- How long do we have to decide before the referral is withdrawn? Is there a time limit? If so, why?
- Which attorney represents this referral?
- What is this attorney's average timeframe from referral to pickup?
- How long has the agency been working with this particular attorney?
- Is there a facilitator (or more than one facilitator) also involved in this particular referral? If so, how many? Who are they, specifically, by name? And what role will they play, vis a vis the attorney and agency? (This is a major issue...sometimes, they never tell you that the baby is not only represented by an attorney, but there are one or more facilitators also involved who can complicate a case. Ask about the facilitators by name with other parents...some of them are known to be utter nightmares.)
- Baby's date of birth?
- Location of birth? (this will matter later on birth certificate issue)
- Is it a relinquishment or abandonment? (Typically, an abandoned baby should only be offered once he or she is available for immediate adoption, but it doesn't always happen that way with some agencies...)
- At what age was the baby relinquished or abandoned?
- Is the birth mother underage?
- What else does the attorney know about the birthmother? Did she have any prenatal care?
- Where was the baby born? Hospital, home, clinic?
- Was the labor complicated?
- Does the baby have any known health problems? When can I get the medical reports?
- Can I get weight, head circumference, Apgar scores (if available) at birth?
- Can I get current weight, current head circumference?
- Can I get any monthly medical reports for an older baby?
- Do you have a birth certificate right now for this infant so that the Power of Attorney (POA) can be done right away?
- How quickly can I get a POA on this baby once I accept the referral?
- Where is the baby now? Foster home or hogar (orphanage)?
- Has the baby been in just one place, or has she/he been moved since birth?
- Where is the birth mother? Is she far from Guatemala City? How does the attorney typically handle things such as birth mother signatures, DNA appointments, etc. for an out-of-city birth mother? Does he/she send someone to transport the birth mother, or rely on her to get there?
DO YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS OR POINTS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE ADDED TO THIS LIST? If you have any feedback or additional thoughts, please email me now.
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