If you’re beginning your adoption journey, you may have some questions on the differences between licensed adoption agencies, adoption attorneys, and out-of-state facilitators. It is very important for expecting women, as well as hopeful adoptive parents, to understand the differences and find out which will work best for your needs.

Which Path To Adoption Should I Take?

Paths leading toward adoption optionsMany people don’t realize just how much comes with an adoption service: counseling, support, ethics, safety, legalities, confidentiality, as well as long-term benefits.

The way to have all of your needs met is by going through a licensed adoption agency—and we’re not just saying this because we are one.

Let’s give you a little information on adoption attorneys and facilitators.

Q. How Do Facilitators Work?

An out-of-state-facilitator is not a service provider. They do not include counseling and will need to refer an expectant mother to counseling—which often costs money. They are also not legal workers; they rely on local attorneys to ensure compliance with state laws of both parties.

After the rights have been relinquished by the birth parents, the out-of state-facilitator’s job is done. It is up to the birth parents and adoptive family to continue any contact as well as seeking counseling for anyone in the party who needs support after placement.

In a nut shell, facilitators are middle men who are solely responsible for the matching process and not anything else related to the adoption process.

Q. What About Adoption Attorneys?

As with facilitators, adoption attorneys are not support or counseling professionals. If a birth parent or adoptive parent needs extra support, the attorney will refer them to a social worker or an agency for counseling.

The cost for the expectant mother’s attorney fees is passed onto the hopeful adoptive parents. This can be a large out-of-pocket cost that can end up being non-refundable if the expectant mother decides to parent rather than adopt.

Attorneys are not responsible for communication between birth parents and adoptive parents. Some attorneys will allow families to send in updates and letters to be picked up by the birth parents. Ethical attorneys would make sure that the birth parents receive support and counseling if needed, but it is not required for attorneys to follow up.

Q. Why Choose An Adoption Agency?

So what’s different about licensed adoption agencies?

We provide pregnant women with information about their choices as well as on-going support and counseling before, during, and after placement. There is no cost to pregnant women to use our services and only in certain situations are adoptive parents asked to assist in paying for birth parent’s expenses.

Licensed agencies provide birth parents and adoptive families with legally enforceable post-adoption contact agreements.

Agencies are also able to mediate and help with any problems between adoptive families and birth parents as well as being there to assist in managing updates and visits between the parties.

Licensed agencies only place children in families who have been already formally approved by the state’s laws and regulations through home study evaluations.

Finally, licensed adoption agencies provide a safe, secure, and neutral location for the records of the adoption as well as any social or medical information for the parties involved.

Q. How Do I Make My Choice?

When looking at all three options and deciding what is the best route for your family be sure to also consider the financial risks of all three options.

Typically full-service adoption agencies have some security in the case of a failed match to then apply the fees paid by the family towards another placement, whereas facilitators and attorney fees are often deemed earned at that point and families would need to pay additional costs for another match.

The adoption process is a unique journey and every family will have a different experience. The most important thing is to gather as much information as possible about your options before moving forward so that you can make the best educated decision to fit your family’s needs.