Guidelines for Choosing an Adoption Agency or Attorney
Choosing an adoption agency or attorney is a task in which there are several opportunities. Therefore, below is a list of suggestions of some ideas for both birthmothers and adoptive parents in making your decision.
Suggestions:
- Get referrals from friends or others that have adopted or have placed their child for adoption, or ask the an agency for a list of referrals
- Ask how long the attorney has been doing this line of work
- Find out if the attorney/agency has ever had any disrupted adoptions, and why
- Seek out and develop a list of the attorneys that meet your basic needs
- Find out what services they provide before and after the adoption
- Find out the costs of the adoption and what must be covered by the birth family or the adoptive family
- Ask if the agency places minority or biracial children
- Find information on open verses closed adoption and the attorney’s views and experience with both types
- Ask about the contract
- Ask about Adoption Plans and Decrees
- Inquire about the availability and credibility of counseling
- Adoptive Parents:
- Ask how long the average wait is for a couple in your situation
- See what the procedures are on finding out the health of the child
- Get an idea of how involved the birthparents’ parents are with the attorney, and find out how the attorney deals with birthfathers
- Birthparents:
- See what procedures are on finding out the health of the adoptive parents
Last Updated: 01/2004