What if the father of the baby doesn’t agree about adoption?
In Florida, an unmarried father-to-be can register with the Florida Putative Father Registry so that he is notified of an adoption plan. This alone does not establish paternity, it just means he will be notified and will have time to respond to the adoption. He still must establish paternity in most cases. He can do this by signing an Acknowledgement of Paternity if you both agree he is the father, or he can get a court order signed by a judge. A DNA test may be ordered to prove paternity to the judge. He typically must also show that he supported you through your pregnancy and prove he can care for a child to the judge’s satisfaction once the child is born.
If your baby’s father has registered with the putative father registry, is notified of the adoption plan, and does not respond within the time stated on the notification, your adoption can typically go through without his consent. If he fails to establish his paternity in the courts or the judge feels he is not suitable to parent, the adoption often can also proceed.
Ideally, the birth father will sign consent to adopt papers. Many times, a man may feel he is not living up to his duties by not parenting his child. He may also not understand what open adoption is like today. Talk to the birth father calmly and explain your reasons for choosing adoption. Try and include him in the adoption process. Maybe the two of you can choose the adoptive parents together. Let him know he can be included in the Post Adoption Contact Agreement. Have him read an article about adoption from a birth father’s point of view or listen to, She’s Pregnant: A Guy’s View of Adoption.
Your adoption coordinator is here for you to help you through any obstacles, including a birth father that is not supporting your adoption decision. She will guide you and make sure you have legal representation at no cost to you. Give us a call or text today to discuss any questions or concerns.