When you place your child for adoption with A Child’s Hope, you will secure the best possible future for your child. How? By choosing the perfect family you want to adopt your child, creating a post-adoption contact agreement that lets you be a part of your child’s life, and more.
However, even though you have the chance to meet and get to know the family your child will be raised in, you might still have some questions about adoption. Will their life as an adopted child be any different than being raised in a “traditional” family? Is it better or worse?
It’s normal to have questions about your child’s future, and your adoption counselor at A Child’s Hope can describe in more detail what your child’s life will be like.
One of the biggest indicators of your child’s future is your first conversation with prospective adoptive parents, where you can ask them any questions you have and make sure this family is perfect for your child.
What an Adoptee’s Life is Like
Before you choose an adoptive family for your baby, you will view their adoptive family profile and meet them in person with your adoption counselor. A prospective adoptive family can help you understand exactly what your child’s life will be like with them, including any traditional family trips they take, their plans for your child’s education and extracurricular activities, what their family lifestyle is like and more. Whatever you want to know about your child’s future, they will be happy to help you visualize your child’s life as an adoptee in their family.
To ensure a positive family environment for all our adoptees, at A Child’s Hope, we educate all prospective adoptive families in detail about how to be the best parents to an adopted child. This includes supporting an open or semi-open adoption, preserving their child’s identity as an adoptee and immersing them in environments where adoption and/or multicultural families are common. The most crucial element, though, is being honest about their adoption story. You’ll be reassured to know that 97 percent of adoptees over the age of 5 know about their adoption — and your child will be one of them.
In many ways, an adoptee’s life is no different than if they were to grow up in a biological family. They will have parents that love and support them, all the opportunities they could ever want, and a healthy childhood where their adoption story is celebrated — not emphasized as something that makes them “different.”
Statistics About Adopted Children
Beyond the individualized circumstances of being raised in a particular adoptive family, there are also some common positive advantages that adopted children experience. Because adoptive parents have been waiting so long to have a child, they don’t take their position for granted; they give their child every opportunity possible. Recent studies have shown that:
- 85 percent of adopted children are in excellent or very good health
- Adopted children are less likely to live in households below the poverty threshold
- Adopted children are more likely to be read to, sung to, or told stories to every day as a young child than non-adopted children
- Adopted children are more likely to participate in extracurricular activities
- More than half of adopted children excel in reading, language arts and math at school
These are only a few of the positive statistics reported on the happiness and success of adopted children. While individual situations will vary, you can be reassured in knowing that there is a positive and happy future awaiting your baby should you choose to place them for adoption.
Remember, you can play an integral role in your baby’s future by being in charge of every aspect of your adoption plan. You can choose which family you want to raise your child, what kind of relationship you want with them and your baby as they grow up and more. While adoption is a challenging process at times, your adoption counselor at A Child’s Hope will always be there to provide support and help you make decisions that are right for you and your child — helping you create a future that’s in the best interest of both you both.
To learn more about the adoption process in North Carolina and to get started today, please call us for free at 877-890-4673, text PREGNANT to 919-971-4396 or email ach@achildshope.com.
Click a star near where you live on the NC map to see what counselor would be assigned to you.
Kelly Dunbar
Triangle
As an adoptive parent I truly have a passion for adoption. There is no greater joy than helping to create a family! I love this job and I love working with adoptive parents as well as the birth parents. When it all comes together it is an awesome experience!
Rebecca Anderson
New Bern
Rebecca Ann Anderson serves the coastal communities. Rebecca graduated from American University with degrees in political science and literature. She received her Masters in Science and Mental Health Counseling from Walden University. She also completed two years of Law School at the University of Baltimore. While clerking for an Adoption Lawyer she found her calling. Rebecca resides in New Bern with her husband and two miniature dachshunds, Sweet Thing and Coco Weenie.
Sloane Mosley
Greensboro
Sloane completed her undergraduate degree in Human Services Counseling at Old Dominion University. She is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California through the Virtual Academic Center, to be completed in August 2015. Sloane has been working in the social work field for about 8 years, working with children and families. She loves advocating for children!
Lakisha Brown
Winston Salem
Lakisha completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology with a concentration in Social Welfare at Winston-Salem State University. She received her Master’s in Social Work from Syracuse University. Lakisha has worked with children, individuals and families for 11 years. Her experience includes, working with at risk youth, children and homeless families, case management, child mental health, as well as school social work. She is also a long-time basketball fan, and is a former player and coach. She played at Winston-Salem State University and coached women’s basketball at Elon University and Syracuse University. Lakisha and her husband reside in Alamance County, with their young son.
Katherine Fitzsimmons
Triangle
Katherine completed her undergraduate degree in Sociology at St. Bonaventure University and earned her Master’s in Social Work degree from Binghamton University. Her passion is working with and advocating for women, youth, and children. She has worked for more than 10 years facilitating kinship, international, and domestic adoptions; eight of those years were working for the Independent Adoption Center here in Raleigh. Katherine also has a background in crisis management in a hospital setting. When she is not working, she can be found volunteering at her sons’ school, exploring the Raleigh-Durham area, or baking yummy sweets!!
Gloria Curry
Asheville
Gloria received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from St. Leo College. She earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Florida in Family, Youth and Community Science. Gloria has worked with children and families as an educator, mental health counselor and social worker. Gloria facilitated adoptions and foster care placements. She observed the remarkable courage, compassion and commitment of birth families who strive to ensure their child has the opportunity to achieve their potential. Gloria witnessed the dedication adoptive families have in providing care for the child. Gloria lives in Henderson County. She is an avid gardener, reader and loves to explore the mountains of western North Carolina.
Danielle Sample-Raggins
Charlotte
Danielle earned her Masters in Professional Counseling at Liberty University. She is pursing her Doctorate Degree in Traumatology, with the expectation of completion this year. Danielle began her career while in college, by serving as a counselor for teen girls in a residential setting, that were placing their children for adoption. She went on to work as a Foster Care and Adoptions Social Worker. She is also a Therapist and Parenting Educator with individuals, children and their families. She has continued this work for the last 16 years. Outside of working, Danielle loves spending time going to the park, playing board games or just spending time with her three wonderful kiddos; Shaun, Lauson, and Laurielle.
Melanie Spainhour
Triangle - Bi-lingual
Melanie is excited to be working with A Child's Hope in the Raleigh area. She received her Master of Social Work degree from East Carolina University (Go Pirates!) and her Bachelor of Social Work degree from NC State University (GO PACK!). Melanie has worked with children and families, school systems and local communities, primarily focusing on the Latino community. She loves spending time with her husband, three daughters and taking trips to the beach!
Before you choose an adoptive family for your baby, you will view their adoptive family profile and meet them in person with your adoption counselor. A prospective adoptive family can help you understand exactly what your child’s life will be like with them, including any traditional family trips they take, their plans for your child’s education and extracurricular activities, what their family lifestyle is like and more. Whatever you want to know about your child’s future, they will be happy to help you visualize your child’s life as an adoptee in their family.