How do you feel about a mother being able to turn her baby over to someone without government interference....good idea or not?

Umm, I'm neither....but I don't think that'd be a good idea essentially. Adoption is making a non biological child your child officially. So you have all the parental responsibilities and rights to said child. It's strictly for legal purposes because in a way, 'private adoption' is already being done. How many children are or have been raised by an aunt, uncle, grandparent, godparent? Lots.

If a woman has someone lined up to take care of her baby, that's ideal. I prefer the idea of Private Adoption to the convoluted mess of public adoption and social services.

It's tough to say. It'd be great to be able to do things without government interference, that's always a good thing. But if the mother changes her mind, it would lead to difficulties.

Forgiveness_Man wrote:

It's tough to say. It'd be great to be able to do things without government interference, that's always a good thing. But if the mother changes her mind, it would lead to difficulties.

Also, a woman who is desperate to not be the mother of her baby may make a hasty decision about who to give the child to; not taking into consideration if they are totally suitable. I'm not against private adoption, but in some cases it definitely wouldn't hurt to have CPS in the loop.

^^^^Another valid point. I think maybe they need to have adoptions with less government interference that isn't so private that a kid can just have custody changed by dropping him on a relative's doorstep. I'd look for some sort of middle ground.

I have never equated a family member being handed off a child to private adoption. I think of private adoption more having to do with a birth mother seeking a couple privately, sans adoption agency, to adopt her baby.

I would be willing to bet that at least 80% of family members raising a baby that was born to family member are not valid adoptions in any manner, and that few are even bonafide foster care situations.