Frequently Asked Adoption Questions

You are not alone in your unplanned pregnancy.  Use A New Beginning’s Pregnancy help-line to speak to a compassionate professional who will walk you through your options.   Whether you choose to parent or make an adoption plan, we will help you find the resources you need to keep you and your baby healthy.  Pregnancy Help line text or call 208-985-5617.

It’s important to look at all of your options.  An adoption plan can be made anytime during your pregnancy, at the hospital during delivery, after the baby is born, or even after you have tried to parent at home.  If you are considering adoption for your unplanned pregnancy, we encourage you to begin working with an adoption specialist as soon as you feel comfortable.  Your adoption specialist knows the laws, the process, and can show you adoptive parent profiles from which to choose.   They will guide you and give you all the information and support you need.

Absolutely – but it’s not required.  We encourage both parents to be involved in making a choice for their baby. If the birth father is involved, then we will work with both of you. In such cases, the birth father is typically involved with the selection of adoptive parents, helping you through the pregnancy and available at the time of the child’s birth.

In Idaho (rules and regulations vary from state to state), generally this isn’t a problem if the birth father isn’t cooperative or refuses to agree to the adoption, unless you are married to the birth father. 

Idaho law provides under § 16-1501A, that “An unmarried mother, faced with the responsibility of making crucial decisions about the future of a newborn child, is entitled to privacy, and has the right to make timely and appropriate decisions regarding her future and the future of the child, and is entitled to assurance regarding the permanence of an adoptive placement.”

The vast majority of unmarried birth fathers fail to legally protect their rights. As a result, their consent is typically not needed and their rights are terminated as “non-confirmed”.  

It is most important that your decision is based on what you believe is best for you and your baby.   In Idaho (state laws vary based on where the child is born), until you voluntarily consent to have your parental rights terminated before a judge, you can change your mind at any time. 

After the Termination of Parental Rights court hearing (in Idaho), you will not have the option to change your mind.  Note: laws are different from state to state.

After you go to court and acknowledge you are freely and voluntarily agreeing to terminate your parental rights in order to complete an adoption and sign a document before an Idaho Judge (Laws are different in each state).  After you sign the termination document, your rights are irrevocable and you can’t change your mind.

Many other states have a time period to revoke your consent, but in Idaho the legislature has chosen to require a formal process in front of a judge rather than have a revocation period

Shortly after the child is born, the birth mother (and birth father, if he is involved) must appear before a judge to agree to terminate parental rights. Following this court appearance, the adoptive family will be supervised by an adoption specialist for 6 months.  This supervision includes frequent communication and multiple visits between the adoption specialists, the adoptive family and baby. 

Next, the adoptive parents will file for the adoption finalization in their home state.  Before the finalization can occur, an adoption specialists will make at least two visits to the home of the adoptive family to verify the transition is healthy.

We are consistently working with adoptive parents and other agencies and maintain detailed adoptive parent profiles (online and printed). Each of their profiles provide detailed information including their background, ages, ethnic background, religious affiliation if any, photographs and their philosophy on child rearing and why they selected adoption as a way to grow their family. The parents are thoroughly evaluated and interviewed during the application and home study processes. Each family will have criminal background checks and at least 12 hours of face to face specialized parenting training with additional independent instruction. Birth families are welcome (but not required) to meet and interview adoptive families and A New Beginning will mediate  the meeting.  Every birth mother has her own way of handling the adoption process. We will help you decide on how best to meet and choose the right parents for your baby.

In Idaho assistance is limited to “reasonable maternity and living expenses during the pregnancy and for a period not to exceed six (6) weeks post partum based upon demonstrated financial need.”  In order to obtain financial assistance for reasonable maternity and living expenses (exceeding $2,000) our attorney would submit a financial plan outlining proposed expenditures to court. The court may approve or change the financial proposal. 

There is no limit on the adoptive parents paying for medical expenses, attorneys fees and costs. We will help you prepare a budget to ensure you can get through the process with adequate resources. If we need to ask the Judge for approval to assist with your living expenses, we will be your advocate. 

It’s your adoption plan.  You choose how open, semi-open or closed you’d like the relationship to be between you and the adoptive family.   The level of openness helps define the relationship you’ll continue to have with your baby and adoptive parents.  There are many variations of open adoptions ranging from ongoing relationships to more limited contact or communication.   It’s your adoption plan, so if you decide you want to explore open adoption, we’ll help you select profiles of adoptive families who are considering open adoption.  A New Beginning will assist in mediating the relationship/openness agreement between the birth family and the adoptive family for as long as needed.  

Possibly. Idaho and many other states maintain statewide adoption registries.  In Idaho it’s called the Idaho Voluntary Adoption Registry which provides contact information about all persons connected to the adoption. As long as each party consents to have their information available, contact can be made once your child turns 18.