Abilene Adoption

Abilene 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

Do you have questions about adoption in the Abilene, TX area? Lifetime’s caring and informative adoption coordinators can answer all your questions. Lifetime Adoption coordinators work with birth parents and adoptive parents. They help birth families find the perfect adoptive family for their child, and they make sure everyone in the adoptive process receives all the support and resources they need.

As a leader in open, domestic adoption, Lifetime Adoption will guide you on your adoption journey. Lifetime Adoption coordinators have been connecting birth families with adoptive families for over three decades successfully. Our experienced coordinators will provide resources such as podcasts, articles, counseling, webinars, and referrals, along with one-on-one support.

Help for Pregnant Women in Abilene

Facing an unexpected pregnancy can cause anxiety. You may be unsure about what to do or who to turn to. Modern, open adoption may be an option you want to learn more about. You can access Abilene adoption services through Lifetime Adoption. All the resources and information you need to make an adoption plan for you and your child will be made available to you. For help and information, just call or text our Lifetime Adoption coordinators 24 hours a day.

If you feel parenting does not feel like the best option for you and your child, adoption is a loving choice. Finding loving adoptive parents who are financially and emotionally ready for a baby may be your best option. The choices such as who will adopt your baby and how much contact and updates you will have after the adoption is final will be up to you.

Along with an unexpected pregnancy can come unexpected expenses. In the Abilene area, your adoption agency may be able to get you some assistance. A pregnant woman choosing adoption can request help with pregnancy-related expenses in Texas during pregnancy and up until six weeks after the birth. Pregnancy-related costs include things such as rent, food, phone, clothes, transportation, and other items. A Lifetime Adoption coordinator will connect you with any support and resources you need!

You may currently be struggling to raise a young child. It is never too late to consider adoption. People often think of only newborns when they think of adoption, but there are many adoptive families who are excited to grow their family by adopting a toddler or older child. Lifetime often connects adoptive parents with toddlers and young children.

Adoption is a difficult decision, and it can be hard to make that first call to an Abilene adoption agency. When you call, or text Lifetime Adoption, you will always find a non-judgmental and caring coordinator ready to provide all the information you need. You will have a Lifetime Adoption coordinator by your side throughout the adoption process.

Call or text Lifetime Adoption now.

Adoption Help in the Abilene Area

Lifetime Adoption can help you place your newborn or young child with a loving adoptive family. Your adoption coordinator will be there to walk you through the adoption process and to help you access the resources you need, such as:

Maternity clothes, labor bags and toiletries
The opportunity for peer and professional counseling
Adoptive family profiles
24-hour, seven days a week help and support
The opportunity to get help with pregnancy-related expenses
Additional support after you have given birth
And much more!

Adoption Counseling in Abilene

Counseling is a very important resource that Lifetime Adoption offers. Your coordinator can put you in touch with an independent professional counselor free of charge. Adoption is an emotional journey, and counseling can help you work through your thoughts and feelings.

Along with professional counseling, peer counseling is available. Speaking with a Lifetime birth mother who has had her own adoption journey can be very helpful. Every adoption story is a little different, but she will understand what you are going through and can let you know what to expect emotionally. You can even get advice on things such as telling your family, discussing adoption with the birth father, and other issues.

Maternity Hospitals in Abilene

Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will help you in many ways, one of which is to create your own personal hospital plan. You may have some anxiety, so having a hospital plan can help ease some of your stress. You get to decide things such as:

Who would you like at the hospital and in the delivery room?
Who would you like to cut the cord?
Would you like to feed or hold your baby in the hospital?

Your adoption coordinator will go over these and many other questions so she can create the best plan for you. Your adoption coordinator will also share the hospital plan with the hospital social worker and the adoptive family. So everyone will understand your wishes.

In the Abilene area, the hospital with labor and delivery services is:

The BirthPlace at Hendrick

If something unexpected happens or you change your mind about any of your choices, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will be available to support and share the information with the hospital and adoptive family.

More Help for Pregnant Women in Abilene

Life can feel overwhelming at times and can feel more overwhelming if you find out you are unexpectedly pregnant. There is help available through Lifetime Adoption, where you will always find a caring and kind coordinator who will connect you with all the resources and information you need. To make a good choice about your pregnancy, you need to be able to make your choice from a place of stability, not a place of crisis.

If you are homeless or find yourself in a position as a victim of domestic violence, it is critical to find a safe place for yourself. Here are a few local resources for women’s shelters in Abilene and the surrounding area:

Noah Project

Harmony Family Services

Are you experiencing hunger as a pregnant woman or the mother of a young child? Unfortunately, this is difficult to go through, but help is available through the WIC program in Abilene. WIC stands for Women, Infants, and Children and provides an EBT card to purchase healthy food, such as vegetables, cheese, milk, whole grains, eggs, and fruit. They also have referrals for local resources. Learn more by visiting their website:

WIC – in Abilene, TX

Addiction is an issue many struggle with. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will help you find the treatment you need. It can be risky to stop using drugs suddenly without supervision so seek professional help. Suppose you have an addiction to opiates or prescription drugs. In that case, the doctors at a treatment center can offer medications (like methadone and suboxone) to wean off the opiates in a safe manner. They will also offer counseling and support. Here are a few resources in Abilene:

Abilene Absolute Recovery Solutions

WTCR Programs

If there are additional resources and support you need, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator can offer confidential assistance to help you overcome any concerns or issues. For example, we can help with maternity clothes, transportation, prenatal care, rent, pregnancy verification, etc. Call or text today.

How to Start the Adoption Process in Abilene

So how do you start the adoption process? It’s easy, just call or text Lifetime Adoption or fill out the contact form online. A Lifetime Adoption coordinator will explain the entire adoption process. Your coordinator will find out what needs you have and will make sure you have all the resources you need. A coordinator is always available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide you with the support you need.

Check out the Lifetime adoptive families profiles online. Your coordinator will also send you some profiles she feels will be a good match as well. These profiles will help you learn all you need to about the adoptive families you are considering. You can read personal letters, watch video messages, and then speak with the adoptive families you are interested in when you are comfortable.

To view Lifetime Adoptive family profiles online, just click here. You may be hoping for an adoptive family that lives in Texas or a family from another state. Whatever characteristics are important to you in an adoptive family, we will help you find them. When you pick a family or a few families, your adoption coordinator will help you connect with them to make sure it is the right fit for you and your baby.

Just give us a call or text to get started.

Get In Touch

Other Paths to Adoption in Abilene

Foster care may be an alternative to adoption if you are having difficulty parenting now but feel those difficulties will be resolved in the near future. There are pros and cons to every option. Sometimes, CPS may decide for you if your baby is born showing symptoms of exposure to substances. The Texas Department of Families and Protective Services may choose to place your baby in the foster care program without your consent. Unfortunately, you most likely will not be allowed to decide where your baby is placed or if you can have contact when this happens. If you make an adoption plan before your baby is placed with CPS, you can remain in control of where your baby is placed through adoption.

Another solution can be kinship or relative adoption if you have a family member who wants to adopt your child. But, again, there are pros and cons. You may be able to see your child, but everyone needs to be clear that adoption is permanent, and the relatives will be the legal parents of this child.

Speak with your Lifetime Adoption coordinator and a counselor so that you understand every option before choosing which type of adoption is the right thing for you and your baby.

Adopting in Abilene

Is growing your family through adoption in the Abilene area on your mind? Begin your adoption journey with Lifetime Adoption. Adoption coordinators will help you learn all about modern, open adoption and how the whole process works.

Lifetime Adoption will provide you with a wealth of adoption materials and resources. Our highly experienced coordinators are experts at matching birth parents and adoptive parents. If you are in the Abilene area and would like some additional information about adopting a newborn or child up to the age of six, you can contact us at 727-493-0933. In addition, you can visit the Lifetime Adoption website for a free online adoption application.

At Lifetime Adoption, you will be able to access a high level of education, referrals, resources, and support you need to ensure your adoption dreams come true.

Begin the Adoption Process

So, let’s get the adoption process started. Simply fill out our online application. Filling out the application is free and does not obligate you in any way.

Your application will be reviewed, and then a Lifetime coordinator will contact you. We advise families to write any questions or concerns they have down. Your coordinator will be happy to get you the information you need. You can share your preferences and expectations, and your adoption coordinator will guide you on your successful adoption journey.

Adoption Attorneys in Abilene

Once you are matched, your coordinator will refer you to an adoption attorney in the necessary state. Adoption law varies by state and must be followed exactly. Your adoption attorney will complete and file your adoption paperwork with the courts and advise you of adoption laws in your area and the state where your birth mother resides.

Home Study Services in Abilene

A home study is required in every state to adopt. Your Lifetime coordinator will refer you to an Abilene home study service provider.

Your home study will require fingerprints for a background check and provide the following:

Proof of marital status, such as a marriage certificate
Medical Statement from your doctor ensuring you are healthy and able to raise a child
Financial and Employment Statements
Three written references

During your home study process, your social worker will visit your home and interview everyone who is living in the home. The visit is done to confirm you have a saving and loving home to raise a child in. In addition, your social worker will ask you about your views on parenting, marriage, and family. There will be several follow-up visits after you take custody of the child as well.

Finalization of Adoption at Court

Now, your child is in your home, and your final adoption step is finalization.

Adoption law in Texas mandates that the birth mother must wait 48 hours after the birth before she can legally sign the adoption papers. Next, the child must be in the adoptive parents custody for at least six months. Finally, the home study social worker will conduct five post-placement. When these visits are complete, you will have a finalization hearing at the courthouse to finalize the adoption.

Finalization will occur at the Taylor County Courthouse in the Abilene area with a judge and your adoption attorney present. After reviewing your adoption documents, a judge will issue the final adoption decree. Time to celebrate!

Other Paths to Adoption

Abilene International Adoption Agencies

Another adoption option that appeals to some families is international adoption. With this option, make sure you consider the laws, customs, and political climate of the country you would like to adopt from. Research international adoption agencies and find one that has a history of successfully working with the country of your choice. Some of the more popular countries are China, Africa, and Eastern European countries. Some agencies that specialize in international adoption:

Adopt International

Holt International

Foster Care Adoption

If foster-to-adopt is an option you are interested in Abilene, you will contact the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange. They will explain the process and requirements involved in foster-to-adopt.

To qualify as a Texas foster parent, you will need to:

Be at least 21 years of age.
Must have completed a home study.
Complete their application.
Provide several references.
Provide proof you are financially stable and responsible.
Provide information about your background and lifestyle.
Complete a criminal background check which includes an abuse/neglect check on all adults living in the household.
Attended mandatory training, which is free. These classes educate on issues regarding adopting children who have been neglected or abused along with parenting instruction.

This training is needed because it helps the family and the social worker decide if foster care adoption is the right option for your family because foster adoption often involves special needs or older children.

A great resource is AdoptUSKids. You can view children hoping to be adopted in the Abilene foster care system and other states.

Mardie Caldwell

Funding Your Adoption

Called To Adoption

Open Adoption Webinars

Accreditation