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MAY 2002

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Adopting Angels

Some life experiences can change our lives in all facets and on all levels. Nearly three years ago, Gainesville native Shannon Barr was actively seeking a life altering experience. She wanted an addition in her life in the form of a child to love. At the time she was pursuing the adoption of a child, she was earning firsthand experience with the system along the way.

Her successful adoption brought her the little angel she yearned for, but also left her with opinions about the process and a belief that there must be a better way. The experience not only changed her personally but also professionally.

“I did not like the way the birth mother was treated,” said Shannon. “She was giving a gift and I didn’t feel as if there was enough personal touch in the process among other things.” Her deep feelings led her to pursue the qualifications necessary to open her own state licensed adoption agency.

This past July, the change in her professional life came with the opening of Little Angels Adoption Agency. With her adopted son as her inspiration and with better ideas born from her own adoption experience, she is facilitating what she calls “a second chance” for both adoptive families and birth mothers. As the only private agency in Gainesville operated by an individual, as opposed to an entity, she is unique in her own right.

With Shannon’s feeling that the birth mother, through her sacrifice, is giving the child a chance to come into world, the birth mom herself a chance to begin again, and for the adoptive family a chance to love and raise a child, everyone is getting a second chance. Shannon’s focus is to provide a degree of personal attention to both parties that she did not experience.

Her work begins when prospective birth mothers and adoptive parents with interest in giving or receiving a child contact her. For birth mothers, Shannon provides initial counseling that is free of bias in order to give the birth mother a chance to decide if the ultimate outcome is what she wants. Shannon provides portfolios of potential families for the birth mom to make the choice of who she wants to have the child.

In addition, Shannon provides oversight for the birth mom for prenatal care by making sure that physician appointments and transportation are in place, and that the mother has access to proper food and shelter during her pregnancy. If the birth mom has selected a family and is having subsistence difficulty, oftentimes Shannon will arrange for a stipend provided for by the adoptive family that will see the mother through.

Shannon continues to be a resource for the birth mom at the time of delivery and provides counseling with a social worker after birth. This counseling is to help the birth mother make the final decision to relinquish rights to the child or not, and if so, helps to lesson the trauma.

For the prospective families, Shannon helps guide them through the process of becoming qualified by the State of Florida to adopt a child. Letters of reference, background checks, financial ability reviews and social worker interviews, are some steps in the process that adoptive parents benefit from Shannon’s expertise.

If you are pregnant, and feel that you cannot raise the child and want to find a better way, or, if you desire to adopt a child, Shannon Barr’s Little Angels Adoption Agency has the guidance and solutions you seek.

For more information give Little Angels Adoption Agency a call at 378-8225. Ask for Shannon.