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Toll Free: 1.800.219.8254
In Atlanta: 770.955.8550
Services
Cradle of Love provides several services to facilitate and support the adoption of children including:
- Birth Parent Support & Services
- Adoptive Parent Support & Services
- Domestic Home Studies
- International Home Studies
Birth Parent Support & Services
Cradle of Love recognizes that birth parents choosing to carry their baby to term and place their child for adoption have needs that extend beyond the legalities of placement. Cradle of Love takes great care in helping birth parents understand their legal rights and the implications of adoption, including placing their child in our care, terminating parental rights, separating from their child, dealing with the permanence of an adoption decision, making plans for the future, confidentiality and receipt and provision of nonidentifying information. We offer free counseling to the expectant parents and their families during which we discuss the implications of parenting versus those of placing a child for adoption, grief, separation and loss. We offer support to cope with voluntary or involuntary termination of their parental rights, changing roles and relationships when the birth parents will have an ongoing relationship with prospective adoptive parents, issues related to search and reunion, planning for the immediate future, and referral for needed services. The birth parents are educated regarding the surrender forms, including Georgia Rule in Chapter 290-9-.06 (4) L, which requires 24 hours pass after the birth of an infant before surrender forms can be completed. The birth parents are also notified verbally and in writing that they have 10 days after signing surrender forms in which to change their minds regarding their decision to place their child for adoption.
Cradle of Love obtains a thorough social and medical history of the birth parents and their families on the 413 Background Form required by the State of Georgia. During this process, Cradle of Love determines whether the birthmother has any native American Indian heritage. If so, Cradle of Love collaborates with the appropriate tribe or Indian organization to determine the applicability of the Indian Child Welfare Act and to determine the most appropriate plan for the child.
Insurance & Medical Care
Birthmothers accepted into the program are referred to qualified medical and insurance providers for diagnosis and treatment of health problems and health and reproductive education, including: genetic risk identification and counseling; fetal growth and development; the importance of prenatal care; nutrition and proper weight gain; appropriate exercise; medication use during pregnancy; effects of tobacco and substance use on fetal development; smoking and substance cessation services; what to expect during labor and delivery; post-partum services; pregnancy prevention; and the prevention and treatment of diseases, including HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Birthmothers also are linked to family planning services and health insurance, when coverage is available, and are provided with information about other options for care (e.g. free clinics) when insurance coverage is not available.
When appropriate, medical providers with similar cultural and language backgrounds are selected to assure effective communication.
Counseling & Ongoing Relationships
As the birth parents are part of the adoptive family selection process, the birth parent is supported in feeling positive toward the family in which her child will be placed. In an effort to address the emotional needs of birth parents Cradle of Love provides counseling for at least six weeks after placement.
Birth parents who are interested receive information and counseling about the continuum of openness in adoption.
If so desired, the birth parents may go through adoption profiles and select approved prospective adoptive families and meet them with the worker present. Cradle of Love makes every effort to comply with birthparents’ requests regarding choice of adoptive family for placement. Cradle of Love works with birthparents to develop aftercare plans that identify services needed or desired by the individual. There is a non-legally binding Communication Agreement, signed by the birthparents and adoptive parents, that specifies continuing exchange of updates and pictures of the adopted infant and possible future visitation.
Cradle of Love offers grief counseling, and helps the parents look toward their future after the adoption is complete.
Assistance & Support
As appropriate, Cradle of Love provides financial support and/or assistance in accessing public and private support to birthmothers to assure safe and healthful living arrangements and their continuing health and the health of their baby during pregnancy, including help to find new living arrangements when current living arrangements are not suitable.
To assist in positive life development, Cradle of Love provides education and/or counseling to birthparents about positive personal development and household management. We will work with you on personal growth and maturity, interpersonal relations and communication, future goals and aspirations, coping, problem-solving, vocational programs and decision-making. We will help you to learn to manage your time, budget, and household and effectively use available community resources.
Cradle of Love also provides information on available community services needed to support positive life course development, including child care, food and nutrition services, transportation services, financial assistance, substance abuse treatment services and domestic violence or sexual assault services.
Adoptive Parent Support & Services
We help prepare prospective adoptive parents through access to training and support that address attachment and bonding, possible impacts of adoption on the family, child development and parenting techniques, raising a child of a different race, ethnicity, culture, or religion, helping a child cope with separation and loss, history of maltreatment and identity development.
The following topics are explored with all prosective adoptive parents:
- Motivation to adopt;
- Understanding of adoption and how the subject of adoption will be handled with the child;
- Understanding of how adoptive parenting is different from biological parenting;
- Attitude toward rearing a child who is not their own biologically;
- Understanding of the possibility of inherited traits and the influence of genetics vs. environment;
- Attitude toward birth parents;
- Expectations of the adopted child, including intellectual and physical achievement;
- Understanding of loss in adoption;
- Attitudes of a child residing in the home and extended family members toward adoption; and
- The support network in place for the adoptive family.
Domestic Home Studies
You have made the exciting decision to parent a child and have chosen an agency that specializes in domestic adoptions. We will help you adopt from Cradle of Love or from an agency in another state in the United States. Now it is time to start the process that will help you reach your goal of parenting. Your choice of a home study agency is important, as this agency will be working with and available to you during the adoption process and the post-placement period.
Cradle of Love Adoption Counseling and Services is a nonprofit, nonsectarian, full-service adoption agency, licensed and supervised by the State of Georgia, Department of Human Resources. We are dedicated to the adoption process and provide comprehensive professional services for our clients.
In the State of Georgia, a home study consists of one visit with the couple/person, separate visits and a home visit.
Adoption requires patience and flexibility. At times, adoption fees and travel expenses may vary, and unexpected expenses may occur. Many families find it difficult to budget with so many financial variables. It therefore is our policy to let families know “up front” what the fees are for the home study, post-placement visits and legal fees for finalization.
Our home study fee for domestic adoption is $1800 which includes post-placement visits. Should your placement agency require additional information, a special addendum is available for a $50 fee. All consultations are included in the above fee schedule: There are no other fee add-ons.
International Home Studies
Since 1986, families in the United States have adopted more than 120,000 children internationally, and the number of international adoptions increases yearly.
You have made the exciting decision to parent an international child and have chosen an agency with a strong history of international adoptions. Now it is time to start the process that will help you reach your goal of parenting.
Your choice of a home study agency is important, as this agency will be working with and will be available to you during the adoption process and the post-placement period. Your home study agency also will work closely with your international adoption agency, the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the person preparing your dossier.
Cradle of Love Adoption Counseling and Services is a nonprofit, nonsectarian, full-service adoption agency, licensed and supervised by the State of Georgia, Department of Human Resources. Cradle of Love has been working with international adoption agencies providing home studies for the past 10 years. We are dedicated to the adoption process and provide comprehensive professional services for our clients.
In the State of Georgia, a home study consists of one visit with the couple together, separate visits and a home visit.
Adoption requires patience and flexibility. At times, adoption feesand travel expenses may vary, and unexpected expenses may occur. Many families find it difficult to budget with so many financial variables. It therefore is our policy to let families know “up front” what the fees are for the home study, post-placement visits and consultations with the international agency, the I.N.S. and the person preparing your dossier.
Our homestudy fee for international adoption is $1200 plus $200 for each post-placement visit. Should your international agency require additional information, a special addendum is available for a $50 fee. All consultations are included in the above fee schedule: There are no other fee add-ons.