5 Things the Best Adoption Agencies Have in Common

How can you find the best adoption agency to work with?

No matter what type of adoption you want to pursue, certain qualities stand out across the board. Although no two adoptions are the same, this guide lists five key factors to look for when choosing your adoption professional.

Remember, you can contact us online at any time to get more free information now. We are always happy to answer your questions. For now, though, here are five characteristics that the best adoption agencies have in common.

1. Fully Licensed and Full-Service

If an adoption professional is not licensed, then this is a massive red flag. Each state has its own adoption laws and regulations. Licensed professionals are usually the top adoption agencies because they’re reviewed by a third party from each state the agency is licensed in.

This ensures proper conduct and adds a layer of security and protection for adoptive families, prospective birth mothers and children.

Reputable adoption agencies are licensed and fully accountable for their practices. Their work meets high legal and ethical standards, and they can prove it.

There are several types of unlicensed adoption professionals, such as consultants, facilitators and law centers, whose work is never checked by objective reviewers. Working with this type of adoption organization can leave families open to greater risk.

Not only are the best adoption agencies fully licensed, but they are also full-service. A full-service agency is equipped to support adoptive families and prospective birth mothers through the entire adoption process.

Adoption organizations that are not full-service will pass their families off to another professional at some point in the process, which can be confusing and frustrating. But, this isn’t something you’ll experience at top-rated adoption agencies.

2. 24/7 Counseling and Support

There are many complex emotions of adoption. Sometimes, you may need to talk to your social worker right away, but they might not be available outside normal business hours. The best adoption agencies, though, are available to help you 24/7.

In addition to being there for adoptive families during time-sensitive moments, 24/7 counseling and support is also available for prospective birth mothers.

If an expectant mother is considering adoption and gets an answering machine instead of a kind, caring person on the phone, then they are probably going to turn to other organizations that can provide immediate support.

The top adoption agencies are always there for birth mothers. No matter how far along they are in their adoption journey, accessible counseling is vital, and good adoption agencies understand that.

American Adoptions provides a level of support adoptive families like you and birth parents deserve. You’ll never have to worry about the availability of your adoption professional.

3. Financial Transparency and Honest Estimates

The cost of adoption is a common concern for hopeful adoptive families. Not only is raising a child expensive but so is the adoption process itself.

The way an adoption agency handles adoption fees can tell you a lot about whether or not they are one of the best adoption agencies to work with.

There are two main character traits to look for here: transparency and honesty.

The best adoption agencies don’t present “best-case scenario” estimates to lure families in. They’ll be honest about the likely cost and what that cost covers. Cost estimates from top-rated adoption agencies include:

• Living expenses
• Medical expenses
• Legal expenses
• Administrative expenses
• And more

If an adoption professional gives you a cost estimate that seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Watch out for fees that increase as the process moves along.

American Adoptions is one of the reputable adoption agenciesthat gives you the complete picture up-front when it comes to how much everything will cost. This helps you prepare for the financial investment of pursuing adoption and turning your dreams of building your family into a reality.

4. Financial Protection for Adoptive Families

Along with being transparent about costs, good adoption agencies protect your financial investment. Adoptive families can experience adoption disruptions for many reasons. Although disruptions are rare, they do happen.

There is an emotional loss when an adoption disruption occurs. But, depending on the adoption agency you work with, there doesn’t have to be a financial loss, too.

The best adoption agencies have a comprehensive risk-sharing program that protects adoptive families’ investments in the case of a disruption. These adoption agencies will refund all the money back to the family, not just keep the money by “rolling it over” into future adoption opportunities.

One of the reasons why American Adoptions is considered among the best adoption agencies is because of our industry-leading Risk-Sharing Program.

This program ensures that you receive 100% of your money back in case of a disruption, and it won’t be through a predatory “roll over” process.

Unfortunately, these rollover policies are much more common than true risk-sharing programs. But, the best adoption agencies protect your adoption investment by refunding money directly.

So, look for an agency whose risk-sharing program will cover most, if not all, the money you’ve invested in an adoption opportunity.

5. Nationwide Advertising

In adoption, advertising is when an adoption professional shows family profiles to prospective birth mothers during the matching process. The best adoption agencies make advertising one of their top priorities.

They can also advertise across the country, which gives you the chance to connect with as many prospective birth mothers as possible.

When an adoption professional advertises nationwide, you aren’t limited by geography. This ensures that your family profile reaches expectant mothers regardless of where you live in the U.S.

Advertising is an afterthought for some adoption professionals, but the top adoption agencies dedicate plenty of time and attention to it. Also, they can offer lower adoption wait times because of their national scope.

When you work with us, we will help you create a video profile to show all the wonderful aspects of your family. This helps increase your chances of quickly finding the perfect match with a birth parent that that specifically chooses you for her child.

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Although there are many other qualities to look for in the best domestic adoption agencies, these five traits are an excellent place to start.

If you have more questions about finding the best adoption agency or about the benefits of working with us, then you can get more adoption information now by filling out our online contact form. We are here for you whenever you need us.

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.