Adoption Program Philosophy

All of Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska's programs are rooted in the philosophical belief that children grow and develop most successfully in families, and ideally, in birth families. LFS' pregnancy counseling program assists birth parents in considering the various parenting options and helps them prepare for the option they choose. The Agency recognizes that after honest exploration of all the options available, some parents will choose adoption.

Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska's adoption program exists because LFS is committed to finding the best possible family resources for children. The program does not locate children for families. The Agency believes this is the most ethical model from which to offer services in an unbiased manner. The program respects the right and privilege of birth parents in choosing the adoptive family who will parent their child.

The adoption program emphasizes a belief that the establishment of an ongoing direct relationship between the birth and adoptive families (open adoption) best serves the needs of everyone. In an open adoption, the birth parents retain principal responsibility for defining the desired level of ongoing openness in the adoptive placement There is great variance in the degree of openness sought and achieved in each adoption.

Because of the limited number of placements facilitated by Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska in any given year, the Agency is highly selective in choosing the best possible resource families for the placement of children relinquished for adoption. The adoptive family selection and preparation process seeks to identify those families who are most committed to open adoption and the best interests of children. A healthy adoption experience requires integrity, open-mindedness, flexibility, the ability to improvise, and the ability to take reasonable risks and be comfortable with the outcomes.