Adoption Facilitator vs Adoption Agency: What’s the Difference?

Choosing the right adoption professionals is one of the most important decisions you can make throughout your adoption process. Whether it’s through an adoption facilitator or agency, you want to find a provider that practices safely, legally, and ethically. But what is the difference?

Here, we explore adoption facilitators vs. adoption agencies—not only the differences but also the potential risks you are exposing yourself to when choosing one over the other.

Adoption Facilitator vs Adoption Agency: What’s the Difference?

Understanding the difference between the two adoption service providers could save you time, effort, and money and even help you avoid scams or failure.

What is an adoption facilitator?

Adoption facilitators are unlicensed and unregulated organizations or individuals. They offer adoption matching services but cannot offer full-scale adoption services such as:

• Counseling services
• Legal services
• Post-placement support services

Adoption facilitators are not regulated or reviewed and often provide services that do not comply with state or federal adoption law. Facilitators expose you to a higher risk of practices that are not being completed in a safe, legal, or ethical manner.

What is an adoption agency?

Adoption agencies are licensed, federally regulated organizations that provide all necessary adoption services. Agencies are monitored and reviewed to ensure they are providing the highest level of safe, legal, and ethical services. Their services include:

• Adoption education
• Counseling services
• Legal services
• Pre and post-placement support services
• Home study services
• And more

To set accurate and realistic expectations, adoption agencies provide transparent cost, wait time, and placement information for hopeful adoptive families. The best agencies offer financial protection programs to help families avoid financial risks in the case of an adoption disruption.

Risks of Unlicensed Adoption Facilitators

If you find yourself comparing adoption agencies to adoption facilitators, it is highly recommended you lean towards working with a trusted, licensed agency, as it appears changes to adoption laws are on the horizon.

In late 2024, the FTC sent out a letter warning 31 adoption facilitators and consultants or potential violations. “It has come to our attention that companies that provide marketing, advertising, or consulting services in connection with matching prospective adoptive parents with birth parents for private adoptions (“adoption intermediaries”) may be violating the FTC Act or the Consumer Review Fairness Act.”

The agencies involved are subject to further monitoring and additional actions, such as permanent closure of their adoption operations. These service providers could also face fines up to $50,000 for each infraction moving forward.

In addition to the warning letter sent by the FTC, in late 2023, Congress introduced the “ADOPT Act,” which aims to make unlicensed adoption intermediaries, consultants, facilitators, and agencies illegal in the United States. All adoption services would have to be provided by a licensed adoption agency.

What Does This Mean for My Adoption?

These changes could abruptly end a service provider’s ability to operate. If you are working with one of these agencies when that happens, you could be out time, money, and effort. Other risks you face when working with an adoption facilitator include:

• Disruption or failure
• Higher costs and financial loss
• Scams
• Unethical and illegal practices

With something as important as adoption, you want to put yourself in the best position for success. While a facilitator may offer matching services, the risks of failures outweigh any potential advantages they appear to offer.