Picking An Adoption Organization

If your daughter has decided to make an adoption plan for her child, she has lots of different choices. First, will she work with a licensed adoption agency or directly with adoption lawyers?

Questions to ask the adoption agency or adoption lawyer:

• How many adoptions has the organization facilitated?
• How much choice can the birthmother have when selecting parents? How many waiting couples are currently in their portfolio? (Related question for you to decide: How much choice do you want? Do you have only general criteria, or do you have a long wish list that the waiting couple should match?)
• Can the organization arrange medical care or contribute towards medical bills? If so, how much and for what expenses?
• Can the organization arrange for you to receive monetary assistance for living expenses or school expenses? If so, how much and for what expenses?
• Can the organization arrange or provide counseling before, during and after the adoption?
• Does the organization provide adoption services only in your state, or in every state? (Related question for you to decide: Do you want to select a waiting couple that lives in your state or that may live in a different state?)
• Ask which adoption professional affiliations the organization is a member of.
• What are the adoption-related philosphies that are foundational to the organization? (Is adoption just a business to them? Has anyone on staff been a birthmother? Has anyone on staff been an adoptive parent? Is adoption facilitation based on religious ideals?)

Check up on the organizations that you are interested in. Contact the Better Business Bureau of the state where they are located and see if any complaints have been filed against them. Don't be shy about asking to see proof of licensing or any service review documentation. Ask if there are birthmothers who have worked with that organization that are willing to talk to you (even though these are likely to only be those women who are happy with their services). There are hundreds of adoption agencies and lawyers, so find someone you're really comfortable with!

Our book "How To Survive Your Teen's Pregnancy" has several chapters about different issues surrounding adoption, which you may find helpful: "Should She Parent Alone?", "Should We Adopt The Baby?", "Should She Make An Adoption Plan?"