[SadieAnn]

We have a potential bmom who may be contacting us. Trying to get up to speed on Ohio adoption law. We do not live in OH. I see it's 72 hours before consent can be signed? Is in non-revokable? Assuming bfather is not married to bmom does he also have to wait 72 hrs before he can sign consent? Can consent be signed at hospital or in agency office, or must it be in front of a judge? I "think" Ohio has a putative bdad registry? If so how does that work? Any add'l info is appreciated. Thank you!

[denisenw5]

I am an adoption social worker in Ohio. If you and your potential birth mother decide to use an agency in Ohio to do the placement, then the earliest she can sign the permanent surrender is seventy-two hours after the baby's birth. (Provided she has met with and completed paperwork with a certified adoption assessor in Ohio). She does not have to appear before a judge. The surrender is permanent. Where the paperwork is signed is decided by the birth mother. She could choose to sign at the hospital, her home, or anywhere she chooses. Ohio has a putative father registry. A birth father has thirty days from the baby's birth to register. If he registers, then the case would potentially be heard by a judge. If he does not register, his rights are permanently terminated on the thirty-first day. If the birth father is involved, he too must wait seventy-two hours before signing and must meet with an assessor. Hope this information helps. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any other questions about Ohio adoption law. I will help however I can. Good luck!

[bromanchik]

Please remember the seventy-two hours is a minimum. They can sign anythime after that. They should not be rushed into signing anything.

[denisenw5]

I totally agree that a birth mother should not be rushed into signing a surrender. I often have adoptive families wonder how much time a birth parent has to sign. The earliest they can sign is at seventy-two hours, but they can sign at any point after that -a week, a month, etc. When working with an agency, birth parents typically have their own social worker who would advise them of their options of signing at the seventy-two hour marker, placing the baby with couple(if both parties are open) until a decision is made, taking the baby home until she decides, or placing the baby in foster care until she decides.