Text of the provision

Sec. 4. Counseling Service. – The Department shall provide the services of licensed social workers to the following:

(a) Biological Parent

(s) – Counseling shall be provided to the parent

(s) before and after the birth of his/her child. No binding commitment to an adoption plan shall be permitted before the birth of his/her child. A period of six

(6) months shall be allowed for the biological parent

(s) to reconsider any decision to relinquish his/her child for adoption before the decision becomes irrevocable. Counseling and rehabilitation services shall also be offered to the biological parent

(s) after he/she has relinquished his/her child for adoption. Steps shall be taken by the Department to ensure that no hurried decisions are made and all alternatives for the child's future and the implications of each alternative have been provided.

(b) Prospective Adoptive Parent

(s) – Counseling sessions, adoption fora and seminars, among others, shall be provided to prospective adoptive parent

(s) to resolve possible adoption issues and to prepare him/her for effective parenting.

(c) Prospective Adoptee – Counseling sessions shall be provided to ensure that he/she understands the nature and effects of adoption and is able to express his/her views on adoption in accordance with his/her age and level of maturity.

Domestic Adoption Act of 1998, Republic Act No. 8552 (1998). Reproduced in full from the official enactment and verified word-for-word against the LawPhil and ChanRobles renderings.

What this section means

The Department must give licensed social workers to birth parents, prospective adopters and the child. No binding commitment to an adoption plan may be made before the child is born, and the birth parent is allowed six (6) months to reconsider a decision to give up the child before that decision becomes irrevocable. Prospective adopters get counselling, fora and seminars, and the child gets sessions so he or she understands adoption and can express views according to age and maturity.

Related provisions

Cases citing this section

Note. The text above is reproduced in full from Republic Act No. 8552, verified against the LawPhil and ChanRobles renderings. The annotation around it is the work of Vivas & Nobles Law Office and is general legal information, not legal advice. How a provision applies to a particular situation depends on facts that only a lawyer reviewing your case can assess.