Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Delaware: Why Adoption Is the Better Choice

Placing Your Baby for Adoption in Delaware

Safe Haven law protects surrender, but adoption gives you more control. Find out why adoption might be a better option for your baby.

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How to Give a Baby up for Adoption in Delaware

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I’m Looking for Parents to Adopt My Baby in Delaware

Are you in a crisis and considering surrendering your baby?

While Safe Haven laws exist to protect that choice, there is a more supportive and empowering option. Maybe you’ve just given birth. Maybe you’re not ready to parent. Regardless of your situation, you can still choose adoption.

This guide will walk you through how Safe Haven baby boxes work and why private adoption offers more for both you and your child. If you want to talk with someone, call 1-800-236-7846 or fill out our online form.

How Do Safe Haven Baby Boxes Work in Delaware?

A Safe Haven baby box is a legally protected way to surrender a baby up to 14 days old, no questions asked.

Here’s how it works:

At a designated safe haven baby box location, the birth mother can open the exterior access door, place her newborn inside the bassinet, close the door and walk away. The door automatically locks to keep the child safe.

As soon as the door is shut, an alarm is activated that notifies on-site emergency personnel that a baby has been placed inside and a second internal alarm is triggered as a backup to ensure no delay in response.

Trained staff responds immediately, retrieve the baby from the box, and provide medical attention. From there, custody is transferred to the state.

Although Delaware doesn’t currently have Safe Haven baby boxes, you can still safely surrender your newborn by going to a designated Safe Haven location. These include hospital emergency departments and local police stations.

So, what happens after you place a baby in the box or surrender at a Safe Haven location? The state takes over. Your baby is placed in temporary custody and could eventually go into foster care. You won’t have a say in what happens next.

What Adoption Agencies Can Offer That Safe Haven Law Can’t

Delaware’s Safe Haven law allows you to legally give up a baby anonymously. But it doesn’t let you choose your baby’s future.

When you work with a licensed adoption agency, you can shape your child’s life. Through adoption, you get:

Financial support for housing, groceries, medical care and more.
Adoption planning that puts you in control of the process.
The power to choose your baby’s adoptive family.
Free, 24/7 counseling and guidance from licensed professionals.
Open or semi-open adoption options to stay connected.

Depending on your vision of the future for yourself and your baby, you may want to consider this alternative to a Safe Haven box.

Learn more about how adoption works in Delaware.

Emergency Adoption Options: How Agencies Can Help Right Now

If you’ve already given birth or your due date is close, it’s not too late. Adoption can still be an option.

Here are adoption agencies that can help:

American Adoptions: American Adoptions has a free 24/7 hotline. You can get the support you need right now and have someone walk you through every step.
Adoptions From The Heart (Bloomfield, Wilmington): This agency offers local help and ongoing counseling.
A Better Chance for Our Children (Wilmington, Milford): This agency supports expectant parents in crisis with both emergency and long-term planning for adoption.

Understanding Safe Haven Laws in Delaware: What You Should Know

The Safe Haven law in Delaware is called “Safe Arms for Babies.”

You can surrender a newborn (14 days old or younger) at any Delaware hospital emergency department or local police station.
You will not be asked who you are.
You’ll be offered an ID bracelet and a medical questionnaire.
Your baby receives immediate medical care and is placed in protective custody.

The hospital must notify the Division of Family Services and Delaware State Police immediately. After that, you won’t know where your baby goes.

Where Is the Closest Safe Haven Baby Box in Delaware?

Wondering where Safe Haven baby boxes are located? Delaware currently has none, so the closest locations are nearby in Pennsylvania:

Lancaster General Hospital (Lancaster, PA)
Penn Highlands Healthcare (State College, PA)
McConnellsburg Volunteer Fire Company (McConnellsburg, PA)

Understanding the Consequences of Using a Safe Haven Location in Delaware

When you surrender your baby at a Safe Haven location, here’s what happens:

You forfeit all decision making.
The state makes all future decisions about the child’s care, including who will adopt them.
The child enters the state foster care system.
The child may spend weeks, months or even years in foster care before being placed with a permanent family.
Your child’s file is sealed.
This means you will have no way of knowing who adopted your child, you won’t receive updates on your child and they may never know the story behind why they were placed.

This process provides safety, but not certainty. You won’t be involved in choosing your child’s future.

You Can Provide a Brighter Future for Your Baby — With the Right Agency

Many women wonder if adoption is better than Safe Haven. The answer? Adoption gives you more control and more peace of mind.

Here’s what you can give your baby:

Your child can grow up in a secure, structured home environment filled with consistency, routine and care.

Adoptive parents go through a rigorous process to be approved to adopt. They’ve waited for the opportunity to love and raise a child, and your baby becomes the center of their world.

Your choice can open doors for your child that might otherwise have been closed. They may one day attend college, travel, receive quality medical care and engage in extracurriculars like music, sports and art.

If you want, you can stay connected through open or semi-open adoption. You can see your baby grow up loved, healthy and happy.

An adoption professional can help you determine what type of adoption best fits your contact preferences.

What is Open Adoption?

How Private Adoption Agencies Keep Your Information Confidential

Adoption is not only safe — it’s confidential. You can choose to remain anonymous while still shaping your child’s future.

And unlike Safe Haven, adoption offers you the option to receive updates and even stay connected through open or semi-open adoption.

FAQ About Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Delaware

What Makes Safe Haven Boxes Safe for Babies?

They are climate-controlled, ventilated and lock automatically. Once a baby is placed inside, the box triggers a silent alarm and alerts emergency staff and 911 services.

Can You Get Your Baby Back After Safe Haven in Delaware?

Possibly. You must act fast. Call the Division of Family Services at 1-800-292-9582 within 30 days of surrendering to ask about reunification.

Can Safe Haven Babies Be Adopted?

Possibly. Surrendered babies typically go through foster care first. You won’t get to choose who adopts your baby.

Is There a Safe Haven Law Age Limit in Delaware?

Yes. The baby must be 14 days old or younger.

What Does a Safe Haven Box Look Like?

It’s a small, secure door labeled “Safe Haven Baby Box Drop Off” with a bed inside.

What You Do Next Matters — An Agency Can Help

Choosing adoption doesn’t mean you’re walking away. It means you’re creating a better future for your baby — and for yourself.

You don’t have to go through this alone. Reach out today for help.