| One of the most important services your | | | | |
| adoption professional should provide is | | | | The reclaim rate often depends on when the |
| watching for "red flags." These are warning | | | | birth mother changes their mind: before the |
| signs that indicate a birth mother is at risk | | | | birth, at the hospital, or when the child has |
| of reclaiming or having a change of heart in | | | | been in the adoptive parent's care. As hard |
| her adoption plan. | | | | as any change of heart is, it's much easier |
| | | | to have the birthparents make this decision |
| Your adoption professional should begin with | | | | before you've received the child in your |
| the initial screening of potential birth | | | | arms. |
| mothers. Most adoption professionals with | | | | |
| years of experience will know the important | | | | A qualified adoption professional that |
| questions to ask. By asking vital questions, | | | | properly screens, monitors and provides |
| they can find out precisely what she's | | | | options for counseling or peer counseling for |
| looking for in her life, if adoption is a | | | | birth mothers should have a reclaim rate of |
| good choice for her and her child, and what | | | | around 4% to 6 %. At Lifetime our reclaim |
| she desires in adoptive parents. | | | | rate is very low, because we offer a great |
| | | | deal of services and attention to each |
| They should be able to spot from the outset | | | | client. |
| the warning signs of a woman not ready or | | | | |
| willing to see the adoption through. It is | | | | "I am amazed at how much good and practical |
| difficult for adoptive parents to do this on | | | | information Adoption: Your Step-by-Step Guide |
| their own. | | | | contains, especially the sections on how to |
| | | | avoid bad adoption situations. It is good |
| The national reclaim rate varies greatly | | | | advice for anyone looking to adopt, and for |
| between professionals and can be as low as | | | | anyone thinking about adopting, it's a |
| 4%, but some organizations have much higher | | | | MUST-read!" |
| rates of adoption disruption. I have seen one | | | | |
| attorney claiming 25% reclaim as normal. This | | | | - Eric A. |
| is not an acceptable reclaim rate. | | | | |