• Logistics

The first thing to consider when choosing an adoption agency is, Where are they based? Ours happened to be headquartered out of state but had a regional office right down the road. This proved important when questions came up and we wanted some face time with our social worker and country program manager. If you are pursuing domestic adoption, does the agency operate in multiple states? Do they support both open and closed adoptions? Are they an “A to Z” agency, meaning they can handle everything from your home study to your post placement reports, or does the agency just handle matching and placements?

• Placement Statistics

Every agency is different in terms of their breadth of work. Be sure to ask how many children they placed last year. For international adoptions, which countries do they work with and how many children were referred last year? Does the agency place children with single parents or same sex couples? A great question is: “How many children have you placed with families that are like mine?”

• Timing

The timing of your adoption is important. Find out the average timeline from application to home study, from home study to approval, and from approval to referral. For domestic adoptions, what is the average length of wait until matching? Are there things you and the agency can do to shorten the wait? For international, what is the wait from referral to travel? Is there anything (such as awaiting regional court approval in country) that can extend the wait? If so, is there anything the agency can do? What does the agency do to help families as they wait? 

• Cost

It’s no secret that adoption can be expensive. What is the average cost of your prospective program? Does the agency require all the fees upfront? Do they charge more (typically 4%) if a family pays by credit card? Are any of the fees on a sliding scale based on income? For both domestic and international, there can be pricey travel expenses involved. Is there a breakdown of other fees necessary to complete your child’s adoption?

• Domestic-Specific

How does the agency present a prospective adoptive parent’s profile? How do they present the birth mother’s profile? How does the agency handle birth mother expenses? Do you pay the agency and they allocate the funds, or do you pay directly, or through a monthly stipend? What happens if a match falls through? Is there an attorney on staff licensed in state? What is the agency’s communication frequency with both the birth mother and the prospective adoptive parents like throughout the process? 

• International-Specific

How long has the agency been working in the country you’re considering? How many families are currently waiting in the country’s program? How are referrals handled? Do they have in-country reps? How does the agency get information from the orphanage/foster family after you have been matched with a child? What kind of support do they offer when you travel? What happens if a country closes? Can you switch programs? How do they handle communication between referral and travel?

• Post-Placement

It may not be at the top of your mind now, but it’s important to learn what kind of post-placement support the agency offers its families. If your child has medical or behavioral issues, will they help you navigate the system to get the resources and services your child needs? What about support for the parents? Do they offer any groups or guidance?

Unsure where to begin? Call and request information packets from multiple agencies. Look at their websites and read testimonials. If after your interview with the agency you think it might be a good fit, ask if there is a recent adoptive family you can talk to from your same program. It may seem like a lot of questions, but any good agency will be both prepared and willing to answer your questions.

Are you and your partner ready to start the adoption process? Visit Adoption.org or call 1-800-ADOPT-98 to begin your adoption journey. We have 130+ years of adoption experience and would love to help you.

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Making the decision to adopt a child can be an overwhelming decision to make but one where the benefits outweigh the doubt and nerves 100 times over. Once you decide to adopt, everyone has a story to share and the wealth of information can be exhausting.

The beginning of our adoption story started when my husband had a very serious auto accident; luckily he wasn’t hurt but it totaled his car. As he would check in with the auto shop once or twice a week as required by our insurance, he started an ongoing conversation with the girl at the reception desk about her own experience when she learned we had just started looking for an adoption agency. During one visit, she handed us what I have since then called our golden ticket: it was the business card of the woman who eventually became our adoption counselor.

We had been to several meetings of various agencies looking for a good fit; we had done a lot of conference calls trying to figure out where to start in our process; we talked to a lot of our friends who had gone through their own search asking what worked for them. For us, finding the right agency came down to developing a true connection with our counselor and sharing our core beliefs with the agency she represented.

Over the course of looking for an agency, we created a list of the things that were important to us in finding the right agency: trust was at the top of that list. As we started looking at different agencies our list evolved to include honesty, sincerity, and support. 

As our journey progressed and we became parents, our counselor left the agency within the first year of our daughter’s life. With her departure we lost our core connection to the agency and started to notice little discrepancies from what they had originally told us. At first some of those discrepancies weren’t concerning, but once we started facing bigger issues, it became evident that our own agency, the one we had painstakingly selected, no longer had the same core values as when we started our process.

Looking back on it, as we share our story with others who are just beginning their own, we give them the basics things that we felt important:

• TRUST… The agency should develop a strong relationship with you based on mutual trust.

• SUPPORT… The agency should always have your back. They should always support your decisions regardless of how they may feel about them personally as long as your decision protects the welfare, safety, and security of your child.

• HONESTY… The agency should give you peace of mind by assuring you that they will always be open and honest with you about their policies.

• COMMUNICATION… Communication is key; they should be willing to have an open line of communication with you at all times, day or night. They should be willing to give you the time you feel you need to get the full answers to every question you may have as your story unfolds.

• RESOURCES… The agency should be your number one support team. They should help you by offering or finding the resources and/or tools you need to answer questions, complete research and offer advice when you ask for it.

• UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE… They should support every decision you make for your adopted child when it comes to religious and personal beliefs. They should never try to convince you that you’re making a mistake or try to influence you to change your mind with a decision you and your partner have made.
• CONFIDENTIALITY… They should keep all personal information about you, your child, and your situation strictly confidential. Even with an open adoption there are things that you need to keep confidential.

Finding a good agency can be a difficult and tedious process, but once you find the right one, it can become the lifeline you will cherish as your own story begins.

Are you ready to pursue adoption? Visit Adoption.org or call 1-800-ADOPT-98 to connect with compassionate, nonjudgmental adoption specialists who can help you get started on the journey of a lifetime.

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What type of child will fit into your family? If you only want a newborn, then domestic infant adoption is the way to go. A Google or google maps search can show you local agencies, or check this adoption directory for ones in your state. For an idea of questions, you should ask them, browse this article. If you’re open to older toddlers, international adoption may be an option. Click here for information on how to choose a country.  If you are ready to open your home to an older child or even a teenager, then foster care is the best avenue. Contact your county’s department of social services (sometimes called other names like “family/protective services”). 

When you visualize going through the adoption process, is it important to sit down in-person with your agency’s workers and see them often? Do you value the close proximity of the agency where the birth mother may also be local and therefore easier to visit in an open adoption? For many, local feel more comfortable. Others, however, choose a nationwide agency based in another state. Or they choose international adoption. Another point to consider is whether the birth mother will have in-person counseling with the agency.

Do you know the agency’s culture/values/reputation? In order to determine the whole picture, visiting their website is only a start. Talk with the agency’s director and social workers. Google them. Read reviews on adoption sites. The best way to gauge their reputation, though, is word of mouth. I’ve heard great things online about one agency; however, the last two people I’ve talked to who used them or were waiting in their pool were unhappy with their experience.

You can also contact an adoption lawyer and see if they can provide a list of reputable agencies they’ve worked with. Ours even gave us a list of adoption agencies she advised against. All of this research seems confusing and never-ending, but it will be worth it when you finally settle on the best plan for your family.

Are you and your partner ready to start the adoption process? Visit Adoption.org or call 1-800-ADOPT-98 to begin your adoption journey. We have 130+ years of adoption experience and would love to help you.

The post How Do I Find An Adoption Agency? appeared first on Adoption Agency | Near me, International, Centers for babies.

1. They Don’t Support the Rights of Birth Parents

An ethical agency should be one of the first things you look for when it comes to making a selection. An agency that does not require that birth parents be represented by an attorney may not be the best way to go. It is in your best interest to make sure that the birth parents are represented so there are no issues with birth parents feeling coerced. The agency is representing you and taking money from you. It is clear that they have your best interest in mind. With that, they also risk losing a client and funds if birth parents choose to parent instead of proceeding with the adoption. While one would hope an agency would not place pressure on birth parents, but it, unfortunately, does happen. Make sure your agency provides or requires that birth parents be represented.

2. They Have Poor Reviews

Trust those who have come before you. While as with any review platform some reviews can be embellished or false, look for ratings and common themes. Also, keep in mind that positive reviews can also be false or embellished. Read reviews thoroughly and feel free to question the agency about them. It is also wise to join some adoption communities in your area or online that may offer agency recommendations.

3. They Try to Cut Corners

If you have ever heard of an adoption being overturned, it is because some legality was missed in the adoption process. If you are in your adoption process and your agency is suggesting something underhanded, take the money you have left and run. If your agency says something to the effect of, “The law says this, but here is a loophole” or suggests keeping a birth parent out of the information loop so that the adoption remains secure, take this as a sign to begin searching for another representative. While it is not always easy to leave an agency, it is so important to make sure all legalities are filed. At the very least, if you are in this situation, hire an adoption attorney as additional support if necessary.

4. They Seem Unavailable

You will need your adoption agency throughout your adoption process and beyond. There will be questions, follow-up, emergent paperwork and multiple other needs that you will have that simply cannot wait. If you are with an agency that takes forever to return communication, it may be worth it to seek a new agency. If they are unavailable, the wait time for an adoption match may be longer as well. Some agencies are simply understaffed and overrun with clients. Make sure your agency can give you sufficient attention and availability so you can feel confident that they will be there when you need them and are working on your adoption with a sufficient amount of time and effort.

For help finding an international adoption agency, visit Adoption.com/international.

The post These 4 Things Mean You Need A New Adoption Agency appeared first on Adoption Agency | Near me, International, Centers for babies.

What is the difference between accreditation and licensing? Here are a few things to consider:

1) Child welfare agencies or ones that are considered a “child-placing agency” have to abide by state and federal laws and statutes in order to provide services to children and families. Each state has its own set of standards that agencies must prove in order to be licensed. It is non-voluntary. If the state requires licensing in order to perform the service, then agencies must obtain licensure. From number of staff per program to education levels and how items are documented, a licensed agency must continue to uphold the requirements asked of them.

2) Accreditation is an extra step that some agencies voluntarily take. Think “best practice.” For example, a licensed agency might need to show that staff are required to obtain 15 hours per year of ongoing professional training while an accredited one may need to show that staff obtain 25 hours per year of ongoing training. In essence, accreditation standards are higher than the ones required for licensure.

3) While working with an accredited agency is useful and beneficial, it may not necessarily be required. A licensed child welfare agency should be able to assist you in the adoption process. However, it is important to research what is required in your home state and the country you desire to adopt from (if choosing international) in terms of facilitating the type of adoption that you are interested in.

4) Typically, a license lasts for a term of a few years. The same goes with accreditation. Agencies are expected to provide substantial documentation that they are upholding both the licensing standards and the accreditation standards. Often, visits by the licensing or accreditation entity will occur on site at the agency, along with a survey of staff, clients, and records.

5) Licensing is state-by-state, meaning that each state has its own set of standards. Accreditation is not state-by-state. It is a governing system that applies to each agency undergoing accreditation regardless of what state the agency is in.

Making the decision to adopt children is one of the most important ones you will ever make in your life. It is vital that you research your options, speak with other adoptive parents, and make a query with various adoption agencies. Asking if an agency is accredited is not an offense to the agency. You are beginning a wonderful journey into adoptive parenting, don’t be afraid to ask!

Considering adoption? Let us help you on your journey to creating your forever family. Visit Adoption.org or call 1-800-ADOPT-98.

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