Adoption Help in Waco

Waco 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

Would you like to learn more about adoption in the Waco area? You can get all of the information you need and have all of your questions answered by the experienced adoption coordinators at Lifetime. The Lifetime coordinators work with birth parents to help them find an adoptive family for their child and ensure they get all the support and resources they need. The adoptive coordinators also guide adoptive families through the adoption process.

As one of the leaders in domestic open adoption, Lifetime Adoption is ready to help you. Lifetime has been connecting adoptive families with birth families for over three decades. Our kind and caring coordinators will support you on your adoption journey, providing podcasts, counseling, articles, webinars, referrals, along with one-on-one support.

Help for Pregnant Women in Waco

Facing an unplanned pregnancy can be stressful. If you are unsure what to do, open adoption may be an option you want to think about. Waco adoption services are available through Lifetime Adoption. Our adoption coordinators will get you the information and resources needed to make an adoption plan. You will probably have many questions, and they are there to answer them. For guidance and help, just call or text our Lifetime Adoption coordinators 24 hours a day.

You will work with a coordinator to create an adoption plan. You will make the choices for yourself and your child. If you feel parenting is not the best choice for you and your child, it may be best to find adoptive parents with a loving home who are financially and emotionally ready for a baby. The choice of who will adopt your baby will be up to you. The amount of contact and updates after the adoption will also be up to you.

Are you having a hard time covering some of the added expenses that have come up due to your pregnancy? In the Waco area, adoption agencies may be able to get you some assistance. As a pregnant woman who chooses adoption, you can request assistance with pregnancy-related expenses in Texas up to six weeks after the birth. Pregnancy-related expenses may be things such as food, rent, clothes, phone, transportation, and other items. Once your needs are determined, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will connect you with the support and resources required!

Some only think of newborns when they think of adoption. There are adoptive families who are excited to bring a toddler or older child into their family. If you are struggling to raise a young child, you may want to consider adoption. Lifetime connects parents with toddlers and young children with adoptive families often.

It can be difficult to make that first call to a Waco adoption agency. When you call or text Lifetime, you will find a kind, non-judgmental coordinator ready to answer all of your questions. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will be by your side through the entire adoption process.

Call or text Lifetime Adoption now.

Adoption Help in the Waco Area

Lifetime Adoption has the ability to help you place your newborn or young child for adoption. A kind adoption coordinator will be there to explain how the adoption process works and what resources are available:

Maternity clothes, toiletries, and even a labor bag.
The opportunity for peer and professional counseling.
24-hour, 7 days a week help and support.
The opportunity to receive assistance with pregnancy-related expenses.
Adoptive parent profiles.
Additional support after you have given birth.
And much more!

Adoption Counseling in Waco

Adoption is a life-changing choice, and counseling is an important resource your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will offer. You can speak with an independent professional free of charge. Adoption is a very emotional journey, and counseling will help you work through all of your thoughts and feelings.

Another popular form of counseling is peer counseling. You can talk to a Lifetime birth mother who has experienced her own adoption journey. While her story may be a little different, she will understand your feelings and emotions. You can get advice on telling your family, discussing adoption with the birth father, along with tips and advice.

Maternity Hospitals in Waco

If the thought of labor and delivery causes you some anxiety, having a hospital plan can help ease your stress. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will help you create your hospital plan. How things go is up to you, so think about things such as:

Who do you want in the delivery room?
Would you like the adoptive parents to come to the hospital right away?
Who would you like to hold your baby first?

These are just a few of the questions your adoption coordinator will go over with you. Once you have a plan, your adoption coordinator will share your plans with the hospital staff and the adoptive family. Everyone will know your wishes.

In the Waco area, the hospitals with labor and delivery services are:

Ascension Providence

Baylor Scott and White Medical Center

Waco Birth Center & Clinic

Whichever hospital you choose to deliver at, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will work with the hospital staff to make sure they understand and follow your wishes. So don’t worry if anything unexpected comes up or you change your mind about anything. Your adoption coordinator will be available to support you.

More Helpful Resources for Pregnant Women in Waco

Have you found yourself unexpectedly pregnant and struggling with some of life’s other hardships? Help is available at Lifetime Adoption. You will find a caring coordinator who will provide you with the resources and information you need to make a good decision about your pregnancy. It is important to learn about all your pregnancy choices before making a decision. Make your choice from a place of stability, not one of crisis.

If you are experiencing homelessness or find yourself a victim of domestic violence, finding safe housing is critical. Here are a few local resources for women’s shelters in Waco and the surrounding area:

Compassion Ministries of Waco

Family Abuse Center

Are you pregnant or the mother of young children and are experiencing hunger? You may be eligible for the WIC program in Waco. WIC stands for Women, Infants, and Children and provides an EBT card to purchase healthy food, such as milk, whole grains, vegetables, fruit, eggs, and cheese. They also have referrals for local resources. Learn more by visiting their website:

WIC – in Waco, TX

Are you struggling with addiction? Help is available if you seek treatment. However, you don’t need to do it on your own, and it is risky to just stop using drugs without supervision if you are pregnant. There are numerous treatment options. If you are addicted to opiates or prescription drugs, a treatment center can offer counseling and medications (like methadone and suboxone). These medications can help you wean off the opiates slowly and safely. Here are a few resources in Waco:

MedMark Treatment Centers – Waco

Cenikor

If you are in need of additional support and resources, your Lifetime Adoption coordinator can offer confidential help and will help you overcome any concerns or issues you are currently struggling with. For example, we can help with maternity clothes, prenatal care, transportation, rent, pregnancy verification, and more. Call or text today.

How to Start the Adoption Process in Waco

Starting the adoption process is easy. All you need to do is call or text Lifetime Adoption or fill out the contact form. A Lifetime Adoption coordinator will contact you to go over the entire adoption process. Your coordinator will ask about your preferences and needs to make sure you have all of the right resources. She will answer all of your questions, and a coordinator will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for you.

You will find our Lifetime adoptive families profiles online, and your coordinator can send you some profiles as well. You will be able to learn all you need to about the families you are considering. There are personal letters you can read, video messages you can watch, and then you can speak with the adoptive families you are interested in.

To see Lifetime adoptive family profiles online, just click here. You may be interested in a family that lives in Texas, or you may want a family from another state. You may prefer a family of a certain race or a certain religion. We will help you find a family perfect for you and your child. Once you choose a family or a few families you want to talk to, your adoption coordinator will help you connect with them. You can then begin building the type of relationship you want to have with them.

Just give us a call or text to get started.

Get In Touch

Other Paths to Adoption in Waco

If you are having difficulty parenting now but believe those difficulties will go away in the near future, foster care may be an option. One thing to consider is that if your baby is born showing signs of exposure to substances, CPS may make that decision for you. The Texas Department of Families and Protective Services may decide to place your baby in the foster care program without your consent. Unfortunately, in this case, you will probably not be allowed to choose where your baby is placed or if you can have contact. Before your baby is placed, contact a Waco adoption center from the hospital and start the adoption process, so you remain in control of who and where your baby is placed.

If you have a family member who wants to adopt your child, that can be a good solution. This type of adoption is called relative or kinship adoption. There can be some challenges with this type of adoption. Everyone needs to understand this is permanent, and the adoptive family will be the legal parents of this child.

Consider every option before choosing which type of adoption is the best fit for you and your baby. You should speak with a counselor and talk to your adoption coordinator to make sure you think about both the pros and cons of each option.

Adopting in Waco

Is adoption on your mind in the Waco area? Lifetime Adoption coordinators are ready to guide you on your adoption journey. You will learn all about the modern, open adoption process and have all of your questions answered.

Lifetime Adoption coordinators are experts at bringing together birth parents and adoptive parents successfully. If you are in the Waco area and would like more 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 continue to browse our site where you will find a wealth of adoption material. You can also fill out our free online application to get things started. This is a free application and does not obligate you in any way.

At Lifetime Adoption, you will also have access to the education, resources, referrals, and support you need to ensure your adoption dreams come true.

Begin the Adoption Process

So how do you get the adoption process started? Just fill out our online application, which is free and does not obligate you in any way.

A Lifetime coordinator will contact you once your application is received and reviewed. Be ready with any questions, and your coordinator will be happy to provide the answers. You will share your dreams, preferences, and expectations, and your adoption coordinator will gather all of your information and guide you to a successful adoption.

Adoption Attorneys in Waco

Your adoption coordinator will let you know when it is time to retain your adoption attorney. Adoption law must be followed precisely. Your attorney will make sure your adoption paperwork is completed and filed with the courts, and all laws are followed. Your Lifetime coordinator will be glad to refer an adoption attorney in the Waco area for you.

Home Study Services in Waco

A home study is required to adopt. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will refer you to Home Study Services in Waco.

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

Proof of marital status
Medical Statement from your doctor
Financial and Employment Statements
Three written references

You can expect your home study social worker to visit your home and interview everyone living in the home. A visit is conducted to confirm your home is a safe and loving home to raise a child in. During your interview, your social worker wants to find out about your views on parenting, marriage, and family. Follow-up visits are also required after you take custody of the child.

Finalization of Adoption at Court

Your final adoption step is finalization.

In Texas, the law mandates that a birth mother must wait 48 hours after the birth before she can sign the adoption papers. Then, the child must be in the custody of the adoptive parents for at least six months. Five post-placement visits are required and will be conducted by your social worker. When the visits are complete, you will have a finalization hearing at the courthouse to finalize the adoption.

In the Waco area, you will go to McLennan County Courthouse with your adoption attorney, who will have filed all the adoption paperwork and scheduled the finalization hearing. A judge will review your adoption documentation and home study and will then issue the final adoption decree. Time to celebrate!

Other Paths to Adoption

Waco International Adoption Agencies

International adoption is another path to adoption that appeals to some families who feel the call to help a child from another country.

Be sure to consider the laws, customs, and political climate of the country you plan to adopt from. You will also want to work with an agency that specializes in international adoption and has successfully worked in the country you are interested in. Some of the most popular countries are China, Africa, and Eastern European countries. Some agencies that specialize in international adoption:

Adopt International

Holt International

Foster Care Adoption

If you are interested in foster-to-adopt in Waco, you will contact the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange and let them know you are interested in foster care adoption.

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

Be at least 21 years of age
Complete an application.
Provide references.
Be financially stable and responsible.
Provide information about your background and lifestyle.
Have completed a home study.
Have completed a criminal background check. This will include an abuse/neglect check on all adults living in the household.
Attended training, which is free, to learn about what issues to be prepared for when adopting children who have been neglected or abused.

This training is important because it helps the family and the family’s social worker determine if foster care adoption is the right option for your family.

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