Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Episode 52: Red Flags in Adoption Explained

Birth Mother Matters in Adoption Episode 52: Red Flags in Adoption Explained

When a birth mother comes into an adoption agency with the intent of placing her baby for adoption, it is important to understand her reasons for choosing adoption. “Red flags” is a term that we use to assess a birth mother’s probability of placing her baby for adoption (to the best of our ability (we don’t have a crystal ball.)  Counseling will assist her in processing her thoughts and feelings.  Red flags always need to be evaluated in context and all factors need to be considered before confirmation is stated.  Additionally, red flags do not necessarily mean that the adoption won’t happen, they mean that further investigation is warranted.

Often times during the adoption process, situations will arise where the agency or adoptive family will become concerned and when a situation like this arises; as an agency we staff (get together as a team and discuss) it.  What is important to remember is one identifiable red flag exhibited by a birth mother may not have the same impact or warrant the same concern in another.  Every behavior is relative, its important to remember that you have to look at the birth mother and her situation as a whole entity not just a potential concern.

1. Never attending doctor appointments
2. Always asking about the financial assistance, making this the focus of every conversation
3. Postponing choosing an adoptive family
4. Avoiding contact with the adoptive family, even after stating that she wanted an open adoption.
5. She is in a committed relationship and is pregnant by the father of all of their other children who live in the home together.