Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P. – Answers Questions About Adoption

Adoption may seem easy, but the more people research adoption, the more questions they inevitably have.  Adoption expert Mardie Caldwell has been helping expectant mothers, adoptive parents, birth families, adoptees, and others for more than 30 years.  Through her nationwide adoption agency, Lifetime Adoption, she has directly assisted in thousands of adoptions. Through her podcast, Let’s Talk Adoption, her team speaks to others in the field of adoption each week, answering listener questions along the way.

Years ago, when Mardie started her own adoption journey, there was no internet. She researched at the library, with a variety of adoption books – some outdated and some more modern.  Open adoption was a “new concept” at the time and she eagerly saw the benefits of an open relationship for all members of the adoption triad – the birth family, adoptive family, and most importantly the child.

Understanding that different types of adoption may have more or less opportunities for openness, many of her answers encourage that contact, as is now considered best practice in the adoption industry.  She has met and spoken with many birth parents who placed before that was an option and has heard their heartache of never knowing how their child was doing.  This has helped and encouraged Mardie to be a strong advocate of open adoption.

Here, we are gathering many of her most frequently asked questions in order to help educated and share her wisdom and experience.  Learn from them or submit your own. There’s always room for more questions and answers when it comes to the intricacies of adoption.

Please keep in mind that each state (and country!) has different laws in regard to adoption.  Mardie is not an adoption attorney and recommends that everyone consult an adoption attorney with specific questions that are of a legal nature.  Laws change constantly, so updated advice is always the best recommendation!

We’d love to hear from you as we continue to add questions (and answers!) for adoption questions.  Take a few moments to ask the adoption expert your question!