Placing a Baby for Adoption

Adoption: Where to Begin with Professional Help


How to Start the Adoption Process with a Professional

Adoption is a wonderful way to give your baby the brightest future possible. And, having the right professional by your side is crucial.

Knowing where to start with adoption comes from working with the right adoption professional for your situation.

Ultimately, you in control of your adoption journey from start to finish. And, your professional will be your biggest supporter in finding the right adoptive family for your child and making sure your needs come first during this challenging yet life-changing experience.

You can reach out to an adoption professional by filling out this contact form. We’d love to help you start your adoption journey.

How to Start the Adoption Process with the Best Professional for You

Adoption starts with finding the right professional for you. But, understanding why you might consider one over another can be difficult.

In most cases, you will work with one of these adoption professionals:

Every professional you talk with will offer some services that another may not offer. Below, you can discover the differences between these adoption professionals to help make your decision as smooth as possible.

How to Start the Adoption Process with Private Adoption Agencies

Private infant adoption is the most common and well‐known form of newborn adoption.

A prospective birth mother, like you, will voluntarily place their baby for adoption after finding the right adoptive family. You are the one in charge of your adoption journey.

When you work with an adoption specialist, they are your consultant throughout the process. Adoption specialists are trained and certified. Their work is reviewed and held to high standards through state adoption laws and regulations.

The Two Forms of Private Adoption Agencies

When it comes to private adoption agencies for birth mothers, there is a wide variety to choose from. If you choose private adoption, then you will either work with a national adoption agency or a local adoption agency.

A national adoption agency can work with you and adoptive families across the country, whereas a local adoption agency can work only within a certain state or metropolitan area.

A national adoption agency is almost always recommended because of its larger staff and better adoption opportunities, but you should pick the type of adoption agency that you feel most confident in.

National adoption agencies can offer you advantages like:

  • 24/7 counseling and support
  • Financial assistance
  • Adoption and hospital planning services
  • Contact mediation
  • And more

Remember, adoption will always be free for you. Many adoption agencies offer financial assistance during the adoption. Your adoption agency may provide money to help cover pregnancy-related expenses like:

  • Free prenatal and medical care
  • Free 24/7 counseling and support
  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • Legal services
  • Groceries
  • And more

If you would like to talk with a professional today about placing your baby up for adoption, then you can get free information when you fill out our contact form.

How to Start the Adoption Process with an Adoption Consultant

An adoption consultant is a person or organization that can provide limited help and guidance to expectant mothers throughout the adoption process. They make recommendations on the type of adoption agencies you can work with.

Although adoption consultants can provide information and direction during the adoption process, they cannot provide any of the necessary services in the adoption process.

But, they can help you answer some big questions to lead you down the right path, such as:

  • Which adoption agency should I work with?  
  • Is adoption free for me?
  • Do I need to hire an adoption attorney?

Understanding the Limits of Adoption Consultants

You may feel overwhelmed when considering adoption for your child. But, are adoption consultants the most helpful option?

Although the intention of adoption consultants is undoubtedly good, there are some drawbacks:

  • Difficulty verifying quality — Because there is no regulation or review, figuring out the quality of any given adoption consultant’s work is a hard thing to do.
  • Lack of services — Adoption consultants cannot perform the necessary tasks to complete an adoption, which means that you will still need to hire another adoption professional to complete a placement legally.
  • Higher costs for adoptive families — Adoption consultants charge adoptive families more than adoption agencies for fewer services. This has led many hopeful families to look for an expectant parent with another professional.

Often, full-service adoption agencies fulfill the role of an adoption consultant and provide the services and support necessary for a successful adoption.

Where to Begin with Adoption Facilitators

Adoption facilitators are unlicensed and unregulated companies that are not required to meet any standards involving education, experience, insurance or staff.

They’re usually small organizations with one or two staff members who often have no counseling background.

Once a birth parent selects a family, the adoption facilitator will refer both the adoptive and birth parents to a local professional, such as a licensed adoption agency. They’ll then remove themselves from the rest of the adoption process, and this may leave you in limbo.

Disadvantages of Starting the Adoption Process with a Facilitator

Adoption facilitators have been outlawed in some states, so this may not even be an option for you depending on where you live. You can check your state’s government website to see if using an adoption facilitator is legal.

Adoption laws exist to protect children first and foremost. Birth parents and hopeful adoptive parents want a legally secure placement for their child and, most importantly, want their adoption plan to work out.

Although it may be tempting to respond to a facilitator’s advertisement promising your pick of adoptive parents, you should first understand the many potential disadvantages of working with one, such as:

  • Lack of counseling and support
  • No regulation or oversight
  • Lack of necessary services
  • Lack of legal knowledge
  • Slower response times

How to Begin with Adoption [Why an Adoption Agency Is the Right Choice]

Many expectant mothers feel more comfortable with an adoption agency versus an adoption facilitator simply because facilitators lack the safety and comfort that come from licensed adoption agencies.

Adoption agencies have their case files, personnel files and other information reviewed annually in the state(s) where they’re licensed. And, in many cases, national adoption agencies are licensed in multiple states, creating an added layer of protection for you.

There is a lot involved in a successful adoption, as every choice you make is important. Once you’ve found an adoption agency that feels right for you, you’re well on your way to an adoption that creates a better future for your baby and yourself.

You can contact an adoption professional today and start your adoption plan whenever you’re ready.


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