Birth
Parent Rights
- You have a right to receive professional
and competent services, and to be treated
with dignity.
- You have a right to a full intake evaluation
by qualified professionals.
- You have a right to participate in the
development of a service plan, designed to
meet your needs and the needs of your child.
- You have a right to written information
about adoption alternatives.
- You have a right to refuse services offered
to you.
- You have a right to written information
regarding the legal result of adoption surrender,
and involuntary termination of parental rights.
- You have a right to receive copies of all
documents you may be asked to sign.
- You have a right to receive documents in
your primary language.
- You have a right to written information
regarding the agency's criteria for selecting
adoptive parents.
- If you choose to make an adoption plan
for your child, you have a right to a description
of the adoptive parent(s), including their
interests, talents and lifestyle.
- You have a right to state your preferences
regarding the selection of adoptive parent(s)
for your child.
- You have a right to request that your child
be placed in a home of a particular religion.
- You have a right and responsibility to
update information in your agency record at
any time.
- You have a right to information regarding
present laws governing adopted children's
rights to obtain information about their birth
parents.
- You have a right to information regarding
the processes people sometimes use to find
their birth relatives.
- You have a right to factual information
regarding any adoption service provided by
this agency, and general information about
types of adoption, and adoption issues, practices
and laws.
- You have a right to receive sufficient
counseling and education for you to make an
informed decision.
- You have a right to have time to make your
decision.
- You have a right to know the agency's policy
on contacting birth parents if the child's
placement is disrupted.
- You have a right to select competent witnesses
to your surrender.
- You have a right not to be coerced by any
person into relinquishing your child for adoption.
- You have a right to refuse contact from
the prospective adoptive parents or their
agent.
- You have a right to receive a copy of all
documents you have signed, including the surrender.
- You have a right to know that any payments
made for your expenses are not contingent
on the surrender of your child.
- You have a right to your own counsel, if
desired.
- You have a right to know the relationship
between the agency and its attorney and that
the attorney represents the agency, not the
adoptive parent(s) or birth parent(s).
- You have a right to know that the agency
cannot enforce any voluntary agreements entered
into between birth parent(s) and adoptive
parent(s). In some states there are legally
enforceable agreements for post adoption contact
that adoptive parents and birth parents can
enter into. The agency will discuss your options
with you.
- You have the right to receive post-birth
counseling from the Agency or to be referred
to another agency.
- You have a right to receive the agency’s
grievance and appeal procedures, and to file
a grievance.
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