Adoption agencies are often painted with a broad brush, seen as pro-life, pushing people toward adoption, or focused only on adoptive parents. But like in most situations, assumptions can be misleading, and the nuances of how agencies actually work can get lost.
At Adoptions From The Heart, our goal isn’t to convince anyone of anything. We simply want to show who we are, what our values are, and how we do our work, because how we do the work matters just as much as what we do. Adoption is not the right path for most people, and that’s okay. If someone is exploring their options, we want them to have accurate information and support as they decide what feels best for them.
What sets AFTH apart isn’t just what we say, it’s the work itself. Hospitals refer patients to us because they trust our social workers to provide unbiased information about all options. Expecting parents come to us unsure of what to do and find someone willing to explore and support every path, not just adoption.
Since our founding in 1985 by an adoptee who wanted to change the face of adoption, we’ve remained committed to open adoption and true options counseling. The quality of our support and counseling never depends on the likelihood of someone choosing adoption.
Today, we’re proud to have members of every part of the adoption triad on our staff and board. In many of our offices, social workers who are adoptees themselves bring both professional training and personal lived experience, adding depth, empathy, and insight to the work we do every day.
We will be posting 4 blogs, sharing responses to some hard-hitting questions, offering the perspectives of our social workers who are adoptees.
In our next blog, our social workers share their response to “How do you think AFTH challenges many stereotypes and misconceptions people have about adoption agencies?”
