Adoption.

Help for Pregnant Women in Durham

Are you in need of adoption services in Durham, North Carolina, due to an unexpected pregnancy? Lifetime Adoption is here for you. Our Lifetime Adoption coordinators will create an adoption plan to fit you and your child. They introduce you to the open adoption process, and you will receive information, guidance, and support. All you need to do is call or text our Lifetime Adoption coordinators, who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

One of the most loving and the most difficult decisions you can make for yourself and your baby is often adoption. When you choose to place your child with adoptive parents who are emotionally and financially ready for a new baby, you can help create a brighter future for your child and you. At Lifetime Adoption, you will be the one in charge. You will choose the adoptive parents for your baby. You can view Lifetime Adoption family profiles and choose what values you are looking for. You will decide how much contact you would like to have with the family and with your child in the future.

If you have unexpected expenses that may come along with an unexpected pregnancy, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will help find solutions. You may be able to receive assistance with those expenses.

Adoption isn’t only for newborns. You may be parenting your toddler or young child, and it may not be a healthy situation for you or your child. If this is the case, you may want to consider adoption.

You can learn about all of your options through the Lifetime Adoption coordinators. They can send you profiles of adoptive families that are interested in adopting sibling sets, toddlers, and special needs children. When you call Lifetime, you will find a caring and non-judgmental adoption coordinator who will listen to you and find you the resources you need, such as counseling. All of your questions and will be answered honestly, you will never receive pressure, just information. Call or text Lifetime Adoption anytime.

Adoption Help in Durham, NC

Would you like to place your baby with a family in your state or maybe a different state? Lifetime Adoption works nationwide and can help. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will walk you through the adoption process.

At Lifetime Adoption, you can be sure you will have:

Free Peer and Professional Counseling
A variety of profiles of adoptive parents to choose from. All have completed home studies and background checks.
24-hour/seven days a week support
The opportunity to receive help with pregnancy-related expenses
Ongoing support after the adoption
And much more!

Adoption Counseling in Durham

Counseling is a very valuable resource for birth mothers. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will explain the two types of adoption counseling that are available to you at no cost through Lifetime.

Women who have been through their own adoption journey are peer counselors. They will share their story with you and listen to your story, your hopes, and fears, and offer tips and advice.

Adoption is a big decision and an emotional one. This is why professional counseling is also available through Lifetime Adoption. A professional counselor can help you through the decision-making process and help you understand how to deal with the different emotions you may be experiencing.

Maternity Hospitals in Durham

A hospital plan is another part of your adoption process that your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will help you create. She will ask you questions, such as:

Who would you like to hold your baby right after the birth?
During labor, who would you like in the room when you?
Who would you like to be the first person to hold your baby?
Do you want the adoptive parents to come to the hospital?
Will you go home before or after your baby is released?

Your coordinator makes sure the hospital staff, such as nurses and social workers, and the adoptive parents are aware of your plan and make sure they follow wishes.

In the Durham area, there are several hospitals with labor and delivery services:

Duke Regional Hospital
Duke University Hospital

How to Start the Adoption Process

If you are considering placing your child for adoption in Durham, NC, first call or text Lifetime Adoption or fill out the contact form. All of the resources, information, and services you need will be provided by a Lifetime Adoption coordinator. An adoption coordinator will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will also show you profiles of Lifetime adoptive families. These profiles and others can also be viewed online. You can view adoptive families by clicking here. Through these profiles, you will learn all about their values and lifestyles. You can choose a family who lives in North Carolina or somewhere else in the United States. Your adoption coordinator will be there with you through the entire adoption journey.

If you need support and additional resources in the Durham area, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will help you access those resources. Just call or text Lifetime today to get started.

Get In Touch

Other Paths to Adoption in Durham

If you are unsure if adoption is the right choice, foster care may be another option. This is an option you can choose, or if a baby is born with signs of exposure to substances, you may find North Carolina Child Protective Services makes that choice for you. If your child is placed in foster care, you probably will not get to decide where they are placed or what contact you will have.

One more option in Durham is relative or kinship adoption. In this case, you will have a say in where your child is placed. A family member, who is usually blood-related to the child, can adopt. This can be a great solution, but it can also come with some challenges. Make sure everyone understands that adoption is a permanent situation.

Consider all the pros and cons of each option and then decide which is right for you and your baby. Talk with a counselor if you are unsure.

Adopting in Durham

Do you dream of riding the train at the Museum of Life and Science with your son or daughter or going to the annual Lemurpalooza event at the Duke Lemur Center? If you are considering adopting an infant or adopting a child in Durham, North Carolina, and believe domestic adoption is the way to grow your family? If so, Lifetime Adoption coordinators are available to walk you through how to adopt a child in Durham. Your Lifetime Adoption professional will answer all of your questions and provide you with the information you need for a successful open domestic adoption.

If adopting a newborn baby or a child up to the age of six, a sibling set, or special needs child in the Durham area is something you are interested in, contact Lifetime Adoption at 727-493-0933. Our Lifetime Adoption coordinators, who are experts at matching birth mothers and adoptive families, are available to speak with you. You can submit our free online adoption application for more information.

Begin the Adoption Process

Getting the adoption process started is easy. Your first step is to fill out our online application. To apply is free and does not obligate you in any way.

Once you are pre-approved, a Lifetime Adoption coordinator will be in contact with you. Your adoption coordinator will explain the Lifetime Adoption process and will answer any questions you may have.

Adoption Attorneys in Durham

It is important to have an adoption attorney to complete your adoption. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator can refer you to a Durham adoption attorney who will take care of all paperwork and schedule your finalization hearing.

Home Study Services in Durham

A home study is a mandatory part of the adoption process. Your adoption coordinator will provide you with a referral to a Durham Home Study Service provider.

In Durham, how does the home study process work? You will have a home study social worker, who will have a background check done, and you will provide the following documents:

Financial and Employment Statements such as tax returns, if self-employed -profit and loss statements, and paystubs.
Medical Statements from your doctor verifying you are both physically and mentally capable of caring for a child
You will provide three written references from friends or co-workers verifying that you are suitable adoptive parents
Verification of your marital status

Your home study social worker will also visit your home. She will interview anyone who is currently living in your home. You can expect questions such as what your views are on parenting, marriage, and family. This information will be included in the home study report that is submitted to the court.

Finalization of Adoption at Court

The final step on your adoption journey will be the finalization of adoption. This will take place at the courthouse, and when your decree of adoption is issued, your adoption will be final.

North Carolina adoption law requires that the relinquishment papers can be signed by the birth mother right after the baby is born but not before. The adoption is usually finalized about six months after placement.

Your adoption attorney will file all of the adoption paperwork at the district courthouse and set a date for the hearing. Your hearing location in the Durham area will depend on which county you live in.

Durham County

Once the judge has reviewed your home study and other documents, he will then issue the final decree of adoption. Time to celebrate.

Other Paths to Adoption

Durham International Adoption Agencies

International adoption is another path to adoption you can explore.

With international adoption, we recommend you work with an international adoption agency that specializes in adoption in the country of your choice. Look at their record of successful adoptions as well as their references. The nations of Africa, China, and Eastern Europe are some of the more popular countries to adopt from. Here are some agencies that specialize in international adoption:

Adopt International

Holt International

Foster Care Adoption

Foster care adoption is another option. You will reach out to the Durham County Department of Social Services.

To adopt from foster care in Durham, you must qualify as a foster parent, and those requirements are:

Must be 21 years old or older
Be physically and emotionally capable of raising a child
Be able to provide a child with the opportunity for religious or spiritual and ethical development
Must have enough income to provide reasonable economic support for a child
If married, you must have been married for at least one year, and single people are eligible as well
Complete an agency application
Attend required training class as part of the home study process
Complete a home study to be reviewed by the committee
Complete a fingerprint check

You can also view children in the foster care system who are waiting to be adopted across the nation at AdoptUSKids.