After a long road to adoption near Lafayette, it is finally time to bring your baby home. What an exciting time! But remember—even though your adoption has been completed, there are still a few responsibilities to keep in mind. What can adoptive families expect after their adoption is finalized? Discover how St. Elizabeth Foundation helps support you even after placement.
Post-Placement Visits
Once you are able to welcome your baby home, there are a few adoption-related responsibilities to be prepared for. First, make sure that you are ready for your post-placement visits. After your adoption near Lafayette has been finalized, the social worker who performed your home study will stop by during a specified supervision period. The purpose of these visits is to monitor developmental milestones and observe how your family is adjusting. Your social worker helps make sure that the placement is a good fit for both your family and your baby.
To prepare for your visits with your social worker, first ensure that you are still maintaining a safe environment for your child. Just like it was for your home study, do your best to keep your home in a similar condition to when you were preparing for your baby’s arrival.
This is also a valuable time for you to ask questions or share any concerns or challenges with your social worker. Be sure to answer all questions honestly regarding your child’s growth, development, or any concerns you may have. And if you have your own questions, your social worker can help you find answers or connect you with resources for assistance.
Open Adoption Visits
In addition to these post-placement meetings, you will need to plan your visits with your baby’s birth mother if you completed an open adoption. This is a fantastic opportunity to bond with your baby’s birth mother or parents. Whether you have in-person meetings, video chats, or phone calls, take this time to get to know your baby’s family and share encouragement when you can.
Flexibility is key during these meetings. Understand that these open adoption visits can come with complex feelings for both the adoptive parents and the birth family. Encouragement, understanding, patience, and compassion should be given in abundance. And remember that you aren’t alone in the process! For both adoptive and birth families, our staff at St. Elizabeth Foundation can offer help with organizing open adoption meetings near Lafayette as well as post-placement counseling.
Post-Placement Tips
There is nothing more exciting than bringing home your beautiful baby after adoption. Now, it’s time to begin a new and exciting journey: parenthood. After your path to adoption is completed, this can feel intimidating—but don’t worry! There is so much joy and excitement ahead, and you can still find support as you enter this new chapter.
After adoption, here are a few tips for adoptive parents:
- Remember the benefits of counseling. Speaking with a counselor in all stages of your adoption journey can offer clarity and encouragement. This also includes the period after your adoption is finalized.
- Don’t stop reading! There are countless books available to help adoptive parents learn more about parenting after placement. These can help encourage you and give you the tools you need for a smooth transition.
- Stay in touch with other adoptive parents. There is so much strength to gain through conversations with others who empathize with your challenges. Keep up with other adoptive parents to gain advice and share about the ups and downs!
St. Elizabeth Foundation is passionate about connecting children with loving parents. If you are considering adoption, we would love to speak with you. Let us share more about our adoption agency near Lafayette and answer your questions. We are here to support you and cannot wait to encourage you as you begin your own adoption story.
Begin Your Adoption Journey Near Lafayette Today
Choosing to adopt a child is a wonderful adventure, even with its challenges. At St. Elizabeth Foundation, we are dedicated to stepping through the adoption process with you from submission to finalization. And once your placement is complete, we continue to support you as you embark on parenthood. If you are interested in learning more about adoption near Lafayette, give us a call at 225-769-8888. Or, send us a message with questions. We look forward to sharing more about the beauty of adoption with you.