In Maine, adoption agencies should be one of the greatest supporters to both prospective birth mothers and hopeful adoptive families throughout the entire adoption process.

Adoption agencies in Maine are licensed organizations that help with the placement of infants between pregnant women considering adoption or couples looking to adopt a child. But, reliable and reputable adoption agencies can be hard to find right away.

If you’re wondering how to find an adoption agency in Maine, we created this guide just for you.

American Adoptions, specifically, is a full‐service, licensed national domestic adoption agency — and we could be the right adoption agency for you. But, no matter the adoption professional you choose to work with, the top adoption agencies in Maine will assist you in every step from start to finish, giving you the best experience.

If you have specific questions about how to choose an adoption agency in Maine, you can call us at 1-800-ADOPTION or get free information online here. But, below are a few common questions we’re asked as an adoption agency in Maine.

Questions to Ask an Adoption Agency in Maine [Finding the Right One For You]

There are plenty of adoption agencies and adoption professionals available in Maine. But, trying to sift through them all may feel overwhelming.

It is best to find the right agency for you that carefully and responsibly handles your lifelong decision of adoption. Below are some questions to ask an adoption agency in Maine whether you’re a pregnant woman considering adoption or a couple looking to adopt:

• Can we get better adoption opportunities with an adoption agency?

• What is your estimated cost of adoption, and what is included in that cost? (Remember: Adoption is always free for a prospective birth parent.)

• What kind of adoption advertising do you provide?

• How is your agency licensed?

• Do you offer pre-and post-placement support and guidance?

• How do you prevent adoption disruptions, and how do you protect families if a disruption does occur?

You should get a clear understanding that the agency is the right fit for you through the adoption professional’s responses. Look for compassion and transparency in their responses.

If you want to feel confident and secure during your adoption process, American Adoptions has many notable services, which include:

• A risk‐sharing program for adoptive families

• 24/7 birth parent support and counseling

• Better adoption opportunities

• And much more

If you have any further questions about how to choose an adoption agency in Maine along the way, adoption specialists at American Adoptions are ready to answer. You can speak to one for free when you call 1-800-ADOPTION.

In the meantime, this guide will show you how to find an adoption agency in Maine, the three different types of infant adoption agencies and the five ways to tell you chose the right one.

Your 3 Primary Adoption Agency Options

While there are a variety of adoption professionals, there are essentially three types of adoption agencies.

• National adoption agencies

• Local adoption agencies

• International adoption agencies

5 Must-Have Services From the Best Adoption Agency in Maine

Doing some careful research on each option should help you make your agency decision easier. Let’s dive into the five “must-have” services that will benefit you best on your adoption journey.

1. Look for an Agency that Offers 24/7Availability, Counseling and Support

The adoption process can be challenging and emotional for both prospective birth parents and hopeful adoptive families, but knowing how to find an adoption agency in Maine that is right for you can be such a reward in the end.

There will be times along the way when you need to talk to your adoption specialist at a moment’s notice, only it may be outside normal business hours. The best adoption agencies, like American Adoptions, understand how this can be an issue. So, we have 24/7 adoption specialist availability — we’re always ready to help at a moment’s notice.

Placing your baby up for adoption is difficult but selfless. A prospective birth mother is the only one in charge of her adoption, but there is professional help to guide you through the emotions of adoption in every step of the process with 24/7 counseling and support.

Whether you’re far along in the adoption journey or just now considering adoption, this kind of counseling and availability is a crucial part of making your experience a great one with any adoption agency.

2. Look for an Agency that is Full-Service

A full‐service adoption agency has everything you need for your adoption all in one organization and is dedicated to helping both prospective birth parents and adoptive families every step of the way. However, it’s the best adoption agencies that are both full-service and licensed.

Each state government reviews licensed adoption agencies annually. This typically adds a layer of security and protection for adoptive families, prospective birth mothers and children.

With other adoption professionals, such as adoption consultants, adoption law centers and facilitators, you’ll only receive partial help with necessary adoption services. As of July 2020, non-licensed facilitators and intermediaries are not allowed in the state of Maine. This means only licensed adoption agencies like American Adoptions can assist in adoption arrangement and advertisement.

3. Look for an Agency that Provides Financial Transparency

If you are a prospective birth parent, the adoption process is completely free for you.

However, the cost of adoption is often an adoptive family’s biggest concern. The process can be expensive. Reliable adoption agencies should be transparent and honest with you and will give you their cost of services up‐front before you make any decision to commit to them.

Doing plenty of your own research about what adoption costs you should expect to pay can help you with how to choose an adoption agency in Maine.

Cost estimates from top-rated adoption agencies should include the total:

• Administrative expenses

• Legal expenses

• Medical expenses

• Living expenses

Also, be careful of hidden fees or agency fees that increase as the adoption goes on. Reliable adoption agencies will give you the complete picture up-front when it comes to the cost associated with adoption.

4. Look for an Agency that Offers Financial Protection for Adoptive Families

Adoptive families can experience adoption disruptions at a moment’s notice for a variety of reasons. While this is not incredibly common, it is possible. A prospective birth mother is the only one who gets to choose the adoptive family, and she can change her mind about them or the adoption itself at any point — up until giving her adoption consent.

If this becomes the case, an adoptive family may have already invested considerable money into the adoption.

It’s the good adoption agencies that will be respectful of the birth mother’s choice and protect the financial investment of hopeful adoptive families. But, it’s the best adoption agencies, like American Adoptions, that have a comprehensive risk-sharing program.

This adoption disruption insurance financially protects adoptive families and refunds any money invested in the adoption, including the expenses mentioned above and termination fees. This money is returned directly to the adoptive family, so they can decide if and when to pursue another adoption.

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

5. Look for an Agency that Provides Nationwide Advertising

The process of showing adoptive family profiles to prospective birth mothers and finding adoption opportunities for adoptive families is known as “adoption advertising.”

While some agencies only advertise locally (for legal or financial reasons), the best adoption agencies invest significantly in advertising across the country. This can create better adoption opportunities, which is a common concern for people when they think about how to find an adoption agency in Maine.

One birth mother, Casey, was barely getting by on minimum wage jobs when she made the selfless and brave choice to pursue adoption through American Adoptions for her 2-year-old twin boys. She wanted her boys to have a good, promising future and for them to have parents who would be present in their lives.

“Some people are a product of their environment… I didn’t want the streets to raise [her boys] because I’m so busy trying to provide for them,” Casey said. “I wanted them to have a father figure.”

Casey’s adoption specialist knew just the couple to fit her needs: Kim and Dave. Casey watched their video profile and they all met up in Casey’s hometown the very same weekend.

“The way I knew they were the family for my birth sons was when we went to the park,” she said. “The boys wanted to go down the slide, and their dad took the initiative not to take them up to the slide by themselves but to go down the slide with them.”

There are many American Adoptions stories like this, all showing the beauty of adoption and the overcoming of its stigma. You can also read Casey’s full adoption story here.

American Adoptions works with a variety of families across the U.S. to provide prospective birth mothers with the information they need to have a successful adoption advertising resource.

Our Final Thoughts

There are many other qualities to look for when searching how to find an adoption agency in Maine, but these five “must-have” benefits are a good place to start.

If you have more questions about how to find an adoption agency in Maine or about the benefits of working with American Adoptions, you can call 1-800-ADOPTION. You can also visit our online contact forms for prospective birth mothers and hopeful adoptive parents. 

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.