The

Experience

 

Anybody who has ever observed a lotus flower emerging from a murky pond cannot fail to see the beauty of this exquisite plant.

So too is the beautiful child whom is nourished and given life by its mother, and then so lovingly and bravely placed for adoption.

-Ellen Kaplan

You are not alone.
Women of all racial backgrounds, economic status, ages and religions place children for adoption.

"I just wanted to say thank you so much for everything you’ve been doing and have done. I really appreciate you being able to do what you do on a daily basis. I know it’s hard on you as well. I have been very moody lately and you have patiently dealt and supported me. Thank you for being by my side and for all the support you have showed me without any bias and for not judging me. For listening and giving me great advice just wanted to say thank you and how much I really appreciate you."

-Dominique

"Thank you for the understanding compassion and love you show me and have showed me throughout the process of my adoption plan. Throughout my pregnancy and for being by my side at the hospital every moment. That really meant a lot to me. I’m not going to lie, at one point I thought I wasn’t sure I could go through with it. There’s no way I could take him home. I knew I had to put the needs of my baby before the wants of my own like the quote your office uses. The adoptive parents I chose will be wonderful parents and I find comfort in that. Thank you for the comfort and the talk you gave me at the hospital, for the love you all showed me and my kids. We love you. Hugs and love,"

-Tiffany

"I was writing to you to thank you for being by my side and for everything you have done for me. For all the help your office has given me. Thank you so much for taking my calls and texts at crazy hours of the night, LOL! I really needed someone I can talk to and someone that would just be there for me and listen and understand me. Maggy, you were that person. I wanted to thank Ellen and Lynn for all that they have done as well. I am happy my baby girl is with such a wonderful family! She is going to be so loved. I look forward to my pictures and letters. Please stay in touch."

-Britany

"Hey Maggy! Hope you are doing well was just writing because I was thinking of you. I just got my first set of pictures and a letter. I can’t believe how much my baby has grown. He looks so healthy and happy. I love that I chose this couple for him. I can never stop thanking you. I keep thinking of how nice you were to me. Ellen, your office is great and showed me a lot of care when I really needed it."

-Jackie

"Ellen, Lynn, Jim, and Maggie were there for me every step of the way. My case was complicated and time consuming but Ms.Kaplan fought for my rights and my precious baby is now prospering and growing with her loving adoptive parents.
Thank you to Kaplan and her staff forever!"

-Anonymous Birth Mother

"My name is Danyelle and I would recommend Ellen Kaplan to anyone in the world, I could never have asked for better supportive friends thru my double experience of going thru adoption and I look forward to helping any mothers thru this decision I love each and everyone of the women that work for her and with her."

-Danyelle

"My teenage sister was pregnant and decided on adoption. Ellen provided encouragement and guidance and took great care finding just the right adoptive parents. My sister gets to hear how her baby is doing and she is very happy with her choice. I hope less people choose abortion and instead, seek adoption service like Ellen Kaplan provides."

-Anonymous

The Birth Mom Experience

We admire and respect your decision to choose a better life for your child through adoption. This is one of the most unselfish and courageous choices you can make. At The Law Office of Ellen M. Kaplan, P.A., we are here to help you to make a loving adoption plan that is perfectly and uniquely best suited for you and your baby. We create a plan with you, for you, and with your specific unique needs in mind.

We will take time to compassionately discuss any fears or concerns you may have. We are here to answer any questions you may have and to help make an adoption plan that will meet your specific needs, wishes and expectations.

We will support you from beginning to end and beyond.

This is your adoption plan so you are in control. You guide this plan. You get to choose your baby’s adoptive parents. You get to decide when and where to meet the adoptive parents. You get to decide how things will be and who will be at the hospital. You get to choose if you’d like an open adoption, semi-open adoption, or closed adoption. These choices and more will help create your adoption plan. With each choice, we are happy to guide you as to how your choices can be beneficial to you and your baby now and throughout your child’s life. We will follow your lead and help you throughout the experience.

VISIT HOPEFUL PARENT PROFILES
Birth-Mother and Adoptive Mother
Happy Florida Adoptive Parents
Birth-Mother and Adoptive Mother
Happy Florida Adoptive Parents

One-on-One Support

“When I am with an expecting mother, I am there for her from the moment she calls and provide her with personal guidance and emotional support. I am non-judgmental no matter what or how heavy the situation may be. I get to know her personally and always try and develop a genuine close relationship with her. I give all of my expectant/birth mothers the respect and support they deserve during what can be a difficult time in their lives. You can count on me to be there for you throughout the entire experience and beyond.”

-Maggy, Adoption Case Manager
Adoption Support Services

“Thank you doesn’t seem adequate to express the depth of our gratitude. We are so grateful for your heartfelt care and concern for our birth mother during every step of her journey, your patience with us as we learned to navigate this new adoptive parent landscape, your willingness to send and receive late night and early morning text and phone calls even though they took you away from your own family, for all you have done for us all these last few months from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you,”

-John and Jeanna

“We Just wanted to thank you to all of you for all that you have done to make the process of adopting so smooth! Thank you for your care and attention to every detail. With love,”

-Susan

“We just got home with our precious little angel. We wanted to thank you very much for being by our side throughout this very emotional roller coaster of a process. We cannot thank you enough for the care and attention that you showed and gave to our birth mother throughout her pregnancy and at the hospital. Our birth mother continues to say that she does not think she could have done it without your support. For that we cannot thank you enough. We will stay in touch and send you pictures! Lots of love and a hug,”

-Jazmine

“Maggy…Thank you for all that you do! You are amazing at your job and we really appreciate what you have done for our birth mother Sarah and supporting her during her pregnancy and after. Sending you love from Mass,”

-Alicia and Colby

“Maggy, it has been so difficult for us to write this to you because we have never met anyone like you before in our lives. You are the most selfless empathetic genuine person we have ever met. Our baby girl couldn’t have found a better friend in Florida than you. You will be forever in our hearts and there’s nothing that we could ever do that would ever come close to expressing the love and gratitude our family has for you. You are a miracle and a guardian angel for not only birth mothers, for adoptive parents and what you do goes way beyond a job title. With endless love and gratitude,”

-Dakota and Luis

“My husband and I hired Ellen Kaplan as our adoption attorney three different times. Each experience was great! Ms. Kaplan and her office staff were easy to work with, always prompt and courteous, and extremely knowledgeable. I would and have recommended her to my friends and family.”

-Sharyn and Chuck

“A beautiful adoption! Our adoption of our daughter was a great experience with Ellen Kaplans office. We learned the adoption process and we’re taught and educated from start to finish on all we needed to know to adopt our baby girl!”

-Hilary and Steve

“One of the best!!! Just a few weeks ago, we traveled to Florida for an adoption. Ms. Kaplan and her entire office were amazing from the very beginning! We have been waiting for almost 2 years now and have worked with lots of attorneys and agencies. I mean it when I say she is one of the best. She was very informative each step of the way, calling us personally to update us. Adoption is such an emotional journey and we felt like everyone from Ms. Kaplan’s office genuinely cared about us and for us.”

-Jessica

The Adoptive Parent Experience

 

We believe that adoption should be a caring experience for both adoptive parents and birth mothers. We help to simplify a complex situation; which can be one of the most important life changing experiences in which a person can ever engage.

Adoptions in Florida may be handled by either a licensed child-placing agency (agency adoption) or by a private attorney or intermediary (private placement adoption). The Law Offices of Ellen M. Kaplan, P.A. provides private placement adoption services which, upon match with an expectant mother and unlike an agency adoption, represents you, the adopting parent throughout the legal proceedings. No matter which type of adoption you are pursuing, whether through an agency or private placement adoption attorney, proper legal advice is essential.

Learn as much as you can about adoption and adoption law.

There are many good books on adoption as well as adoption related internet sites that can give you general information on the adoption process. You will also learn about adoption, Florida adoption law and our office procedures when you have your initial consultation.

Following your initial interview and consultation, your profile will go in our profile book.

We will help you prepare your profile which will contain non-identifying information such as your age, income, occupation, education, religion, length of time married, whether or not you already have children, your hobbies and interests and pictures you wish to share with expectant birth parents. It is very important that the pictures you give us reflect who you are. Include current pictures of you doing your favorite things together or pictures taken of you while on vacation. Also include a picture of your house and/or pets as well as your children, if applicable. Make your pictures speak about who you are and the things that are important in your life.

Have a favorable home study completed by a licensed home study provider in the state where you reside.

Prior to the baby being placed in your home, you must have a favorable home study completed by a licensed home study provider in the state where you reside. If the home study is not favorable, The Law Offices of Ellen M. Kaplan, P.A. will not be able to proceed with placing a child in your home for the purpose of adoption. Should you need a home study, we would be more than happy to give you a recommendation for a licensed home study provider in your area.

After birth, the baby will be placed in your home following execution of final consents for adoption and discharge from the hospital.

If you reside outside the State of Florida, you must remain in Florida with the child until Interstate Compact in both Florida and your home state approve the placement (approximately 10-14 days). Following placement of the baby with you, we will begin proceedings to terminate the parental rights of the birth parent(s). During this time, your home study provider will provide the required post-placement supervision for a period of 90 days. After 90 days, if the court has terminated the parental rights of the birth parent(s) and your home study provider has issued a favorable recommendation, we can proceed with finalizing your adoption. Final hearing on your adoption takes about 10 minutes and you and the baby will be required to attend the hearing. (If you reside outside the State of Florida we will ask the court’s permission for you to attend the hearing telephonically so as to avoid you having to travel back to Florida for the proceeding.) Once the adoption is finalized, the baby’s original birth record will be sealed and an amended birth certificate will be issued reflecting you as the parents of the child.

Prospective birth mothers who contact our office through various sources are shown profiles of Hopeful Adoptive Parents and get the opportunity to select the prospective adoptive parent or parents they feel is the best match for them and their child. Since the expectant birth mother or birth parents select the family that they feel would be the best match for their child, we cannot guarantee that you will be selected or matched with a birth mother or birth parents, nor can we give you an estimate of how long it will take to be selected. Some families may be profiled for a month or two, while some may be profiled for a year or more.

Adoptions vary in cost due to the legal services needed to complete the adoption as well as the medical and living necessities of the birth mother. Most of our cases range from $18,000.00 to approximately $42,000.00. Birth parents who contact our office are often times in a crisis situation and need immediate help (they are being evicted from their apartment, they have no food, their electric is being turned off, they are about to have their car repossessed, etc.). If we are unable to provide assistance within a day or two, the birth parents will most likely go to another source for help. It is important that when we call you about a prospective match that you are able to make a decision quickly and have the funds available to assist the birth parents with their immediate needs in order to stabilize them. Under Florida law, the prospective adoptive parents may assist the birth mother with reasonable living and medical expenses incurred during the pregnancy and for up to six weeks following delivery. Reasonable living expenses are considered rent, food, utilities, transportation and clothing. Most birth mothers need some type of financial assistance. In addition, most birth mothers do not have private medical insurance. If the birth mother does not qualify for Medicaid, you may be responsible for her prenatal care and delivery.

ADOPTIVE PARENT RESOURCES
Birth-Mother and Adoptive Mother
Happy Florida Adoptive Parents
Birth-Mother and Adoptive Mother
Happy Florida Adoptive Parents

One-on-One Support

“Being matched with an expectant birth mom is an exciting event however, there is always some uncertainty in the process. I work directly with you and your expectant birth mother to help you make a connection with her and answer all your questions and concerns as you move forward throughout the pregnancy. My experience and knowledge provide you and the expectant birth mother with the personal support you both need and can count on throughout your entire experience.”

-Maggy, Adoption Case Manager
Adoption Support Services

There are some risks in adoption that we will discuss with you, in depth, at the time of your initial consultation. We are here for you!

“…these ladies make the experience much easier.”

CONTACT