Today, I’ll report Recommendation #3 from the study: “Safeguarding The Rights And Well-Being Of Birthparents In The Adoption Process,” conducted by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute.
Recommendation 3: Require at least two counseling sessions with a qualified professional for all women who are placing children for adoption, during which they are fully informed about their options, including parenting and various types of adoption, as well as about the resources available to them.
Ideally, all expectant parents who are considering adoption would receive factual, unbiased information through nondirective counseling to help them explore all of their options, including adoption and parenting, and to enable them to understand the immediate and long-term implications of each.
The reality is that many if not most do not receive such counseling. Only about half the states’ adoption laws mention counseling; some mandate it and others simply assert that prospective birthparents should be advised of its availability.
Source: “Safeguarding The Rights And Well-Being Of Birthparents In The Adoption Process” by Susan Livingston Smith, Program and Project Director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, November 2006.
Related Posts:
Statistics About Infant Adoption and Adoption Practitioners
Statistics About Parents Who Place Their Children For Adoption
Most Birth Mothers Want Information About Their Children
Birth Parents’ Rights in Adoption
For more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com, and
check out my Exploring
Adoption bookstore.
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Wanted to let you know that I have published an e book on booklocker.com under the family heading called “MacKenzie’s Hope” about my experiences as a birth mom.