FLORIDA ADOPTION AGENCY — HEART TO HEART ADOPTIONS
How to Place a Baby for Adoption in Florida
Whether you just found out you’re pregnant or already have your baby, Heart to Heart Adoptions can help you make an adoption plan that feels right for you.
Placing a baby for adoption in Florida starts with a single phone call or text to a licensed adoption agency.
A real counselor answers. She isn’t working off of a script. All three women that trade off answering the phones are working off of years of experience. They understand you need to talk and tell about your unique experience and your unique situation.
You choose the adoptive family from 100+ profiles, decide how much contact you want after placement, and Heart to Heart handles all legal paperwork at no cost to you.
It is not too late to make an adoption plan whether you are early in pregnancy, near your due date, or have already given birth.
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Whether you’re just finding out you’re pregnant or already have your baby, Heart to Heart Adoptions’ Florida office can help you make an adoption plan that feels right for you.
How Do I Start Learning About Adoption in Florida?
Starting the adoption process is simple:
- Call or text our Florida office at 689-208-2050
- Talk with our caring adoption worker about what you want and what you need. She will want to know:
- Are you safe where you live?
- We can help with rent and other living expenses related to your pregnancy
- We can help you relocate
- How far along are you?
- We will need proof of pregnancy
- Do you have family support?
- Do you need emotional support from us?
- What is the involvement of the birth father?
- Have you got good medical care?
- Can we help you find compassionate, competent doctors?
- Do you have other children?
- Will you need assistance with them while you are at medical appointments?
- Do you have sufficient food?
- We can provide you with a card for groceries.
“I was nervous to make that first call but my adoption worker made everything so easy to understand.”
— Birth mother, Florida
What are the steps to placing a baby for adoption in Florida?
After we have helped with any emergencies the rest of the adoption steps include the following:
- Learn your options. You can meet with someone that will learn more about your desires. she will explain open adoption, semi-open, and closed adoption. And you can decide which works best for you. Of course, you can always change your mind as the process moves forward. You will also learn about the legal steps, and what financial support you qualify for. No pressure toward any particular choice.
- One of the most important decisions for so many women is to find the perfect family for your child. You can review as many family profiles as you want. We have more than a 100. You choose. You can take as long as you need.
- Decide on your hospital plan. How much contact you might want with the adoptive family before or just after the birth. Who do you want to support you in the hospital?
- Legal consent is signed after independent legal counsel. That means you have your own legal representative. This does not cost you anything.
- Counseling, connection, and care continue after placement. This does not end the day you leave the hospital.
“Sharyn told me straight up that I could change my mind. Knowing that helped me feel sure about my choice when I did choose adoption.”
— Birth mother, Florida
Can I place my baby for adoption after birth?
Yes. We have families who have been vetted to care for older babies and who have been trained in helping you baby bond. And you can also keep up with your child’s development through an open adoption. Florida law allows birth mothers to place a baby for adoption at any age.
For a child that is older than six months at the time of placement, the Florida laws are a little different than for an infant. If you sign papers for consent of placement, if your child is older than six months, you have up to three business days to change your mind. Your counselor will explain exactly what applies to your situation.
“I tried parenting my baby for two months. I really loved him, but it’s hard to explain, but I just couldn’t to it the way a baby needs. Heart to Heart helped me make an adoption plan. They didn’t judge me — they just helped.”
— Birth mother, Florida
LEGAL NOTE: Florida Statute §63.082(c): for a baby over 6 months at consent signing, consent is valid upon execution but revocable up to 3 business days after signing. For newborns, consent is irrevocable from signing except for fraud or duress.
“I called when my baby was 2 months old. Michelle explained everything to me and how it would work. Darla helped me find the perfect family and supported me through everything.”
— Amariah, Bradenton, Florida
Do I get to choose the family who adopts my baby in Florida?
Yes. You are given digital family profiles that fit what you want for yourself and your child. You can ask your case manager questions about any family, arrange a phone or video call before deciding, and take as long as you need. There is no pressure to choose quickly and no limit to how many profiles you can view.
Haley is our matching coordinator and she will listen and help you find families based on what matter to you. Do you want your child to have siblings or be an only child. What type of spiritual exposure do you want for your child. You have the right to think through all of these and many more considerations.
“I knew right away when I found my baby’s family. They loved the beach like me and wanted to raise my baby with both English and Spanish.”
— T. M. Panama City Beach, Florida
What financial help is available when placing a baby for adoption in Florida?
Adoption is completely free for birth mothers in Florida. Florida law allows adoption agencies to assist with living expenses during pregnancy and for a short time after birth. These reasonable expenses include help with safe housing, utilities, food, maternity clothing, transportation to medical appointments, your phone bill, and childcare for other children while you are at appointments.
What if I am not sure I want to go through with adoption?
Very few women are absolutely sure of the path they want to take. We expect this when you call. That is why we have women answering the phones who can walk you through all of your options. Many women work with Heart to Heart for weeks or months while they think through their options. The housing help, counseling, and financial support are available regardless of what you ultimately decide. You can change your mind at any point until consent is signed. If you decide to parent, your counselor will help you find parenting resources too.
How quickly can I get help if I am already in labor?
Call right now: 877-437-3424. Heart to Heart has counselors available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is not too late to begin the process during or after labor. Heart to Heart Adoptions has helped women make adoption plans within hours of giving birth.
In-Depth Guide
How do I start the adoption process in Florida?
Call or text 877-437-3424. A counselor answers right away. That first conversation costs nothing, commits you to nothing, and can start the process of getting you immediate help.
How long does the adoption process take in Florida?
The timeline is entirely in your hands. Some women complete the process in weeks. Others take months. Heart to Heart has helped women who called the day they went into labor. There is no deadline at any stage of pregnancy or after birth.
Is placing a baby for adoption the same as giving a baby up?
No. ‘Giving up’ implies abandonment. Placing a baby for adoption is an active, loving decision — you choose the family, you decide the level of contact, and your child grows up knowing you made this choice out of love. Heart to Heart never uses the phrase ‘give up your baby.’
Can I change my mind about adoption during pregnancy?
Yes, at any point before consent is signed. You can change your mind about the agency, the family, the level of openness, the hospital plan. You cannot sign consent documents for placement until at least 48 hours after birth.
Do I need the birth father's permission to place my baby for adoption in Florida?
Not necessarily. Florida law has specific procedures for situations where the father is unknown, absent, or unwilling to participate. An unmarried biological father must register with the Florida Putative Father Registry to have legally protected rights. Your counselor will explain exactly what applies to your specific situation
Will I be able to see my baby after placement?
If you choose to have an open adoption or a semi-open adoption, you will be able to see your baby after adoption. You should talke with Haley and/or your adoptive family about how you want to stay connected. Open adoption has created some amazingly loving extended families.
What happens at the hospital during an adoption placement?
You decided what you want to happen at the hospital. You get to decide who is there with you. We will have your case manager available to be your support. You can have the adoptaive family present, or you can just take the time in the hospital to be with your baby uninterrupted. You get to decide.
Is it too late to make an adoption plan if I am in my third trimester?
No. Heart to Heart works with birth mothers at every stage of pregnancy, including the third trimester and after birth. Call 877-437-3424 right now if your situation is urgent. Someone should be available right now.
What is a stork situation in Florida adoption?
A stork situation is adoption agency language for a last-minute placement. This is when a birth mother decides to place her baby very close to her giving birth, or sometimes after she has given birth. We do this regularly and can match you with a family and get you financial and emotional support quickly. We also have attorneys in Florida who can talk to you about your legal rights. This, of course, is all free to you.
What support is available after I place my baby?
After giving birth, you can still expect free counseling or just someone to talk with. We’re her through the time it takes you to get back on your feet and then for help down the road.
Can a single woman place a baby for adoption in Florida?
Yes. Marital status has no bearing on a birth mother’s right to make an adoption plan in Florida. All of Heart to Heart’s services are available regardless of your relationship status.
What is the difference between an adoption agency and an adoption attorney in Florida?
An adoption agency like Heart to Heart handles the full process. this includes someone to talk with, finding the right family, financial support, and coordination with legal counsel. An adoption attorney handles the legal filings only. Heart to Heart provides you with your own independent attorney at no cost as part of the agency service.
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Whether you're just starting to explore or ready to talk, our compassionate team is here to listen and support you—without pressure or judgment.
You don't have to do this alone.
We're here to walk beside you—every step of the way.
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801-563-1000
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