Adoption in Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach 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 the Virginia Beach area? Speak with an experienced and kind coordinator at Lifetime Adoption Agency. We work with birth parents to provide the support and resources they need and help adoptive families with their adoption journey.

Lifetime has been connecting birth mothers with loving adoptive families for over three decades. As one of the nationwide leaders in modern domestic adoption, we are well-equipped to guide you through the adoption process. We provide referrals, articles, podcasts, home study services, webinars, counseling, one-on-one support, and much more.

Help for Pregnant Women in Virginia Beach

If you are dealing with an unexpected pregnancy in the Virginia Beach area, Lifetime Adoption will assist you in creating an adoption plan. Many women dealing with an unplanned pregnancy don’t have a lot of information about the modern, open adoption process. Our caring Lifetime Adoption coordinators are here to support you and provide the necessary resources.

Sometimes life is challenging, and the best thing you can do for your child is to find a loving home with a family that is emotionally and financially prepared for a new baby. Lifetime Adoption coordinators will help you create an individualized adoption plan. You will be the one to choose the adoptive family, and you will decide how much contact you would like with the family once the adoption is complete. You will also decide how things will go at the hospital.

If there are pregnancy-related expenses you are in need of help with, your coordinator can arrange for assistance. Pregnant women who choose to place their baby for adoption are eligible to receive help with food, clothes, rent, phone, transportation, and more.

So, what if you already have your baby and think adoption might be best for them? Lifetime Adoption can help. We have adoptive families that are open to adopting special needs children, sibling sets, and toddlers.

Even if you know adoption is for the best, it can still be hard to make that first call. Our non-judgmental coordinators understand this is an emotional decision and will be there for you every step of the way. She will answer your questions and address any concerns you have. Text or call about our Virginia Beach adoption services at 1-800-923-6784.

Adoption Agencies in Virginia Beach

Lifetime Adoption Agency can help you in Virginia Beach to help you place your baby for adoption. You can call or text Lifetime 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

At Lifetime Adoption, we provide you with:

24-hour, seven days a week help and support
The opportunity for peer and professional counseling
Numerous adoptive parents to choose from, all of which have background checks
Maternity clothes, toiletries, and other items you may need
Ongoing support after the delivery
The opportunity for help with pregnancy-related expenses

And much more!

Adoption Counseling in Virginia Beach

Professional or peer counselors are another great resource your coordinator can offer. Adoption is a difficult and emotional choice. A professional counselor can guide you through the decision-making process and help you deal with the emotions that will come up during your adoption journey.

With a peer counselor, birth mothers have the opportunity to connect with another birth mother who has been through the adoption process. Speaking with someone who has experienced their own adoption story and who can answer your questions about what it was like for her can be very helpful. Even if her story is somewhat different, she will understand what you are going through and can answer the questions you have. She will also share her experience, such as how she talked to the birth father about adoption, how she brought the subject up with her family, and many other tips.

Maternity Hospitals in Virginia Beach

Thinking about labor and delivery makes many pregnant women feel anxious. The best way to deal with those fears is to be prepared. Creating an individual hospital plan with your Lifetime Adoption coordinator is a great way to prepare. Think about things such as:

Do you want the adoptive parents to come to the hospital?
Who would you like to be in the room with you during labor and delivery?
Will you leave the hospital before or after the baby?
Do you want to hold or feed your baby?

Your stay in the hospital should be comfortable and stress-free. Your coordinator will contact the hospital staff and adoptive parents to make sure they understand and follow your wishes as closely as possible.

If you are in the Virginia Beach area, the hospitals with labor and delivery services are:

Sentara Virginia Beach Hospital

Sentara Princess Anne Hospital

Wherever you decide to deliver your baby, we can help – we’ve helped women who delivered at home and ones who were out of state traveling when they went into labor.

How to Start the Adoption Process

“How do I start the adoption process?” is probably your next question. Just call or text Lifetime Adoption, or go and fill out the contact form. A Lifetime Adoption coordinator will explain the adoption process and offer you the adoption resources you require. She will talk to you about any concerns you have and answer all of your questions. You will always find a caring coordinator 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on the other end of the line.

Our adoptive families all have online profiles, so you can review them and learn about their lifestyle, beliefs, and home life. You can even read their letters and watch video messages to get to know them. You may connect with one family right away, or you may want to talk with several. It is up to you.

Click here to view adoptive family profiles online. You can choose a family that is from the Virginia Beach area or from somewhere else in the nation. Once a family is chosen, your adoption coordinator will guide you through the relationship-building process if that is what you want.

Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator will connect you with resources in the Virginia Beach area. You may need to connect with a doctor and transportation to get there. You may need help with rent or food, and your coordinator is there to help you.

Ready to start? Give us a call or text today.

Get In Touch

Other Paths to Adoption in Virginia Beach

Some birth parents who may be trying to figure out if they want to parent or not may consider foster care. There are cases when a baby is born exposed to substances that the Virginia Beach Child Protective Services may place the baby in foster care. When this happens, the birth parent does not get to choose where the baby is placed or have ongoing contact as they do in an open adoption.

Another type of adoption to consider is kinship or relative adoption. This type of adoption is when one of your family members, generally blood-related to the baby, can apply to adopt. This can be a wonderful solution but can be challenging as well. If your relative assumes this is temporary, or boundary and interaction rules aren’t in place, some issues can arise.

Ultimately, it is up to you which type of adoption is right for you and your baby. Your Lifetime Adoption coordinator explains all the options and helps you decide on the right choice for you and your baby.

Adopting in Virginia Beach

Adoption is an emotional and life-changing decision. Lifetime Adoption Agency coordinators in Virginia Beach are ready to help make your dreams of adopting come true. They are available to answer all of your questions and to inform you about the whole adoption process. Learn all about modern, open, domestic adoption and begin your adoption journey.

Placing children in families that bring together the best adoption triad is what Lifetime Adoption is dedicated to. If you are in Virginia Beach and are considering adopting a newborn or a child up to the age of six, contact us at 727-493-0933 for more information. We have a free online adoption application as well as many resources on our website that you can check out as well.

We provide all the support, education, resources, and referrals you need for a rewarding adoption journey.

Begin the Adoption Process

This is a lot of information and can seem overwhelming, but you don’t need to go through the adoption process on your own. To get started, just fill out our online application. It’s free and does not obligate you in any way.

A Lifetime Adoption coordinator will contact you once pre-approved. She will answer your questions and will ask about your adoption dreams. She will collect your information and guide you on the path to successful adoption.

Adoption Attorneys in Virginia Beach

An adoption attorney is necessary even when working with an adoption agency. The adoption laws can be complicated and vary from state to state. It is critical that the laws are followed and the documentation is complete and filed in the courts. When working with Lifetime Adoption, your coordinator will refer you to a qualified adoption attorney in the Virginia Beach area.

Home Study Services in Virginia Beach

A home study is needed whether you are choosing domestic or foster adoption. A Lifetime coordinator will also refer you to a home study service provider in the Virginia Beach area.

A home study includes background checks, employment and financial verification, and a home visit. Your Lifetime coordinator will help you throughout this process.

What can you expect from the home study process? The first step is to will collect your documents. In Virginia Beach, you will need to gather the following documents:

Background and criminal checks – local, state, and federal
Financial statuses such as work status

Background checks – to show there are no records of criminal convictions or listings on the child abuse and neglect registry
Medical reports from your medical professional attesting to current health situation
Two non-relative written references

In addition, you will set three interviews with a social worker, at least one of which needs to be conducted in the home.

Finalization of Adoption at Court

Once you are matched with a birth mother, your home study is complete, and the baby is born, the exciting final step is the finalization of the adoption.

Virginia Beach mandates that the finalization not be until ten days after birth and seven days after the date of execution of the agreement. You will have three home visits from your home study social worker within six months of placement.

Your adoption attorney will take care of all the necessary paperwork at the courthouse and set a hearing date. In Virginia Beach, that will be at the Virginia Beach Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court at 2425 Nimmo Parkway, Building 10, Judicial Complex 10A, Municipal Center, Virginia Beach, VA 23456-9122. Be sure to bring your camera to the hearing to capture this exciting occasion.

Other Paths to Adoption

Virginia Beach International Adoption Agencies

Once you decide to adopt, you will need to decide what path to adoption you want to take. Some families want to help a child in need, and it leads them to international adoption.

If you choose international adoption, you will need to decide which country to adopt from. You will want to consider the current political climate, adoption laws, and much more. Each country has its own specific laws and requirements.

Make sure you do your research and choose an international adoption agency that has experience working in the country of your choice. The most popular countries to adopt from are the nations in Africa, China, and some Eastern European countries. Here are a few agencies that specialize in international adoption:

Adopt International

Celebrate Children International

Foster Care Adoption

Another path to adoption is through the foster care system. In Virginia Beach, you will work with the Virginia Beach Foster Care Program to foster to adopt. To qualify as a foster parent, you will need to:

Complete a pre-service training program.
Complete a home study.
Submit your request and be approved.

AdoptUSKids is another way to adopt through the foster care system. You can view waiting children from Virginia Beach and other states. This nationwide project allows you to view foster children who are waiting for adoption across the country.

Mardie Caldwell

Funding Your Adoption

Called To Adoption

Open Adoption Webinars

Accreditation