Help! I’m Pregnant and in Jail, Can I Still Receive Services from a Baby Adoption Agency in Florida?

December 15, 2021

By Adoption Choices of Florida

Help! I’m Pregnant and in Jail, Can I Still Receive Services from a Baby Adoption Agency in Florida?

If you are looking for more information regarding being a pregnant woman incarcerated in Florida, go to Adoption Choices of Florida. We are a local baby adoption agency in Florida and we are here for you regardless of your situation. We prioritize you as the decision-maker for your child’s well-being and placement. To help you on your adoption plan journey, here are a few questions you may have if you are a birth mother who is being incarcerated.

Is Working with a Baby Adoption Agency Even an Option for Me While in Jail?

Yes, adoption is an option. Even if you are in the process of being incarcerated, you have the same parental rights as anyone else. Call Adoption Choices of Florida to begin your adoption plan. Our agency will help provide resources and to stay in contact with a prison case manager. 

Is the Adoption Process Different when You’re In Jail

There are slight differences; however, there are no major differences. The adoption process is the same steps, and it’s all up to you to decide. You can: create an adoption plan, choose an adoptive family, receive financial assistance for pregnancy expenses, and have certain birth mother rights as a pregnant inmate.

What are My Adoption Options to Choose From?

There are three basic types of adoption: open adoption, semi-open adoption, and closed adoption. 

If you don’t want the adoptive family, you choose to know any personal information, then choose a closed adoption. If this is what you are comfortable with then, it is an option to choose.

Open adoption and semi-open adoption are possibilities where you know more about the adoptive family. The adoptive family will understand your personal situation and information that can move them when adopting your child. If it’s a semi-open adoption, not all personal information has to be shared. 

Whether you want them to know you are a birth mother incarcerated or not is up to you. Do not feel obligated to share any information you are not comfortable with. These three adoption options are at your disposal to create your adoption plan. Remember, there is no shame or judgment of your situation or that you chose a newborn adoption as the next step for your unplanned pregnancy. 

What are the Possible Differences being a Pregnant Inmate

Not all prisons will allow you to keep your cold in your custody, especially if it’s a long sentence. Creating an adoption plan will help you prepare your child to be placed in an adoptive family instead of foster care or given to a family member that isn’t suited to raise a child. Based on the rules of your prison facility, you can contact your adoptive family and exchange some letters and phone calls. 

Will I Receive Financial Assistance?

Yes, you receive financial assistance that relates to the adoption process and pregnancy expenses that are essential. Your phone calls to the adoptive family and adoption specialist are taken care of. As a pregnant inmate, you are eligible for mailing materials such as paper, pen, envelopes, stamps. Other essentials are commissary, toiletries, phone calls, and computer use. All these materials are meant to communicate with your adoptive family, hygienic, and food purposes. 

When Can I Meet the Adoptive Family?

Depending on your sentence and the prison rules at your facility, it may take a while before meeting the adoptive family right away. You may not meet them right away or at all, depending on your situation. However, you have the power to decide which adoptive family you want that matches your preferences. 

Do I Receive Parental Care for my Child

Prison officials will make sure that parental care and medical services are provided during your time of pregnancy. Services include food paid for by the state. Your body needs nutrients and sustenance. Having meals provided to keep your body and the child health is essential and important to us. 

What Happens When I am ready to Deliver My Child

When it’s time for you to give birth, you are moved to the hospital. You decide who is in the hospital room with you, and the adoption specialist should be present and a possible prison case manager to go over the next steps after birth. Once the child is born, relinquishing parental rights to the adoptive family will happen when scheduled. However, you still get financial assistance when making contact with adoptive families. (if you decide on an open or semi-open adoption plan, then the materials to contact the adoptive family will be part of financial assistance).

At Adoption Choices of Florida, no matter your situation, we are non-judgemental and sympathetic to any birth mother’s situation. We want to provide an option for any birth mother in Florida, having an unexpected or unplanned pregnancy. Do not think that you won’t receive any assistance with your pregnancy just because you are incarcerated. We are a private baby adoption agency and have many places in Florida. Whichever prison you may end up in, call the toll-free number 833-352-3678 To receive help and steps to create the perfect adoption plan for your child. 

If you are a pregnant woman in Florida considering adoption and have any questions or concerns about the adoption process, please don’t hesitate to reach out. For more information on adoption, visit us at Adoption Choices of Florida or call us at: (833) 352-3678 or text us at 904-559-1251