Lifetime Adoption | States | Pennsylvania | Adoption in Philadelphia

Adoption in Philadelphia

Philadelphia 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 considering adoption in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania? If you are looking for adoption help in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, call Lifetime Adoption. You will find all the resources and information you need. Our Lifetime Adoption coordinators provide birth parents with the resources and support they need and help hopeful adoptive families with their adoption journey.

Lifetime Adoption is a leader in domestic, open adoption. You will find caring, experienced adoption coordinators ready to help you with the adoption process. For over three decades, we have been connecting birth families and adoptive families. You will receive all the resources such as adoption articles, webinars, counseling, podcasts, and referrals you need at Lifetime Adoption.

Help for Pregnant Women in Philadelphia

If you are in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, Lifetime Adoption can help. Our adoption coordinators will work with you to create an adoption plan. She will explain the open adoption process, and you will receive all the guidance, information, and support you need. Just call or text our adoption coordinators, who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your baby is find loving, adoptive parents who are emotionally and financially ready for a new baby. Lifetime Adoption gives you the opportunity to choose the adoptive parents for your baby. You will be able to view Lifetime Adoption family profiles and choose the adoptive family that is perfect for your child. You can even decide how much contact you would like to have with the family after the adoption is final.

Along with an unplanned pregnancy, unexpected expenses can arise. For some, these expenses can be hard to cover. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will have some solutions for you. In Pennsylvania, you can receive help with:

Doctor expenses incurred on behalf of the birth mother in connection with prenatal care. Payments made by the adoptive parents to an intermediary or a third party for reimbursement of the following expenses, calculated without regard to the income of the adoptive parents, are permissible:

Medical and hospital expenses incurred by the birth mother for prenatal care
Medical and hospital expenses incurred by the birth mother and child incident to birth
Medical, hospital, and foster care expenses incurred on behalf of the child prior to the decree of adoption

Sometimes life is a struggle, and there are situations when parenting is not the right choice for you or your child. If you are considering adoption for your toddler, sibling set, or young child, Lifetime Adoption can help. Carrie* called us very upset. She had a two-year-old and had just found given birth to her daughter. She and her boyfriend struggled with substance abuse, and she felt child protective services was going to take both her children. She wanted her children in a stable, loving home. We were able to find wonderful adoptive parents in Pennsylvania who were more than delighted to adopt her son and her newborn daughter. Carrie now knows her children are going to grow up together in a happy, safe home.

The Lifetime Adoption coordinators are here to help you as well. We have many adoptive families interested in adopting sibling sets, toddlers, and special needs children. Choosing adoption is a hard decision. Making that call can be very difficult. You can depend on finding a caring and non-judgmental adoption coordinator who will explain your options and put you in touch with a counselor who can help you work through your decision-making process. All of your questions will be answered honestly, and you will never receive pressure, just information. Call or text Lifetime Adoption anytime, and we will be there for you.

*Name has changed for privacy.

Adoption Help in Philadelphia

Lifetime Adoption can help you place your baby with an adoptive family either in your local state or a different state. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will walk you through the whole adoption process.

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

Free referrals for peer and professional counseling
A variety of adoptive parents’ profiles to choose from, all of whom have completed home studies and background checks.
Support 24-hour/seven days a week
The opportunity to get help with pregnancy-related expenses
Continued support after the adoption
And much more!

Adoption Counseling in Philadelphia

Your adoption coordinator will offer you two types of counseling.

Peer counseling is one option. Our peer counselors are birth mothers who have been through their own adoption journey and are happy to share their experiences with you. They will listen to you and offer tips and advice.

Another option is professional counseling. Adoption is a very big decision, and a professional counselor can help you work through the decision-making process. She can also help you navigate all the different emotions that can come up.

Maternity Hospitals in Philadelphia

Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will also help you create a hospital plan. She will ask you questions, such as:

Will you hold your baby after the birth?
Who would you like in the room when you go into labor?
Would you like to be the first person to hold your baby?
Would you like the adoptive parents to come to the hospital?
Would you like to go home before or after your baby is released?

Once your hospital plan is in place, your adoption coordinator will work with the hospital staff and the adoptive parents to make sure your wishes are understood and followed.

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

Einstein Medical Center Montgomery
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Jefferson Methodist Hospital
Temple University Hospital

Your coordinator will work with whichever hospital you choose. Our Lifetime Adoption coordinators are very experienced and have worked with women who have given birth at home and even women who went into labor while traveling out of state.

How to Start the Adoption Process

If you are considering placing your child for adoption in Philadelphia, your first step is to call or text Lifetime Adoption or fill out our contact form. A Lifetime Adoption coordinator will guide you through the adoption process. All of the resources and services you need will be provided. An adoption coordinator is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Your adoption coordinator will provide profiles of Lifetime adoptive families, which can be viewed online. You can learn all about their lifestyles, values, faith, and history. You can view adoptive families by clicking here. You can choose a family who lives in Pennsylvania or somewhere else in the United States. You may want a Catholic adoption family or a family of another faith. Once you choose a family, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will help you get to know them if that is what you want. Your adoption coordinator be there with you through the entire process.

If you have a need for support or resources in the Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia

Foster care in Philadelphia is an option for some parents who may not be sure if they are going to want to parent in the future. If a baby is born with signs of exposure to substances, you may find they make the choice of foster care for you. If the Philadelphia Department of Human Services becomes involved, you may find the decision as to who your baby is placed with or if you will have any contact is not up to you.

Relative or kinship adoption is also an option that gives you a say. This is when a family member, who is usually blood-related to the child, adopts your child. There can be some challenges. You want to be sure your relative understands that adoption is a permanent situation. Make sure that boundaries are understood, and everyone understands their role.

Only you can know which of these options is right for you and your baby. Think about the pros and cons of each adoption option and speak to a counselor if you are unsure.

Adopting in Philadelphia

Do you dream of going to Sesame Place with your son or daughter or viewing the animals with your child at the Philadelphia Zoo? Is domestic adoption something you are interested in as a way to grow your family? If so, Lifetime Adoption coordinators are here to guide you on your adoption journey in Philadelphia. 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 you are considering adopting a newborn baby or a child up to the age of six in the Philadelphia area, 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 also visit the Lifetime Adoption website for a free online adoption application for more information.

Begin the Adoption Process

To begin the adoption process is easy. Your first step is to fill out our online application. To apply is free, and you will not be obligated in any way.

Once your application is reviewed and you are pre-approved, a Lifetime Adoption coordinator will contact you. The entire Lifetime Adoption program will be explained, and you can ask any questions you might have.

Adoption Attorneys in Philadelphia

Pennsylvania adoption laws can be complicated, so it is important that all laws are followed and a finalization hearing is scheduled at the courthouse. You will need an adoption attorney to navigate the legal aspects of your adoption. Your adoption coordinator can refer you to a Philadelphia adoption attorney.

Home Study Services in Philadelphia

A requirement for all adoptions is a home study. Your adoption coordinator will be very happy to refer you to a Philadelphia Home Study Service provider.

In Philadelphia, 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 her with the following:

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

Part of your home study will be a visit by your home study social worker. This is meant to establish that you can provide a safe and satisfactory home to raise a child in. The home study social worker will interview everyone living in the home and will ask for your views on parenting, marriage, and family. This information will all be added to a report to be submitted to the court.

Finalization of Adoption at Court

Finalization of adoption is your final step on your adoption journey and will take place in court. This will happen once you have been matched with a birth mother, your baby has arrived, and your home study has been completed.

Pennsylvania adoption law requires that the birth mother cannot sign papers until 72 hours after the birth. After placement, the adoptive family must have three follow-up visits by the social worker.

Your adoption attorney will file all of the adoption paperwork at the district courthouse and set a date for the hearing. In Philadelphia, that will be at your local County Superior Courthouse.

The judge will review your documents and the home study at the adoption finalization hearing and, once satisfied, will then issue the final decree of adoption. This will be a wonderful occasion and a time to celebrate.

Other Paths to Adoption

Philadelphia International Adoption Agencies

While Lifetime specializes in domestic adoption, international adoption is another option.

If you choose international adoption, it is important to work with an agency that specializes in adoption in the country you are interested in. Be sure they have a proven track record of successful adoptions in the country of your choice, as every country has its own specific laws and regulations. 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