Select an Adoption Agency

Step 4

Selecting an agency is an important early step in the adoption process. You will be working closely with this agency throughout the adoption process and even after the adoption is finalized, so it’s important to choose carefully. The agency you work with should be compatible with your beliefs and values, and you should feel welcome and comfortable asking questions. It is reasonable to contact a number of agencies before making your final selection.

Identify licensed agencies to interview:

• Visit the Child Welfare Information Gateway online (http://www.childwelfare.gov) and check their state-by-state directory.
• Contact your state’s Department of Human Services, Social Services, Health and Welfare, or Child and Family Services (or look in the phone directory’s government pages) and ask for the Adoption Specialist. He or she should be able to provide you with a list of agencies licensed to make special needs adoptions.
• Look in the Yellow Pages under "Adoption" or "Social Services" for licensed private adoption agencies. If you live in a small town, you may want to check in a phone book from a larger community nearby.
• Contact adoptive parent support groups or adoptive parents for suggestions. Both are a great source of information about agencies and adoption, plus they are usually eager to share what they know with prospective adopters. To obtain lists of adoptive parent support groups in your state, try contacting your state’s Adoption Specialist, NACAC (651-644-3036), or the Child Welfare Information Gateway (888-251-0075 or 703-352-3488).

Find the Right Agency for you

You might want to consider whether you would rather work through a public or a private adoption agency. Though most children who have special needs become available for adoption through the public foster care system, both public and private agencies can help you locate a child or sibling group to adopt.

In general, the differences between public and private agencies can be summarized as follows:

Public Agencies:

• charge nothing or very little for adoptions;
• may respond more slowly to inquiries;
• place mostly children who have special needs; and
• typically have flexible eligibility requirements for adoptive parents.

Private Agencies:

• usually charge more than public agencies;
• may respond more quickly to inquiries;
• have access to diverse populations of available children; and
• may target specific groups of parents for adoption (based on factors such as age, race, religion, etc.).

To find a public or private agency that is a good fit for you, your beliefs, and your situation, collect and compare information from several agencies. Most will gladly send information about their services and requirements upon request. Before selecting an agency, take the initiative to interview agency representatives by phone or in person to learn more about them. The following is a list of possible interview questions for you to ask an agency. You don’t need to ask them all, however, reading them will give you an idea of the range of topics to cover:

About the agency:

• Is the agency licensed by the state to make special needs adoptions?
• How many special needs adoptions has the agency made in the past 5 years?
• Have any of the agency’s adoptions fallen through or disrupted in the past five years? If yes, for what reason?
• What steps does the agency take to make sure that adoptions proceed as planned and do not disrupt after placement?
• Can the agency provide references from parents who recently adopted through them?

About adoptive children and parents:

• What is the general profile of children the agency places (age range, background, ethnicity, etc)?
• Who is eligible to adopt from the agency? Some agencies will consider only married couples, people within a certain age range, or people with certain religious affiliations or racial backgrounds.

About their procedure:

• What is the average time lapse between application and placement?
• What are the agency’s requirements for documents, classes, fees, interviews, travel, etc.?
• What is the agency’s policy toward applicants who do not accept the first child offered to them? Find out if you can turn down a child who is available for adoption. Ask whether you will still be considered for another child.
• Does the agency sponsor any support groups for parents.

About the homestudy:

• What are the agency’s specific requirements and guidelines for a homestudy?
• Can the agency’s homestudy be used to adopt a child from another source such as an adoption exchange or an agency in another state?
• Does the agency provide a written homestudy?

About training:

• Does the agency provide pre-adoptive training?
• What are the hours and frequency of training?
• Will both parents (if applicable) be required to participate in the training?

About the costs:

• What are the costs for an adoption, and what does each part of the process cost? What are the application fees, homestudy fees, fees for classes, anticipated travel costs, and any other potential expenses? Does the agency have fee schedules and payment plans?
• Can the agency help applicants locate and access sources of financial aid including subsidies?

About finding an adoptive child:

• Does the agency provide assistance in finding a child?
• Will the agency follow-up on children you have found on internet photo listings such as AdoptUsKids.org?
• What methods does the agency use to search for and identify available children?

About interstate adoptions:

• Is the agency willing to make interstate placements? If so, how many interstate placements have they made in the past 5 years?
• What are the homestudy requirements/fees for out-of-state children?
• Is the agency willing to release your homestudy to an agency in another state?
• Has the agency ever received "Purchase of Service" payments from another state agency?

About post-placement services:

• What services will the agency provide before and after a child is placed? Will the agency require or provide counseling or classes for you or your child?
• Does the agency provide support group activities or respite care?

Let The Agency Know You Are Serious about Adopting

When you call an agency and indicate your interest in special needs adoption, the person you talk to may ask a series of screening questions or simply volunteer to send literature about the agency. If you want to adopt relatively soon, find out how you can get the process started.

One common first step is an orientation meeting or training session for prospective adoptive parents. At the meeting or training you will likely:

• meet social workers and learn about policies and practices regarding adoption;
• learn what types of children are available for adoption through the agency;
• learn about foster care;
• be asked to examine your feelings about adoption, and judge if adoption is right for you;
• gain insight into the challenges and rewards of adoptive parenting; and
• obtain application materials.

The information on this page is used with the permission of the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC). http://www.nacac.org/