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Are you looking to grow your family through the adoption of a newborn baby? In this blog post, we will go over the differences between adoption agencies and consultants. I want to ensure that you choose the right adoption professional for you, which is why I’m here to help you understand the important differences as well as the pros and cons of each. Once you have decided that you want to adopt a newborn baby through domestic adoption, the next step is to do a Google search. Unfortunately, there is an overwhelming amount of information out there on which direction you should go, which is why I am here to help!

Adoption agencies

An adoption agency is a licensed organization that places children in adoptive homes. They are staffed by trained professionals and are regulated by the state. Agencies take the profiles of adoptive parents, like you, and they present them to biological mothers that are looking into adoption for their unborn child. Essentially, they do the advertising for you.

Adoption agencies are expensive because they give you an all-inclusive service that includes pre and post-placement, preparing adoption home studies, matching adoptive families with expectant mothers, and providing counseling and support for birth mothers. Some may provide counseling for adoptees and adoptive parents as well.

Be sure to ask the adoption agencies you are considering for an outlined list of services they provide, find out what rules they have, and make sure they are licensed.

Adoption consultants

Adoption consultants work a little bit differently. Not all of them are licensed, so I would caution you to carefully vet adoption consultants during the selection process. That being said, there are great adoption consultants out there and many of my clients have been happy with them.

Adoption consultants essentially act as the middle man by educating clients and assisting them through the adoption process. They generally work with several adoption agencies to help you make contact with biological mothers by showing them your profile. After that, they will let you know if the mother is interested in your family for adoption.

Adoption consultants cost you much less because they don’t include adoption home studies, provide you with classes, or provide professional counseling. However, they do oftentimes give advice and feedback on creating adoption profiles, guide clients through the uncertainty of the process, and offer advice on the Home Study process.

As with adoption agencies, it is important to do your research. Consultants are not regulated or licensed, so you will want to make sure they are doing everything ethically.

Tips for choosing the right professional

I’ll say it again, always do your research. Ask a lot of questions and if you can, talk to someone else that has been through the process with that agency or consultant. Always ensure there is transparency between what you are paying and what you are receiving.

Now that you know a bit more about adoption agencies and consultants, I hope you can make a more informed decision about which adoption professional is best for you and your family!