Predicting and Coping with Failed Adoption Matches

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If you are considering domestic infant adoption, you need to listen to this show to better understand the possibility that the expectant mom may change her mind. Our guest is adoption attorney, Lila Bradley, who has practiced law relating to adoption and child welfare law for the past 20 years.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Distinction between failed match and adoption dissolution or sometimes known as disruption.
• What is the “typical” process for domestic infant adoption whether the adoptive parents are using an adoption agency or an adoption attorney?
• When do the adoptive parents legally become the baby’s parents?
• When can a mom change her mind and decide to parent the baby?
• Keep in mind that what prospective adoptive parents see as a “failure” very well may be seen as a “success” by the biological parents.
• Creating a Family resource: Failed Adoption Matches: How Common? How Costly? How to Survive
• What are some signs that an adoption match may fail and the mom will decide to parent?
• When is the most common time for a mom to change her mind and decide to parent?
• Does it matter what stage of pregnancy the match was made?
• How often do biological moms change their mind about placing their baby for adoption?
• Do adoptive parents lose money if the adoption match fails?
• Suggestions on how adoptive parents can cope when an adoption match falls apart?
• Do adoption matches with foster children disrupt? 
• Do adoption matches in international adoption disrupt?
• Do adoptions disrupt after finalization?

Resources: 

• Failed Adoption Matches: How Common? How Costly? How to Survive 
• State laws on when expectant parents can change their mind about relinquishing their child for adoption. 
• Children's Bureau

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Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

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