Adoption Facilitators

Whether you’re an adoptive family or a woman considering adoption, you’ll have a lot of options when it comes to choosing a professional to work with. Adoption facilitators are just one of the many that you might consider working with. But, you might be wondering how they compare to adoption agencies and what makes them stand out. Below, we’ve written a guide to everything you need to know about adoption facilitators to help determine the right kind of professional for you.

What is an Adoption Facilitator?

Adoption facilitators, like adoption law centers, are unlicensed and unregulated individuals or organizations. And just like adoption law centers, they typically only provide matching services to their clients. This means that hopeful adoptive parents and women considering adoption will need to find another professional to complete the legal aspects of an adoption, along with any counseling services that may be required. However, if you are okay with contacting multiple professionals to complete your adoption, an adoption facilitator can be a helpful resource for finding an adoption opportunity.

Are Adoption Facilitators Legal?

While nearly all 50 states have some sort of restriction on the use of adoption facilitators, several states still consider them “legal.” As mentioned above, adoption facilitators are unlicensed and unregulated individuals or organizations, so they do not abide by the same legal and ethical practices a trusted, licensed adoption agency will. This makes them harder to regulate.

In late 2024, the Federal Trade Commission sent out an adoption warning letter to thirty-one adoption facilitators and consults. The letter was issued because of concerns about illegal and unethical practices, such as:

• Misrepresentation of their licensing or lack thereof
• False claims about wait times
• Inaccurate financial details for birth mothers and adoptive families
• Review suppression
• Inflated placement numbers
• Other unethical behavior

In November 2023, Congress began working to pass “The Adopt Act.” This bill aims to prohibit unlicensed adoption facilitators and intermediaries from operating and would require any adoption provider to be licensed in the state(s) they provide services.

Risks to you: With the FTC warning letters and the Adopt Act in motion, changes to the adoption process appear to be on the horizon. In addition to the increased risk of unethical and unregulated practices, if you are working with an unlicensed facilitator, these changes put you at risk of your service provider suddenly shutting down. This could cause you to have to start the entire process all over, costing you time, money, and emotional effort.

Disadvantages of Adoption Facilitators

While adoption facilitators may be able to help you find an adoption opportunity relatively quickly, there are many more disadvantages to working with an adoption facilitator than there are benefits. Below is a list of negative aspects to an adoption facilitator that you should consider.

• Lack of adoption services: Because adoption facilitators only provide matching services, this leaves adoptive families and expectant mothers on their own to find other professionals who can provide the services they need. For example, all adoptions need the expertise of an adoption attorney to oversee their case and to finalize their adoption. While an adoption agency can help connect you to an adoption attorney in your area, it can be difficult to find a reputable one on your own.
• Lack of support: The adoption process is about more than just finding a potential adoption opportunity. It is also an emotional experience that hopeful adoptive parents and women considering adoption have to prepare themselves for. Unlike adoption agencies, an adoption facilitator lacks a social service department, meaning you’ll have to work with another professional for this crucial service. A lack of a good social work team also means that expectant mothers might not have the guidance and support they need to make an informed decision about their adoption plan. This can lead to a greater risk of adoption disruption and lifelong emotional implications for unprepared birth parents.
• No oversight: Adoption agencies are reviewed annually to make sure they meet all state and federal regulations to make sure that each adoption is completed in a safe, ethical way. Adoption facilitators, on the other hand, are not. In fact, adoption facilitators are actually illegal in some states primarily because of their lack of oversight and regulation. Depending on where you live, paying an adoption facilitator to help you find an adoption opportunity could jeopardize the adoption and have serious legal consequences.
• Higher cost and unexpected fees: Working with an adoption facilitator means that you’ll have to pay for their services on top of any fees from another professional. Like an adoption law center, any cost that you may be quoted is an estimated fee, not a set fee like many adoption agencies charge. If the adoption ends in a disruption, a family could potentially lose thousands of dollars.
• Less availability: Adoption facilitators typically have a smaller staff size compared to an adoption agency. With just a few staff members, it will be difficult to have your questions answered in a short timeframe. This can be frustrating for families and potential birth parents who need help as soon as possible. If you’re looking for a professional that will be available 24/7, then an adoption facilitator might not be what you’re looking for.

How to Spot an Adoption Facilitator

When researching adoption professionals, it may be difficult to determine the differences between an adoption facilitator and an agency. The main distinguishing factors are:

Licensing: As mentioned throughout this guide, facilitators are not licensed and may not be providing services that follow state-specific laws. Reputable agencies are licensed and are regularly reviewed to ensure they are practicing legally and ethically.

Services offered: Adoption facilitators cannot offer full-scale adoption services. They focus only on matching services. This requires you to have to work with several other professionals to complete your adoption legally. Adoption agencies provide all the services necessary to complete your adoption safely and efficiently.

Staff size: Adoption facilitators typically operate either individually or with a small staff of 1-2 additional employees. Adoption agencies generally have multiple staff members, ranging from social workers, previous birth mothers, legal experts, and more.

If you are researching adoption providers, the best practice is to ask questions. Ask about licensing, how many placements they have completed, the services they provide, and more. If any of the answers don’t add up or leave you with doubts or concerns, trust your instincts and speak with a trusted adoption professional.

Adoption Facilitators and Adoption Agencies

While adoption facilitators can be a good option for certain families, a lack of oversight and regulation makes them difficult to recommend. In our opinion, it’s much safer to work with an adoption agency. That way, you’ll have a professional by your side that can oversee your entire adoption from beginning to end. And if you choose to work with a national adoption agency, all of the services you need for a successful adoption can be found in one place.

If you are strongly considering the services of an adoption facilitator, remember to ask plenty of questions about how they’re regulated and their certifications, and do your research to make sure you’re not breaking any laws in your state by working with them. If there’s one thing that you don’t want to deal with in your adoption, it’s a lack of oversight from a professional.