One-third of women facing an unplanned pregnancy consider adoption to be a good option, but many don’t know where to start. If you’re considering placing your baby for adoption in Florida or would simply like to explore the option of adoption, it’s important that you first know how to choose the right adoption agency or attorney to help you with your plan.
What type of adoption professional will you use?
The Florida Bar licenses attorneys and to date, 27 attorneys in Florida have become Board Certified Adoption Lawyers. Madonna Finney is the only attorney in the panhandle of Florida with this level of demonstrated expertise. At the Adoption Law Offices of Madonna Finney, we ensure experienced adoption social workers, counselors, and case managers are available to assist women as they evaluate adoption as an option and realize their adoption plans.
Adoption agencies in Florida are licensed by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Many people don’t trust DCF to ensure the agencies they license are properly vetted. Some agencies use foster care placements for children. At the Adoption Law Offices of Madonna Finney, we ensure no foster care is used, and your baby is placed directly with the adoptive family you have selected.
Find an adoption professional that gives you choices.
It’s important that you work with an adoption lawyer or adoption agency who will present all your unplanned pregnancy options and encourage you to explore them, including parenting and abortion. Our professional staff at The Adoption Law Offices of Madonna Finney will help you identify and explore your options, in a safe, non-judgmental way. Madonna, Angela, Sara, Sabrina, Deanna, and Stacy are here to help you and honor your choices.
If you choose adoption, you may want a specific type of adoption. So, it’s also important that you find an adoption agency or attorney who will hear what you have to say, and allow you choices in making your adoption plan. You don’t want to work with someone who makes everyone follow the same “cookie-cutter” adoption plan – everyone is different and your desires and differences should be respected.
At The Adoption Law Offices of Madonna Finney, you can have as much input into your adoption plan as you would like. We promise to listen to your thoughts and feelings, hear what you have to say, and help you mold your desires into your own adoption plan. This includes the type of adoptive family you would like and the type of relationship you would like with the family.
Find an adoption agency or attorney that ensures all hopeful adoptive families are thoroughly screened.
Knowing your child will grow up in a safe, secure, loving and financially stable family is important to most women giving up a child for adoption. Therefore, you should choose an adoption agency or adoption attorney that thoroughly vets families and ensures they have had rigorous training, screening, and background checks.
At the Adoption Law Offices of Madonna Finney you can be assured all our families have had adoption training, their homes have been inspected, and their backgrounds have been thoroughly checked, including their financial and physical health. You also have the opportunity to meet them yourself so you can feel assured they are the best family for your child.
Find an adoption agency or attorney that isn’t going to forget about you during your pregnancy or after the adoption.
Does the attorney or agency offer ongoing counseling and assistance with medical costs? Do they help with pregnancy-related expenses? Do they offer a support group? Do they have professional social work or counseling staff? How long have they been in business? Are they still in contact with women they have worked with in the past?
We offer ongoing counseling and support, birth mother financial benefits, and assistance with finding prenatal medical care. We have been in continuous business as a law firm for over 22 years, and have been in touch with some of our moms almost that long. Ongoing counseling and a support group is open to all of the women we have worked with.
Are they local, with services in your area?
You’ll need to find an adoption lawyer or adoption agency that is licensed in Florida and provides local services. Lots of unlicensed facilitators advertise services in Florida and aren’t even located here. Not only are we located here, we’ve been here over 22 years. The Adoption Law Offices of Madonna Finney has offices in Pensacola, Tallahassee and Franklin County. We combine the legal expertise of the Florida Panhandle’s only Board Certified Adoption Lawyer with experienced, professional adoption social workers, counselors and case managers.
Our professional adoption staff will travel to meet with you and we are available 24/7. A member of our staff is always on call. Call or text us any time at (850) 308-1836 if you would like to explore the loving option of adoption or if you are interested in our post-placement adoption support group.