Once you have determined the type of adoption you want to pursue, you need to choose an agency or facilitator (or contact the appropriate agency for adopting out of foster care). Since I adopted through an agency, I do not have experience with adopting through a facilitator or adoption attorney. I would imagine that many of the issues I discuss would apply to facilitators and attorneys as well. I welcome comments from people who have adopted through facilitators, adoption attorneys, or any other private adoption avenue.

There are many issues to consider when selecting an agency. I, personally, did not know this, and I really lucked out in stumbling upon a quality agency. Unfortunately, not every agency has the integrity that our agency does, so it is very important that you research an agency before agreeing to work with it. Two of the biggest issues to consider if you are adopting domestically are (1) how the agency treats its placing mothers and birthmothers; and (2) how the agency’s fees are structured. These are such important issues that I have written one post for each. Another big issue for me was the question of how long I would have to wait to be matched with a placing mother. While there are no guarantees about how long this will take, most agencies can provide you with an average wait time for their adoptive parents.

If you are adopting internationally, I do not believe that either of my two biggest issues would apply. (If you have adopted internationally, feel free to comment on this.) However, you will want to know how much experience an agency has with handling adoptions through another country. You want to work with an agency that is very knowledgeable about the country where you are adopting. Personal references are particularly helpful because people who have adopted through an agency can tell you firsthand about issues that arose and provide advice for avoiding pitfalls. Also, make sure that your agency is accredited by the country’s government from where you are hoping to adopt. For more information on selecting an agency for an international adoption, check out Selecting an International Adoption Professional. Also, be sure to check out the blog that applies to your country of interest. I have provided links in my post Adoption Decisions: International Adoption.

Related Links*:

• Choosing an Adoption Agency



• Choosing An Agency - Part 1


• Choosing An Agency - Part 2


• Choosing An Agency - Part 3

*I have included links to posts written for placing mothers who are choosing an agency. An adoption is best when it meets the needs of all members of the adoption triad. Hopeful adoptive parents should research what is best for the placing mother as well and seek out an agency that meets the needs of all.