Why did you choose to work for an adoption agency, and specifically AFTH?
“I chose to work with AFTH because of our moral and ethical mission and values. Originally, I did not want to work with an adoption agency as I thought they all were there to profit off people… I saw [AFTH] was the intersectionality between an agency and a resource that so many people need. I trusted this as the founder was adopted herself. I chose to work with AFTH because of our moral and ethical mission and values.” – Christian
“I chose to work for AFTH because adoption has shaped my life in really personal ways, and I wanted my work to reflect that. As an adoptee, I’ve seen firsthand how meaningful and complex adoption can be. I knew I wanted to be part of work that supports people through one of the most emotional and life-changing decisions they’ll ever make. Working in an agency allows me to support all sides of the adoption triad while keeping the child’s long-term well-being at the center. I’m especially drawn to helping families approach adoption with honesty, preparation, and empathy, rather than idealized expectations. Being in this role gives me the chance to advocate for ethical practices, open and ongoing communication, and support that doesn’t stop at placement. Ultimately, I chose this work because I believe adoption deserves care and humility, and I wanted to be part of creating adoption experiences that are respectful, informed, and centered on real people, not just outcomes.” – Jackie
“As a Russian adoptee, adoption isn’t just my profession, it’s part of my identity. I chose AFTH because I wanted to work somewhere that views adoptees not just as outcomes of adoption, but as lifelong stakeholders in it. AFTH’s commitment to ethical practice and openness aligned with my personal values and lived experience.” – Emily
“Going into my internship, I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do, however when I saw that AFTH was accepting interns for the fall semester I knew that I wanted to do it here especially being adopted, I wanted to know more about the process besides my own and ever since then I feel like I have personally grown so much and learned more about what adoption means. Ever since I started my internship and now working, I have had coworkers reach out and talk to me/made me feel heard. This is something that I didn’t have growing up but very grateful for everyone here.” – Talia
In our next blog, our social workers respond to “How has your experience as an adoptee shaped the way you approach your work with clients? Does it change how you advocate for open adoption?.”
