Adoption; Information on Placement

Placing a child for adoption is an alternative worth considering instead of terminating a pregnancy. Child welfare agencies assist with the adoption placement process. Given the very large number of couples who register their interest in adopting a child, there is a good chance of finding suitable and loving adoptive parents.

If the woman gives birth to the child, she may give her consent to adoption no sooner than eight weeks later. However, the adoptive parents must already have been identified at that point. A “blank adoption,” in which only the mother’s general consent is given, is not permitted. However, consent may be given for an “incognito adoption.” In this case, the adoptive parents are already identified; however, the child’s mother does not know who they are.

In principle, consent from “the parents” is required for an adoption. However, the biological father’s involvement is ruled out if he is unknown. A man who believes himself to be the child’s biological father may be allowed to participate in the adoption proceedings if he can credibly demonstrate that he is a biological candidate for paternity.

The mother’s consent must be notarized and subsequently submitted to the family court. It cannot be granted subject to a condition or a time limit. The consent is irrevocable. However, it becomes void if the adoptive parents withdraw their application or if the family court denies the adoption. Furthermore, the consent becomes void if the child is not adopted within three years of the consent taking effect.

“Placing a child for adoption” is an alternative to abortion that is worth considering in the child’s best interest. However, the mother must be aware that the adoption cannot be reversed and that, as a general rule, there is a prohibition on disclosing or investigating her circumstances. The mother therefore has no right to later learn the names of the adoptive parents or to contact her child. For this reason, she should be fully aware of the potentially serious psychological consequences of consenting to adoption.

Jurisdiction

Youth Welfare Office as the adoption placement agency; Family Court to rule on the adoption.