Here’s the final step in the three-step process of choosing an adoption agency! Last week, we shared how you can effectively interview adoption agencies.
 
The third and final step is to make your final decision on which adoption agency you’ll contract with. At this point, you’ll probably have just two or three adoption agencies that you’re seriously considering. The agencies should not only meet your criteria but also feel like a company you’d be happy working with. However, you still have some more research to do.
 
The adoption agencies you’ve been in communication with should be able to provide you with a list of references. At Lifetime Adoption Agency Florida, we share a long list of references and their contact information with all prospective adopting parents. Our references are adoptive families who have adopted using our services, and so they can answer questions such as what to expect with a Lifetime adoption. We suggest that you contact as many of the references an agency provides you with, to gain a bigger picture. If the adoption agency you’re talking to doesn’t provide you with referrals, consider it a red flag!
 
It’s also smart to see if there have been complaints made against an adoption agency. Since there’s is no central website where complaints against adoption agencies are stored, you’ll have to check a few different places. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) records complaints against adoption agencies. Check the BBB website for all cities in which the agency operates. The BBB provides complaint information by phone and online.
 
An adoption agency’s standing within the adoption community is another factor to keep in mind. We suggest that you take online reviews with a grain of salt, since the anonymity of the Internet sometimes brings out the worst in people, especially with such an emotional topic as adoption.

Last week, we shared step #1 in how to choose an adoption agency that’s right for you: early research. Today, we’re giving you step #2: interviewing potential adoption agencies.

Ensure that you’re picking an adoption agency you feel comfortable with; trust your intuition. The agency is going to direct you the sometimes puzzling path towards adoption. Selecting an adoption agency is a complex decision and depends on what you’re seeking in adoption.

Now that you’ve done some research and narrowed down your list of potential adoption agencies, it’s time to get more information and get a feel for the agency and its staff. We suggest contacting each agency from your list and scheduling a time to talk with them. This interview could take place in person or over the phone. Make sure you set aside enough time for the interview because you probably have lots of questions to ask. If you need help thinking of questions to ask them, check out this post: Discover What You Need to Know About Your Adoption Professional.

Don’t just email adoption agencies your list of questions. So that you can decide whether you see yourself trusting the agency to help you bring your child home, you need to actually talk with them. You’re looking for more than just their stats such as average wait time and the amount of successful adoptions per year. You’re also trying to measure if you trust them to help you build your family. Take thorough notes during the interview, not just about the information they provide, but also on their attitude and values.

After the interview, take some time and examine if you’d enjoy working with them. Consider their stance on subjects important to you, their overall manner, and how helpful they were.

Keep an eye on our blog next Monday, when we’ll share Step #3 in choosing the right adoption agency for your family!

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!