Adoption Agencies

 Agencies come in a variety of forms. They can be for-profit or non-profit. They can be public or private. They can be licensed or unlicensed.  The most important fact for you to remember is that agencies are licensed, and you are advised to only work with a fully licensed non-profit agency.

Ask any agency you call for their adoption licensing authority and the phone number you can call to check that they are legitimate. If they say they don't have one, then they are not a licensed adoption agency. Forget them and call someone else.

Next, you want to make sure the agency meets your needs. Take some time to develop a list of questions that are important to you and make sure they are able to address your concerns.

1. Ask if they are licensed. But be very careful. Make sure it is a licensed adoption agency you are dealing with and not just a referral service.
2. Are they able to domestic and international, interstate and intrastate adoptions thus increasing your options?
3. Given their adoption restrictions, dan they help you regardless of your age, marital status, whether you have children or not, if you have a divorce history, if you are still undergoing infertility treatments, if you are working with other agencies, regardless of your life style, etc.
4. Ask about their process for screening and evaluating adoptive families. Find out how many visits they have with you and what they review during these visits. Are your sessions group or individual sessions.
5. Ask about the qualifications and experience of the person who interviews you. And ask what type of verification they get about your health, employment, and income.
6. How do they handle the financial aspects of the adoption concerning legal, agency, travel, foreign fees,  and other expenses?
7. What countries do they work with?
8. Check to see if their counselors are specially trained and qualified and not just another staff person who is hired to answer routine questions or to "sell" the agency to you.

Make sure the agency goes over all your options and not just what they offer.

Finally, eliminate anyone who pressures you into working with them or into doing something quickly.

If you would like additional information and assistance regarding an international child adoption from Russia, Guatemala, China, or other country, please feel free to contact us.

Thank You,

Dr Vince Berger
and the staff of Adoption Services