Adoption is...

Pact helps infants in need of adoption to grow up in permanent loving families. Birth parents of African American, Latino, Asian, Native American and multiracial children born in the US deserve new access to families yearning to adopt. Pact crosses geographic and institutional barriers, connecting children and parents who, without Pact, could not be united as family.

Pact, our name, is not an acronym. A pact is a solemn agreement between two or more parties; it is to be of one mind, to form a covenant. We want your child to come to understand how all his or her parents formed a pact to provide for the child's best interests.

Our goal is for every child to feel wanted, honored and loved... a cherished member of a strong family with proud connections to the rich cultural heritage that is every child's birthright.

...a lifelong pact.

Some birth parents contact us directly. Others come through referrals from agencies or private adoption professionals. We work with birth families from all states. Twenty percent of the birth parents we work for are teens; 80% are under the age of 30; 90% are experiencing economic stress. Many feel isolated and unsupported; for many, Pact is the sole source of emotional support. Pact embraces birth parents at a major turning point in their lives.

Pact believes that birth parents have the right to choose the family who will adopt their baby. Pact provides opportunity to consider a range of pre-adoptive families.

Pact helps bring families together in both same-race and transracial placements.

More healthy newborns of color need permanent families than prospective parents come forward to adopt. Women of color deserve the same choices, control and respect as any others who choose adoption. Your dream of becoming a Mom or Dad may exactly reflect a birth parent's wishes.

"Many things... can wait, the child cannot. Now is the time his bones are being formed... his mind is being developed. To him we cannot say tomorrow; his name is today."
     - Gabriela Mistral, Chilean Poet

Who the children are...

85% are healthy newborns
51% are African American
32% are multiracial
13% are Latino
4% are Asian

Who we are...

Pact, An Adoption Alliance, is a national non-profit organization. We are a coalition of individuals who are interested in the future of children of color in need of permanent families, adoptive parents, birth parents, adoption professionals, adopted persons and concerned citizens.

Pact is committed to leadership growth that reflects its constituency. Our Board of Directors represents the racial demographics of the children we serve.

• Beth Hall, Director
  
• Julie M. Randolph, Adoption Specialist
  
• Debra Fuqua, Office Administrator

The Next Step ...

We particularly invite individuals of color to experience the joys of adoption. Currently, our greatest need is for families with at least one African American parent. And if you wish to consider parenting a child with a racial background different from your own, opportunities are greater than you may have imagined.

You

Most essential are the desire to become a parent, a commitment to family unity, and a real interest in examining and managing life's complexities, enabling you to discover and understand your child's specific needs and challenges. If you recognize children to be unique individuals, have a sense of humor, and enjoy complexity, adoption may be right for you.

"Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation."
     - C. Everett Koop, MD

Pact can help you...

...create your plan

We will introduce you to birth parents who share your ideas. You can use our networking techniques to locate your child yourself. When we introduce you to birth parents, we will provide full information about them.

...understand the issues

Things are not always what they seem. What is the birth parent communicating? How does race matter? Can you imagine yourself entrusting a child to another family? What does it feel like to grow up adopted? How will you help your child develop a positive identity? How will your past influence your parenting style? If you live in the Bay Area, you will attend our Adoption Awareness Workshops. Families in other locations will attend classes local to them and will complete selected readings. The majority of our individualized work will be conducted by telephone consultation.

...complete your plan

Referrals for related services will be provided. Most adoptions include an "intent to adopt agreement" and a "memo of understanding" regarding ongoing contact. Both acknowledge the solemn covenant you are making - your pact. Usually, either an attorney or a licensed agency is involved in completing the legal steps. Pact will work cooperatively with other service providers and will coordinate the various efforts that will be required.

...after the baby comes home

How will you help your child develop a positive identity? What parenting issues can you expect? Continuing education will be made available on an individualized basis. Our quarterly magazine, Pact Press, addresses issues for children of color. Educational events will be made available whenever possible.

...make parenting choices.

An untimely pregnancy presents difficult choices. You have to make a big decision.... You may feel as if you have no options - but you do. At Pact, we treat you as we would wish to be treated - with respect and honesty. Look forward to individualized assistance, education, and support. You can count on us to help you understand things as they come up: how to connect with your child, how to meet the legal requirements and how to anticipate the emotional passages most people experience along this special journey. All your questions deserve answers.

...take care of yourself.

If you choose adoption, you need to understand why you will be facing a major emotional challenge. Adoption is a life-long process, not merely a way of creating a family. To prepare for the changes adoption will cause in your family, you'll need to be honest with yourself and with us. Often, unexpected feelings arise as you explore your ideas. We'll help you understand the process and provide access to other families who have adopted. You will be in charge. We'll support you.

...create a vision for your family.

Who is the child you want to adopt? What degree of openness are you looking for? What is your budget? Why are you thinking about adoption? If you considering transracial adoption, why are you looking for a child of color? How do racial issues affect your situation? Adoptions work best when everyone thinks of the other person first. Introductions to birth parents are based on the similarity of their needs and expectations to yours.

Common Questions

What is a typical birth mother's situation?

• She is in the last trimester of pregnancy.
• She may call us from anywhere in the United States.
• She is most often in good health.
• She has had some prenatal care.
• She most likely does not use drugs or alcohol.
• She does not test positive for HIV.
• She is probably between 20 and 30 years of age.
• She often is parenting at least one child already.
• She is usually under financial or emotional stress.
• She is afraid her child will hate her if she chooses adoption.
• Her goal is to find a family to love her baby forever.
• The thought of foster care terrifies her.

How long does a Pact adoption take?

If you are ready to adopt an infant of African American heritage and there are no special reasons why it might be difficult for a birth parent to choose you, expect to become a parent within six months. If you are seeking a Latino or Asian child exclusively, you can expect the process to take up to a year or longer.

Will any birth parents choose us?

Every family will appeal to someone. If you work to pursue adoption, you will become parents. Waiting for the right birth parent can take longer if:

• you already have many children;
• you are active in a religion which is not mainstream;
• you have an extremely limited adoption budget;
• you have a non-traditional lifestyle;
• you want to specify the child's gender.

None of these factors will rule you out. They will simply make the process take longer.

Is the typical adoption open or closed?

A full disclosure of identifying information is almost always provided. Birth and adoptive parent(s) are in charge of their own decisions. Most parties want to speak by phone and meet at least once before the birth. Typically, arrangements are made for planned written contact over time, with some families hoping for ongoing visits and others choosing none. Pact believes that adopted people have an inherent right to know their own birth history and family. We work to ensure that connections to birth family will remain available for as many children as is possible.

We believe...

Fee Schedule

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Pact, An Adoption Alliance a non-profit serving children of color information exploration affirmation 4179 Piedmont Ave., Suite 101 Oakland, CA 94611 (510) 243-9460 (voice) (510) 243-9970 (fax) (800) 750-7590 (Birth Parent Line) www.pactadopt.org (website) info@pactadopt.org (email)

Copyright ©1998-2004 by Pact, An Adoption Alliance
http://www.pactadopt.org
info@pactadopt.org