You do not need parental permission to place a child for adoption in Oregon. However, it is certainly helpful to have their support as you are going through the decision-making process.

Nothing. All our services are totally free for birthparents. You will not be responsible for medical expenses related to your pregnancy and delivery or legal fees for the adoption. Pregnancy related expenses for clothing, room and board and lost wages are considered under some circumstances. You may be asked to pay these expenses back if you change your mind about having an adoption plan for your child.

Open adoption simply means there is a trust relationship and continued connection between the birthparents, the adoptive family and the child. That continued contact may be in the form of information shared through letters and photos and/or scheduled visitation between the families. Sometimes the contact is direct and sometimes it is facilitated through the agency.

Plan Loving Adoptions Now, Inc. is a private, non-profit adoption agency licensed by the State of Oregon. Over the past 30 years, we have been joining children of all ages and nationalities with loving, adoptive families. It is our goal to provide birth parents with information about their options, counseling and support before, during and after placement. An independent adoption is a contract between the birthparent(s) and an adoptive family stating they have chosen this family to adopt their child. This type of adoption is facilitated through an attorney. Adoption counseling may or may not be available.

At PLAN we believe that you have the right to be treated with the greatest respect for considering adoption and that you will always be an important person in your child's life. This is your adoption plan and the choices are yours. You will be the one to choose the family you believe would be the best to raise your child. You will be able to meet the family face-to-face and ask whatever questions you like. We believe it is natural and healthy to get to know the adoptive parents as peers and friends with whom you can openly share your concerns about the baby and the adoption. You will be encouraged to have a birth plan that will tell how you would like your labor and delivery experience to go. After the birth, you will determine how much time you want to spend with your baby at the hospital and the most comfortable way for the child to be placed with the adoptive parents. And most importantly, because adoption is a lifelong process, you will choose how much and what type of contact you will want with your child and the adoptive parents in the future.

You do not have to choose a family through our Loving Options program. However, if you do choose one of our waiting families, you have the assurance that they have gone through an extensive process of interviews and have given us a lot of important information regarding their physical, emotional and financial capabilities before being approved to become prospective adoptive parents. All of our families take a comprehensive, pre-adoption course that helps them prepare for adoption. Under some circumstances, we can work with families that have been pre-selected by the birthparent. In our experience, it is often helpful to have an experienced mediator assist you in discussing the sensitive issues involved in adoption, like finances and communication in the future.

We encourage both birthparents to be part of the adoption process. We believe it is best if the birthmother and birthfather can make mutual choices and decisions and support each other through the entire adoption process. Of course, we realize that this is not always possible. It is important that you, the birthmother, honestly share whatever information you have regarding the birthfather. A complete family history of both parents including medical information is a valuable gift to give your child. If you do not wish to have contact with the birthfather, your counselor can contact him separately to let him know of your adoption plan and obtain background information. The counselor can also assist him in signing documents that state he agrees it is in the best interest of the child to be adopted and that he is relinquishing his parental rights. In Oregon, a birthmother may choose not to identify the birthfather in certain cases, and, unless he takes the necessary steps to establish that he is the father of the child, he may not have the ability to be involved in the adoption planning. As each person and each circumstance is different, your counselor will advise you regarding your specific situation.

In Oregon, a birthmother does not sign the permanent and legally binding documents that relinquish her parental rights until after the baby is born, usually about 24 hours later. You will decide with your counselor what is the best time to sign these documents and who you want to support you during this time.

You can change your mind any time up to signing the legal documents - Consent to Adoption and Certificate of Irrevocability. Your counselor will go over these documents with you during the planning process so that you understand the terminology and content. In Oregon, once you sign these documents and the child is physically placed with the adoptive family, you cannot change your decision unless you can prove in a court of law you signed the documents under conditions of duress or fraud. Different rules apply to independent adoptions.

We encourage you to continue seeing your counselor as long as you need to after your baby is placed with the adoptive parents to talk about your thoughts and feelings. It is our desire that you will have developed a trusting, open relationship with your counselor and that she can be a continued support to you through post-placement counseling. You may also choose to meet with others who have had an adoption plan. We would also like you to keep us up to date about your current address and the changes that take place in your life.

Adoption does not mean that you do not love your baby! We believe that birthparents who selflessly release their child for adoption are loving people who are seeking to make a lifelong plan that is in the best interest of themselves and their child. Adoption is a LOVING OPTION! We also believe that your child will want to know who you are and about the love and care that went into your decision. That is why we encourage you to have an open adoption experience that will offer you the opportunity to develop a friendship with the adoptive parents and to stay in touch with your child through letters, pictures or visits.