Now you have your bundle of joy

What's next: Post Placement Visits.

By Janine Nathan

If you adopt in either Pennsylvania or New Jersey, Adoption ARC is required to   provide post placement visits to your family once your baby is placed with you. What this means is that a social worker from either Adoption ARC (or another adoption agency, if you live out of the area) will come to your home. There will be either three or four post placement visits, depending on the regulations. Your baby must reside with you for 6 months before the agency can petition the courts to legalize the adoption. One of the documents the courts require is a report that includes a summary of these post placement visits during this six month period. This report is called a post placement homestudy.

Certainly the placement of your baby is a time of great joy as well as a tremendous milestone in your lives. It is during this time of transition that the social worker meets with your family. We address issues such as: the adjustment of the family members (such as parents and siblings) to the new baby, the impact the new baby has on the parent's/siblings/other family members' lives, and how the baby and family members are bonding with each other. We address the roles of each parent with the new baby, and the impact that the baby has on the parents' marriage. Also, we obtain information from you regarding the baby's medical appointments, immunizations and the baby's growth and development, physical description and personality of the baby, address developmental milestones, discuss the baby's eating and sleeping patterns, describe the baby's room, address safety issues and childcare arrangements We have the opportunity to discuss any questions regarding the adoption triad (birth family, adoptive parents and adoptee).  This is also a wonderful opportunity to provide further training on adoption issues and discuss any questions or concerns you have. We can address any special issues, if applicable, such as transracial adoption, open adoption or special needs

In the final document (the post placement homestudy), we include our recommendation that the baby be legally adopted by the adoptive parent(s). We also note that the adoptive parent(s) are able to emotionally and financially provide for the baby and provide a stable, loving and nurturing environment.

The staff at Adoption ARC enjoys the opportunity to share this important time in your lives with you and your family. We hope that these post placement visits serve to enable that this major transition is a smooth, supportive and informative one for you and your baby.  

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