Are you a new mother who is unable or unwilling to care for your newborn baby?

Don't abandon your baby.

Under the Safely Surrendered Baby law you can safely surrender the baby within three days of birth. This law was enacted to spare the life of the infant by encouraging the parent or person with lawful custody to safely surrender the infant at a "safe surrender site" within 72 hours of the child's birth rather than abandon the baby in an unsafe location. The Safely Surrendered Baby law offers a safe alternative to abandonment of a newborn baby by providing freedom from prosecution and safeguarding the confidentiality of an individual who safely surrenders a baby within 72 hours of birth at a designated safe surrender site. All you need to do is give the baby, who must be less than four days old, to an on-duty employee at a hospital or safe surrender site in California. A confidentially coded ID bracelet will be placed on the baby’s ankle and a matching bracelet offered to you or the surrendering person. The bracelet helps connect you to the baby should you subsequently want the baby back.

Safe Surrender Sites Hotline

To help make this process easier there is a new statewide, toll-free hotline
(1-877-BABYSAF) or (1-877-222-9723)
that gives information about safe surrender baby site locations throughout California where you can hand over your newborn baby
with no shame, no names and no blame.

More Information

Get more information about this program from brochure Pub 400

Find some answers at Safely Surrendered Baby Campaign Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Click here to go to the Social Services home page.