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How to Find an Adoption Agency
The right adoption agency can make all the difference between a troublesome adoption process and one that is hassle-free. Judicious selection and careful research are vital elements to selecting the right agency. Below are some tips on how to find an adoption agency that caters to your requirements.
Step 1: Keeping a Consumer Perspective
Before going about the process of selection, it is important to have the mind-set of a consumer. Hence, it is critical to gather in-depth information pertaining to adoption agencies, the adoption process as well as individual state requirements about adoption in the US. All options must be evaluated thoroughly along with the different adoption programs which are available. If a certain option looks like it is limited, it is important to do more research on an alternative. Once all information has been gathered, it is time to take the next step.
Step 2: Asking Appropriate Questions
When understanding how to find an adoption agency, it is crucial to ask certain questions to the agency to assess their quality and credentials. Aspects like the training provided by the agency for different kinds of adoptions, how the agency prepares the parent for international adoption or for adoption of children with disabilities as well as tertiary support services offered by the agency are critical parameters to assess the prospective agency. The agency should also ideally provide help for those families who are dealing with post placement issues. If an infant is being adopted domestically, the agency should provide counseling for the biological parents. If the adoption is being carried out across states, the local agency should help to satisfy requisites of ICPC or Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.
Step 3: Networking to Gather Information
Getting in touch with an adoption support group can prove to be invaluable when gathering information about prospective adoption agencies. In this manner, parents who have already adopted from an agency would be able to shed more light on the efficiency and helpfulness of that agency in question. Sometimes, the smallest of details like agency personalities, their quirks and efficacy, will only be available with parents who have worked with the agency before.
Step 4: Fees and Payments
An important factor to consider once the standard complexities have been taken care of is that of the fees involved. The fees are in lieu of the agency's services and hence there is no real guarantee of getting a child. Therefore, agencies which require upfront payment of all fees should be regarded with suspicion. Should the agency hike up its fees, you need to have the flexibility to cancel the fee agreement.
Step 5: Looking out for Warning Signs
When going about how to find an adoption agency, certain signs may imply the agency is a fraud. For example, adoption agencies which promise the guarantee of a child even before family assessments or those, which promise that the biological parents will give up rights to the baby prior to birth, are suspicious entities. Agencies, which do not require any fees toward home study, are also likely fraud entities.
When considering how to find an adoption agency, it is imperative to devote sufficient effort and time. This saves hassles, stress and monetary loss in the future. Selection of the right agency will entail a smoother adoption process.