The process of infant adoption can be confusing, so your adoption agency is there to act as your guide. It’s worth spending the time to research agencies until you find the right fit for you. Don’t be tempted to rush through your research and settle for the adoption agency that’s cheapest. It’s well worth your effort to spend the time needed to find the best agency for you and your family!
As with all big decisions, it may be tough to analyze all of the factors and then rank them. Is it important to you that the agency provides birth mothers with support and counseling? Would you like an agency located close to you? How big of an agency do you desire?
Today, we’re sharing the first step in a three-step process to help you choose the right adoption agency for you:
Step #1 Early Research
There are thousands of adoption agencies in the US. Clearly, researching all of these agencies isn’t possible. So your goal in this first step is to narrow down the amount of possible adoption agencies without contacting each one. Narrow down your list to just the agencies that fulfill your basic conditions. Think about whether you’re hoping for a local adoption agency or a nationwide one. Which pre- and post-adoption services you want your adoption agency to offer?
Here are 5 factors to keep in mind as you narrow down the list of adoption agencies:
Experience: Adoption is an intricate process, particularly when you have two states’ laws to keep in mind. You need an adoption agency that knows the process inside and out. You can determine whether or not the adoption agency has the necessary experience to help you by checking how long they’ve been in operation. Lifetime Adoption Agency Florida has over 30 years of experience in the field of domestic adoption. We’re well-versed in interstate adoption laws and requirements.
Location: Adoption is governed by state law, and most states will allow you adopt through an agency licensed in another state. So, you have the option of using a national agency or a local one. When you contract with an adoption agency which works nationwide such as Lifetime, they often have better means of reaching pregnant women considering adoption. Also, national adoption agencies often have more adoption placements and more experience.
Support to Birth Parents: An indication of a great adoption agency is what sort of birth parent support they provide. Making an adoption plan for their child is one of the most painful decisions in a birth parent’s life. A great adoption agency knows this, and keeps the best interest of birth mothers and birth fathers in mind. Seek out an adoption agency that provides counseling to birth mothers before and after the adoption. Lifetime Adoption Agency Florida offers licensed third-party counseling to our birth mothers. That way, the counselor doesn’t have a vested interest in whether she chooses adoption. In addition, we provide peer counseling from women who made an adoption plan for their child. We know that it really helps potential birth mothers to have the ability to speak to a woman who’s been in their shoes.
Completed Adoptions: The amount of adoptions completed per year is also an important element to consider. Once you sit down and interview an adoption agency, you’ll be able to get more information about their expertise. But before that, make sure that they complete enough adoptions per year to be able to help you. Lifetime completes around 130 adoptions per year, and we make sure to balance the number of adoptive families we have with the number of potential birth mothers.
Adoption Training: An exceptional adoption agency will do more for you than giving you paperwork to complete and conducting your home study. Check to see whether the agency offers adoption education. Pre-adoption education is a sign they’re invested in your long-term wellbeing as a family formed through adoption. Lifetime Adoption Agency Florida provides our clients with adoption webinars a few times a month. At these webinars, our adoption experts share various aspects of the process. Also, our webinars feature successful adoptive families who share their stories and tips. Our President and Founder Mardie Caldwell knows the importance of pre-adoption education, and saw to the creation of a clients-only membership website. It’s packed with information, articles, tips on adoptive parenting, and more! We provide waiting adoptive families with personal, one-on-one consultation with adoption professional who are experienced with both birth mothers and adoptive families.
Stay tuned to our blog for Step #2 in choosing the right adoption agency for your family!
