Is it Free to put your baby up for adoption?

If you are considering adoption for your baby, whether you are pregnant or have recently given birth, one of the questions that might come up in your thinking is about cost. You may be wondering whether it costs money to get help to give your baby up for adoption. The short answer is, no. It is absolutely free to put your baby up for adoption.

One reason you might be surprised by that is because there are a lot of misconceptions about adoption. Many people assume that counselors charge pregnant women to help them throughout the process: to take them to prenatal appointments, help them find housing, help with other resources and the like. Adoption agencies are typically funded by the adoptive families who are hoping to adopt a baby. So, there is no cost to you.

Adoptive Families Cover the Costs

So, yes, it is actually Adoptive Families who cover the costs that agencies incur while assisting pregnant women. Adoptive families pay several fees throughout their adoption journey. The main reason that they pay those fees is so that agencies can provide counselors unlimited support to women who are considering adoption for their babies. Also, Adoptive Family fees can often cover things like housing for pregnant women, reimbursement for lost wages during time off for medical leave, medical expenses that are not covered by a Birth Mom’s insurance, and items that you may need during your pregnancy. We can also use fees from Adoptive Families to help you out with groceries, utilities, and other bills that you may need covered due to the fact that you are pregnant and perhaps unable to work right now.

No Surprises Later

You may be wondering whether you will owe money afterwards, if you decide to give up your baby for adoption, for help from your social worker with post-adoption counseling, referrals to other resources that you may need, or the like. The answer again is no. Help from Open Arms is absolutely, 100% free for you if you are considering adoption for your baby. We are there to help you, free of charge, from the moment you call us, until the time comes when you decide that you no longer need our help.

Many of the women that we work with who choose adoption for their baby decide to have an Open Adoption, which is a scenario where they meet the Adoptive Family of their choice and have an ongoing relationship with them and the child as he/she grows. You may worry that help from a counselor during this time is something that you would have to pay for. With Open Arms Adoption Network, rest assured that we will be with you throughout the process: from the time you choose the adoptive family, until you meet them and then in the months and years to come if you move forward with adoption. We can support you by bringing you to get-togethers with the adoptive family to make you feel comfortable and confident. We will stay by your side, as long as you need us, with no cost to you, ever.

View Families Ready to Adopt a Baby

And some women who choose adoption prefer to have a confidential or closed adoption and may prefer for Open Arms to choose the right family for their baby. That is fine as well. You decide what is right for you and we will support your choices.

What else should you know about costs related to adoption?

You do not need to worry about any adoption-related costs. One of the many reasons that women come to Open Arms Adoption to consider adoption for the baby, is because they don’t feel financially prepared to take care of a new baby. Many of the women that we work with are already struggling financially, whether to put food on the table for their other children or pay for school and living expenses that they are already falling short of.

You should know that no matter what decision you ultimately make regarding adoption, you will owe Open Arms Adoption nothing for the services we provide you. Often, we are able to help get you get what you need financially, get you settled with healthcare and housing, assist with food, and other items that you may need during the course of your pregnancy or postpartum period. We have also assisted women with finding help for abortion services, as we have relationships with many Abortion Clinics in our service area and they are often willing to help our clients, should termination of your pregnancy be what you ultimately decide to pursue. Finances are the last thing that we want you to worry about during this difficult time.

Open Arms Adoption is Here 24/7

Open Arms Adoption has counselors that are available to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even if you are just starting to consider adoption. You can call us anytime at 1-888-OPENARMS and you will be put in touch with a counselor who will be there for you to offer counselling and support—whenever and however you need it, free of charge. If you are located in Trenton, Camden, Elizabeth, Newark or Bridgeton, we have New Jersey counselors who are prepared to work with you. If you are in Wilmington, Newark or elsewhere in Delaware, our counselors frequently meet with Expectant Parents in Delaware. We have several counselors located in the Greater Philadelphia area that are available to meet with you in Kensington, North Philly, Allentown, Norristown, or anywhere else. We also have counselors available to help to adoption counseling in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Distance is not an issue, and there are no expectations for you to move forward with adoption when you work with Open Arms.

We can meet with you early on or late in your pregnancy. Many women don’t reach out until they are about to deliver, we are happy to help whenever you feel ready to reach out. We can assist you with financial help if you are further along in your pregnancy, or we are happy to work with you even if you have already given birth. We are available by email, phone, text or in person, and are happy to help you however and whenever you would like. We are happy to meet with your family members as well, if that is what you prefer. We have many Waiting Adoptive families located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York & Delaware who are all prepared and ready to be parents today. If you are pregnant or have recently given birth, and want to learn more about your adoption options in a pressure-free environment, call us at 1-888-OPENARMS anytime.

FAQ’s about Adoption Costs

Does Open Arms offer free adoption services?

Open Arms Adoption Network offers free adoption services to women facing an unplanned pregnancy or who would like to learn more about giving their child up for adoption. Birth Parents do not pay to work with Open Arms Adoption.

Do Newborns Cost more money?

We do not “charge for babies”, so no, newborns do not cost more money. We offer Adoption Services that families looking to adopt pay for. Families are paying for us to work with them, provide counseling, education, reports and paperwork to the state, support them throughout the process and more. They also cover the fees that we incur while working with parents considering adoption for their babies.

Is there Money involved in the Adoption Process?

Yes, there is money involved in the adoption process, but no payment from you is ever required when working with Open Arms Adoption. We may be able to provide some financial assistance to you to cover things like rent, food, medical costs, maternity clothes or other pregnancy-related expenses, depending on your circumstances. And this gets funded by the fees that the adoptive parents pay to us. State laws dictate how and when agencies can pay expectant parents though, and it’s important to do all of this legally.

There are also legal fees paid to the attorney that finalizes the adoption, but that is done separately from the adoption agency.

What can Financial Support cover?

Financial support can be provided in different ways, however, it typically can go toward things like food, medical bills, rent, or other areas that might be impacted because of pregnancy or lost wages due to time missed from work. Sometimes, we can help with the cost of cell phone bills so that we can make sure that you are able to communicate with us, but this is really case-specific.

Will I need to pay for Counseling Services? Does the adoption cost money?

None of the counseling services that we provide the expectant mother or prospective birth mother will have a cost, and this does not change our unbiased counseling- you are under no obligation to move forward with the adoption plan. This is your pregnancy, and your choice and we will never push you to move forward.

What about the baby’s father? Does he need to pay?

We can offer counseling and support to the baby’s father free of charge as well. We are always happy to have the birth father play a role in the adoption process, as this is his adoption decision as well. It will also make the process easier for you if he is involved and supportive of the adoption plan, as this is a difficult decision, and it’s nice to have as much support as possible.

What about Foster Care? Will they take my baby if I work with a free adoption agency?

Foster Care is totally separate from a private adoption agency. If you choose to work with a private adoption agency such as Open Arms that does not charge you, your baby will be placed with one of our Adoptive Families, NOT a Foster Family. You can choose the Adoptive Family for your baby, or your Adoption Counselor can choose for you, if you prefer not to look at adoptive family profiles. If you choose to work with an adoption agency, you can make sure that your baby ends up with the right adoptive family, one that you can feel good about, that you would choose to raise your baby and take care of them forever.