Adoption Agency versus Private Adoption

There are many different kinds of adoptions. This page explains the difference between private adoption and agency adoption, and why there is so much less risk involved in using a licensed child adoption agency.

Private adoption is arranged through an personal contact (often a foreign citizen, lawyer or a physician), a referral service, or an adoption facilitator. These kinds of adoptions are extremely risky. Without a licensed adoption agency supervising the process, adoption can be a nightmare. When you read horror stories in the news, these are most likely private adoptions.  In order to assure the best services are provided to everyone, it is strongly recommend you proceed only with a licensed agency.

An agency adoption is arranged through an adoption agency. The most important factor in selecting an agency is that they have met the requirements of your state and are fully licensed to provide you with a full range of professional services. To check if an agency or organization is licensed, contact them and ask for their license number and the phone number of the licensing authority. Then call the authority and confirm that the information given to you is correct. Ask the licensing authority if there are any irregularities in the agency's history. Every state has a licensing authority and each one will be glad to answer your questions. Agencies can be profit or non-profit, public or private; the most critical factor being whether or not they are licensed.