In Texas, you can't legally relinquish rights to your child until at least 48 hours after you've delivered your baby. Until that time, you are only making an adoption plan, and you are not obligated to move forward with the adoption. After you've delivered, you'll meet with a counselor again to reassess how you feel about adoption and go over your options again. If you are unsure about adoption, one of our counselors can help you create a parenting plan in addition to an adoption plan. When making a parenting plan, your counselor will help you explore all available options, resources and support to help you be able to parent your child, if that is your wish. Learn more about parenting plans  

While most of our families are in Central Texas, we do work with adoptive parents all across the United States. One of the benefits to choosing a local adoption agency is that you will be able to choose a family that lives near you. If you are choosing an open adoption, this can make it easier to build a relationship during your pregnancy and stay connected after placement.

All of Adoption Advocates' adoptive families have passed a comprehensive screening that involves background checks, home studies, interviews, recommendations and more. In addition, prospective adoptive parents must meet the following qualifications:

• Unable to have biological children due to infertility or high-risk hereditary concerns
• Between the ages of 25-46
• Two-year minimum marriage requirement for couples
• Emotionally and financially stable
• Flexible about such issues as ethnicity and health history
• Committed to honoring open adoption

The adoptive family will be given de-identified (no last names or addresses) information about your social and medical history, unless of course, you have a fully open adoption and then you may share any information that you choose.

All parents approved to adopt through Adoption Advocates are educated to respect the special bond between the child and the birth parents. By knowing you and having access to information from you, they can raise the child with the truth inherent in his or her beginnings. Although there is no legal guarantee that the adoptive parents will keep in touch, chances are that you will choose a family who you like and trust, and they will be committed to honoring their agreement with you.

Adoption Advocates believes that families of all types are beautiful. Our adoptive families represent a variety of backgrounds, ethnicities and religions. We work with heterosexual couples, LGBT couples, families that already have kids, and single women.

Your baby can be placed in his/her new home immediately after you sign the relinquishment document. You must wait at least 48 hours after delivery to sign the relinquishment document. If you have not chosen a family when you are ready to sign, your baby will be placed in cradle care, also know as interim care. Cradle care is a temporary child care which is offered through our adoption agency. It provides a safe home for your baby to go after being discharged from the hospital if he is not able to go home with you and you need more time to make final decision. Cradle care is offered privately and does not involve Child Protective Services or the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). Learn more about cradle care in adoption

Yes, you can. When you make an adoption plan with Adoption Advocates, you have the right to choose the family that will raise your child. You can be involved as much — or as little — as you feel comfortable with. If you don't want to choose the adoptive family, you don't have to. The adoption agency will choose for you based on any preferences you indicate, with priority given to couples that have been waiting the longest.