If you need to make an adoption plan

at this time, we can help.

Text us 24 hours a day at 910.705.3343

or call us at 910.763.4414 

We can meet you in person near

where you live, walk you thru the paperwork and match you with

a family for your child. 

"My experience with Children At Heart

Adoption Services was the best I could have

found anywhere.  Janice & Erica helped match me with the perfect adoptive family for me,

and made me feel comfortable about the entire process as it was going on.  If you have an unplanned pregnancy and are considering adoption, I highly recommend going through Children At Heart - even if you are just

curious about the process, and what it's like,

and whether the choice is right for you. I

am very thankful that they could help me

provide what I wanted for my child."  

- Nicole, Children at Heart birthmother

If you need to speak with someone

about forming an adoption plan for your baby, please call us at 910.763.4414. 

If we are unable to answer your call,

please leave a message and we will call

you back as soon as possible (we check our messages on nights and weekends, and

we're happy to meet with you at any time).

We offer adoption services

for birthmothers in NC & NY

Even if you have already given birth to your baby, it is not too late to form an adoption plan.  Read below to learn more about our birthmother support group, get answers to frequently asked questions, and learn about different types of adoption plans. 

Birthmother Support

Group Meetings in NC

Children at Heart hosts a support group meeting for women who are pregnant and considering adoption, have already been through the adoption process, or are currently in the adoption process. The meetings are free, and you do not need to RSVP to attend.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we moved our support group meetings from in person to online - and we ended up having more attendees, since those who don't live in the Wilmington area were able to attend.  So since that time, we have continued hosting our meetings on zoom.

We have scheduled our next two support group meeting over Zoom! 

The meetings will take place on:

Wednesday, October 23rd

Tuesday, November 19th

7-8pm on Zoom

For login info, please text us at

910.705.3343 or call 910.763.4414

or email CAHadoptions@aol.com

For those who need support

but cannot make it to the Zoom

meeting, please contact us and we can connect you with birthmothers over

text, FaceTime or Zoom so that you

can get the support you need.  If you

live in the Wilmington area, we can set

up a private support meeting for you

with a birthmother, at an outdoor location.  Please call, text, or email

any time if you need support - there

is absolutely no pressure to move

forward with an adoption plan.

To receive text updates about our support group meetings, or to learn more about creating an adoption plan for your

baby, please text us at 910.705.3343, call 910.763.4414,

or email CAHadoptions@aol.com.

Our beautiful birthmother support group space was

donated by Paysage Interiors, who helped us create a comfortable, soothing environment for our birthmothers...

Need support now? 

Please let us know and we will connect you with some birthmothers who you can text!

If you are unable to make it to the meetings held at our office in NC, you can still get the support you need - we can provide you with contact info for birthmothers who will be there for you over the phone!  This is a wonderful way to connect with other women who have been thru the adoption process and can answer any questions you have - or just listen. 

If you live in the Wilmington, NC area and want to meet with a birthmother in person, but cannot make the scheduled meeting, please let us know!  We can set up another meeting at a time that works for you!  If you live outside of Wilmington and our zoom meeting support group time doesn't work for you, we can set up another time that's best for you!

To chat or text with a birthmother now, or to set up a different time to meet, please text us at 910.705.3343, call 910.763.4414 or email CAHadoptions@aol.com.

_________________________

"My experience with Children at Heart was

more than I could have asked for. I came into

the office so unsure of my decision, and left

with a new look on the adoption process. 

Janice and Erica made me feel right at home,

and spent hours explaining the process in full

detail, and answered every question I had. Through the whole pregnancy, delivery, and

even now Janice and Erica were both there for me twenty-four/seven. Through the whole adoption process and after, they keep a line

of great communication open between birth parents and the adoptive families, if that’s

what you chose. Each month, they host a birth mother support group which is amazing; it

lets you connect with other birth moms and

really reassures you, that you are not alone.  Whether you’re experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, or want more information on adoption, to see if it’s the right choice for

you, I would recommend Children at Heart. 

I am extremely thankful they were there

during this process, they made the process a

lot easier and reassured me the decision I

made was the best I could have. They helped

me to give what I wanted for my child."

-Shannon, Children at Heart birthmother

Unplanned pregnancy?

You are not alone -

Children at Heart is here to help.

We can explore adoption as an

option for you and your baby.

We can explain the details of

the adoption process.

We can help you develop an

adoption plan that fits your needs.

We can help you choose

an adoptive family.

Children at Heart Adoption Services, Inc.,

is here to be your support system throughout your pregnancy.

There is no pressure or judgement -

it is entirely your choice as to how you

will move forward, we are here to

help in any way we can.

"My experience with Children at Heart was

a lot different than I expected it to be. Erica

and Janice are always there when I need

them, even now, after the process of adoption.

They helped me find the most perfect family

for my little one.  With going thru Children at Heart, they help you stay positive and remind

you that adoption doesn't mean that you will never see your child again, it just means that

you did what is best for your child.  Thanks to Children at Heart, I was able to place my

child with a loving and caring family!  I will continue to tell people about Children at Heart and the positive experience I've had with them. We even have birthmother meetings and

man if that does help.  I just want to thank

Janice and Erica for everything!!!"

-CAH birthmother

Frequently Asked Questions

From Expectant Mothers

Considering Adoption...

Will there be a cost to me to meet with Children at Heart, or to have their help finding an adoptive family for my baby?  No - there will be no cost to you to work with Children at Heart.  Any legal expenses will be paid by the adoptive family, and we can help you work out a budget for living expenses for which you may need assistance from the adoptive family, if you need financial support during your pregnancy and thru the six weeks after delivery. 

Who will choose a family for my baby? You will.  Children at Heart will ask you what preferences you have for an adoptive family, and then you will choose a family who meets your preferences from our list of approved adoptive families. If you wish to have Children at Heart choose a family for you, we can certainly do that.

Will I be able to have contact with my baby after the adoption?  Yes, that is entirely up to you.  You will be able to choose to have an open, semi-open, or closed adoption plan for your child.  You can choose to have periodic visits with the adoptive family (typically 1-2 visits per year), stay in touch by text/phone calls/email, receive letters and pictures, or choose not to have contact with the adoptive family - it is your choice. All of our adoptive families are open to, and comfortable with, open adoption, which would include visits after placement. We feel there can be benefits to the adopted child, the birthmother, and the adoptive family, if there is an open relationship and we will help in any way to facilitate that.

What if I have given birth to my baby already - can I still choose adoption?  Yes, please contact Children at Heart right away to discuss your options.

Does the father of my baby have rights?  Yes, he does - if you and the father of your baby do not agree on your adoption plan, Children at Heart will work with him and/or the courts to determine his rights, and we can work with our attorney and the court system to terminate his rights if there is a need to do so. Please do not hesitate to reach out to ask questions about your unique situation. 

How will I know that my child will be taken care of in his/her adoptive family?  The families you will choose from will have been thoroughly screened by Children at Heart and a social worker, and they will be visited by a social worker after placement to be sure the baby is well cared for. You can also maintain an open relationship with the family that you choose during the pregnancy and after placement, so that you can have visits with your child 1-2 times per year, and stay in touch between visits.

Set up a meeting with

Children at Heart, and learn

about different types of adoption

plans - we can help you

create a plan that will work

best for your situation...

Open Adoption

In an open adoption plan, the birthparents will be able to visit with the adoptive family on a scheduled basis after the adoption takes place.

When choosing an open adoption plan, you can expect to….

◦ choose an adoptive family for your baby or opt to have the agency choose for you.

◦ share contact information with the adoptive family so you can stay in touch during your pregnancy and after the adoption.

◦ build a relationship with the adoptive family throughout your pregnancy.

◦ remain in contact with your child and the adoptive family after the adoption is finalized, including contact by phone/text/email as well as in person visits, to the extent that is comfortable for you.

◦ visit with your child in person through his/her childhood, so long as you and your child are comfortable with the visits.

Open adoption offers you the ability to get to visit with your child in person, and form a close relationship with the adoptive family, which can be a wonderful experience if it is something you are open to.  There is work that must be done to draw clear boundaries to develop healthy relationships in an open adoption - but in the end, this work can be very rewarding to the birthparents, adoptive family, and most importantly, the child. All of our adoptive families are comfortable with having an open adoption and are seeking to form a close and on-going relationship with the birth family of their child.  

Semi-Open

Adoption

In a semi-open adoption plan, the birthparents will generally receive letters or emails and pictures from the adoptive family while the child is growing up.  Identifying information can be shared between the birthmother and adoptive family, or it can be kept confidential. 

When choosing a semi-open adoption plan, you can expect to….

◦ choose a family with the option of meeting in person or opt to have the agency choose the family for you.

◦ know the adoptive family by their first name(s), or choose to share full names and other identifying information.

◦ receive letters/emails and pictures from the adoptive family while the child is growing up - you may choose to stay in touch by text/email directly with the adoptive family, or receive pictures/letters in the mail if you prefer. You may also choose to keep in touch by way of phone calls or texts if that works best for you.

◦ have the option to send letters/emails and pictures to the adoptive family as well, to be shared with your child.

Semi-open adoptions come in many forms and allow birthparents to get to know their child, and vice versa, without necessarily having face-to-face visits.  Semi-open adoptions allow information to be shared between the birthparents and the adoptive family directly, but this information can be passed through the adoption agency if that is your preference. If you choose to have a semi-open adoption but decide later that you may want to have visits, please know that all of our families are comfortable with having visits with the birthparents after the adoption.  If you choose to start visits when your child is older, it is important to note that his/her preferences will need to be of utmost importance when deciding to set up in person visits.  

Closed

Adoption

In a closed adoption plan, the birthparents and the adoptive family may or may not meet, but they typically will not share identifying information, and will not keep in contact after the adoption is finalized.

When choosing a closed adoption plan, you can expect to….

◦ choose an adoptive family based on non-identifying information, or opt to have the adoption agency choose an adoptive family for you. 

◦ have no identifying information shared between you and the adoptive family. However, if you would like to share contact information and meet each other, you certainly may. 

◦ have no contact with the adoptive family after the adoption process.

Closed adoptions are less common in today’s society, but they can be an option for birthparents who feel they need to keep their pregnancy and/or adoption private, or for a birthmother who feels she cannot emotionally handle having contact with her child at this time, or does not wish to meet the adoptive family.  In a closed adoption, there is no ongoing exchange of information between the birthparents and the adoptive family - except in the case of a court order due to medical emergency.  This may be difficult for the child as time goes on, if he or she has questions about their birthparents - but even in a closed adoption, a birthparent may choose to provide current contact information to the adoption agency, which would be kept confidential, and only used to gain information if necessary. If any birthmother chooses a closed adoption thru our program, all of our families are still committed to sending updates and photos to the office to be held for the birthmother in the event that she should decide she would like an update or open the lines of communication. 

If you have questions about the adoption

process, please do not hesitate to reach out to

us - we are here to answer any questions you might have, without judgement or pressure.

Children at Heart

Adoption Services, Inc.

254 N. Front Street, Suite 200

Wilmington, NC  28401

Text: 910.705.3343

Call: 910.763.4414

CAHadoptions@aol.com