Category: Unplanned Pregancy

While looking for adoption options for your newborn baby, you might have come across something called “safe haven” laws. But what exactly are they?

Safe haven adoption laws in Kansas and Missouri allow for a mother to relinquish custody of her healthy newborn baby to pre-approved safe locations and professionals without legal repercussions. Created as a response to tragedies stemming from the unsafe abandonment of newborns, safe haven laws allow a mother to safely give up custody of her child if she feels she cannot be a suitable parent.

“Baby drop off boxes” for safe haven laws rarely exist anymore; the law requires you to leave your unharmed child with any employee on duty at certain fire stations, city or county health departments or medical care facilities. From there, the employee will notify an adoption agency to proceed with a safe haven baby adoption in Kansas City. A mother will not be legally prosecuted for leaving her child at a safe haven location, and the safe haven laws will also protect her anonymity in doing so.

Some overwhelmed mothers are attracted to the idea of a baby safe haven adoption because it seems like an easy and risk-free solution, but choosing to relinquish custody of your child in this way may not your best option. Instead, you should know that it’s never too late to choose adoption — and working with Michael Belfonte will make that process as smooth as possible for you.

Even if you’ve already given birth to your baby, you can contact Michael at 816-842-3580 for free at any time to start the adoption process for your child.

So, why should you choose to make an adoption plan in Kansas and Missouri?

• Your baby will directly be placed into the custody of trained professionals at an adoption agency, like our partners at American Adoptions.

• You can choose which family adopts your child, and you can meet and get to know them prior to placement, if you wish.

• You can keep in contact with your child’s adoptive family to watch your child grow up happy and healthy.

• You know that your child is safely and quickly placed with a loving family, rather than leaving them at a safe haven location, where they may end up in foster care until they are adopted.

• Michael’s partners at American Adoptions will be available to you 24/7 at 1-800-ADOPTION to answer your questions and help you through the post-adoption process.

• With adoption, you can place your child months after they’re born. Safe haven laws are only applicable to infants 45 days old or younger in Kansas and 1 year or younger in Missouri.

• Like safe haven laws, choosing to place your child for adoption has no child abandonment legal repercussions for you.

• If you so choose, you can also remain anonymous in adoption. Your information will always be kept confidential by your adoption professional unless you wish to share it with your baby’s adoptive family and, if you wish to have the same amount of privacy provided by safe haven laws, you can choose a closed adoption.

• Adoption is completely free for you, and you can even receive financial support through the adoption process. You will also be entitled to counseling to explore all of your options and determine if adoption really is the best choice for your situation.

Remember, while safe haven baby adoptions in Kansas City may seem like the best solution, a better solution may be to place your baby for adoption with a qualified adoption attorney and adoption agency. To get started with your adoption, you can call Mike Belfonte at 816-842-3580 or contact him online here.

As you’re considering all the options available to you in adopting a child, you may wonder about transracial adoption in Kansas City — and whether it’s right for you.

Transracial adoption is any adoption where the race or ethnicity of the adopted child is different from that of their adopted parents. An interracial adoption comes with all of the challenges of any same-race adoption but also adds some unique difficulties.

If you’re considering a transracial adoption in Kansas City, it’s important that you’re fully prepared for the realities of this kind of adoption. In this article, we’ll address some of the questions you may have to help you decide whether this is the right path for you. Because of our partnership with national adoption agency American Adoptions, we can also offer advice from trusted social workers who know a great deal about transracial adoption — so you can ask them your questions yourself.

Deciding whether or not transracial adoption is right for you is just another step that will take you closer to becoming parents. Keep reading to find out what you need to know about transracial adoption in Kansas City.

1. How do I know if transracial adoption is right for me?

If you’re considering a transracial adoption, it’s a good sign that it’s a possibility for your family. There is an opportunity for an interracial adoption in almost every method of adoption — private domestic, international, foster care adoption, stepchild adoption and so on.

For many parents, choosing a transracial adoption is a way to speed up their adoption process. There are many minority children waiting in foster care, and many adoption agencies have created specific programs for the adoption of infants with certain racial backgrounds. Being open to adopting children of various races increases the number of potential adoption opportunities available to hopeful parents, leading to lower adoption wait times.

Most of all, however, it’s important that you are fully open to adding any child to your family, regardless of race or physical similarities. If you’re open to a multicultural household and are excited at the prospect of a diverse family makeup, an interracial adoption may be the perfect choice for you.

2. Are there any differences in the adoption process for a transracial adoption?

As mentioned before, a transracial adoption may be much quicker than a same-race adoption placement.

Beyond that, your adoption process will likely proceed in the same way. You will need to be cleared by a social worker for a transracial adoption when they complete your home study, and you will need to take certain steps to prepare for your transracial adoption placement. If you adopt internationally, the country you adopt from may have specific requirements for an interracial adoption, so check with Michael or your international adoption agency.

The only additional legal process you may need to complete is adhering to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). If you are adopting a child of Native American descent who is eligible to be a tribe member, you will have to follow certain legal requirements. Most of the time, this will not hinder your ability to complete a transracial adoption in Kansas City.

3. How do you prepare for a transracial adoption in KC?

In many ways, how you prepare for a transracial adoption is not incredibly different from any other adoption — you’ll need to know how to talk to your child about their adoption, how to preserve their birth story and identity as an adopted child, and more.

However, because a child adopted through a transracial adoption will not look like their parents, you may be more likely to encounter insensitive questions about the adoption process and your child’s history. As adoptive parents, you will be responsible for addressing many of these questions and comments and protecting your child’s identity. If you’re considering a transracial adoption in Kansas City, here are some things you’ll need to do:

• Learn about your child’s culture and race and incorporate these aspects naturally into their life.
• Learn about your child’s specific physical and health needs. For example, if you’re adopting an African American baby, understand how to properly care for their hair.
• Address the issue of racism with your child and your entire family, giving them tips on how to answer certain questions and respond in certain situations.
• Surround your family with as much diversity as possible — not just people of your child’s race but people of all races and abilities.

Above all else, you’ll need to make sure you create a sense of belonging from the very beginning. Just because your child looks different from you does not mean they aren’t an integral part of your family dynamic, so reassure them often that they are loved and are not alone.

Choosing to pursue a transracial adoption in Kansas City is a great way to build your family — but it’s important that you’re fully prepared for the unique challenges involved before embarking on this journey. It’s a good idea to look for transracial adoption blogs, as they can help you see the realities of a transracial adoption from someone currently experiencing the process.

Attorney Mike Belfonte can also help you learn more about the emotional and legal requirements for an interracial adoption. Contact him today at 816-842-3580 to ask him your questions about adopting in Kansas City.

The promise of post-adoption contact can be an exciting prospect for all involved in the adoption triad. However, you may worry that the other set of parents in the adoption may not keep up their end of the agreement, which can cause disappointment and concern over the effect on the central figure of the adoption — the adopted child.

Some parents may wonder if there’s any way an open adoption contact agreement can be enforced legally. Unfortunately, Kansas and Missouri currently do not allow for enforceable post-adoption contact agreements. If either a birth parent or an adoptive parent breaks their post-adoption contact promise, there are no legal consequences that could be addressed in court.

However, you should not let this deter you from choosing an open adoption. In the majority of cases, both birth mothers and adoptive parents will keep the contact promise they made — as it’s just as important to them as it is to the other party. In fact, for many birth mothers, the possibility of an open adoption is why they made their adoption choice in the first place. They will want to see their child grow up and, more likely than not, will do everything they can to continue their contact.

Likewise, once they are fully educated about open adoption, adoptive parents will understand the importance of open communication for their adopted child throughout the years — and will do all they can to honor the choice the birth mother made and support her through her healing process.

If you’re worried about a birth or adoptive parent continuing to stay in contact with you, there are some things you can do:

• Choose a professional who will mediate post-adoption contact. When a parent begins to decrease the frequency of their contact, you may feel frustrated. Things can get complicated if you try to fix it by yourself, and you may end up doing more harm than good. If your contact is mediated by a professional, they will know the best way to speak to the other party about their lapse in communication and handle the situation going forward — without harming the relationship you already have.

• Establish a solid relationship with the birth or adoptive parents. Open adoption can be more than just an agreement to send and receive pictures and letters every couple of months; before placement, it gives you the chance to get to know your adopted child’s birth parents or adoptive parents in a way that will be highly beneficial for the future. If you have the chance to build a strong friendship with the birth or adoptive parents before placement, it’s highly recommended. The more you understand, respect and trust each other, the less likely it will be that the other parents will break their agreement to keep in touch as the years go by.

• Make your expectations known. While you cannot create a legally binding post-adoption contact agreement in Kansas or Missouri, you can certainly create a written agreement that outlines contact expectations throughout your adoption process. In fact, this kind of written document is encouraged in any open adoption. If you work with Michael Belfonte, he can help you with this written agreement, as well as provide you ongoing contact mediation services through his agency partner, American Adoptions.

Remember, just because an open adoption contact agreement is not legally binding in Kansas or Missouri doesn’t mean that you can’t have a successful open adoption relationship with your child’s birth or adoptive parents. More often than not, a prospective birth mother chooses adoption because she can watch her child grow up through open adoption — and has no intention of ever going back on her open adoption agreement. Similarly, adoptive parents understand how important open adoption communication can be and will likely do all they can to honor your contact agreement.

However, if a birth parent does break their post-adoption contact agreement, it’s important that adoptive parents continue to send the pictures, letters, emails, etc. that you agreed to. In many cases, if a birth parent decreases their contact frequency, it may be because they’re at a difficult point in their life — and fully intend to return to their previous contact frequency as soon as they can. It will mean a great deal to them that you continue to honor your agreement and give them updates on their adopted child during this time.

On the other hand, if adoptive parents miss a scheduled contact with you as a birth parent, it’s important that you do not jump to conclusions about their intentions. Like anyone else, unforeseen situations can come up that may delay their contact with you. If you’re concerned about them holding up their end of the agreement, we recommend you reach to your adoption professional, who can approach them professionally and non-confrontationally about honoring their contact agreement.

To find out more about how Michael Belfonte can help you with your open adoption contact agreements in Kansas City, give him a call at 816-842-3580.

Sometimes, when a birth mother is unsure of her adoption decision, she wonders “Can I get my baby back after adoption?” If you’re thinking this, it’s important that you consider your reasons for choosing adoption — and decide whether it’s actually the best choice for you.

If you’re asking “How can I get my child back after adoption?” you may simply be second-guessing yourself, or you may be changing your mind about your adoption plan. Questioning whether adoption is right for you isn’t wrong, but it’s important that you address these thoughts sooner rather than later so you can ensure you’re making the best possible choice for yourself and your baby.

If, on the other hand, you have not yet chosen adoption and are asking yourself these questions, you need to know that you will have no parental rights after you give up a child for adoption. While you may be in contact with your child and their adoptive parents through open adoption, you will not have any legal rights or responsibilities for your child. Because adoption is a permanent decision, it’s important to be sure of your choice before signing legal adoption documents.

The laws regarding your adoption rights will be different depending on if you live in Kansas or Missouri:

• Can I get my child back after adoption in Kansas? Once you sign the adoption consent papers in Kansas, you cannot revoke your decision — which is why it’s so important that you are absolutely confident in your adoption choice before signing.

• Can I get my child back after adoption in Missouri? Missouri allows some protections when it comes to the revocation of adoption consent. While you can sign your consent to adoption starting 48 hours after the baby is born, your consent may be withdrawn anytime until it is reviewed and accepted by a judge in court. There are no laws stating when a written consent must be brought before a judge, but once it has, it must be approved by the court within three days.

If you’re questioning how to get your child back after adoption, you should not rely on the revocation laws as your last resort. Having doubts about your adoption decision is natural, so it’s important that you speak with your adoption support system and your adoption specialist about your worries ahead of signing your adoption consent. The more open you are about your feelings throughout the adoption process, the easier it will be to make your final adoption or parenting decision.

If you’re questioning your adoption decision or need some immediate advice, Mike recommends you call his adoption agency partner, American Adoptions. Adoption specialists are available 24 hours a day, for free, to answer your questions and address your concerns, especially if you’re thinking about how to get your child back after adoption. They can help you understand your feelings and move forward from them — no matter which decision you make.

Still wondering if you can get your baby back after adoption or have questions about your birth mother rights in open adoption in Kansas City? Mike can discuss your individual situation to determine your options and your legal rights in your adoption. You can give him a call for free at 816-842-3580 or contact him online.