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The process of adoption has changed dramatically within the last 20 years. For many couples the traditional route of adoption was to adopt a child from a licensed agency. Adoption was considered a private matter and little information was available to perspective adoptive couples and birthparents alike. Private adoptions were often coordinated between a physician and an attorney on behalf of a patient and adoptive couple.
The tides have changed and today there are many more options open to all parties in what is now commonly referred to as the adoption triad. The once closed doors of adoption have sprung open with an ever increasing amount of information becoming available and more avenues open for birthparents and adoptive families to pursue.
One of the changes in adoption today is that adoptive parents and birthparents have a choice on who to turn to when adopting or placing a child for adoption. Following is a description and comparison of the various parties who assist in facilitation of adoption.
Agency Adoption
Typically, adoption agencies are licensed by the State in which they are located; these agencies may be classified as public or private. Public agencies are usually non-profit organizations which are affiliated with a government agency. Private agencies may be privately owned and operated businesses or may be affiliated with a religious or other social service organization. Private agencies can be for-profit or non-profit entities. In the case of both public and private agencies, state licensed social workers assist birthparents and adoptive families in the adoption process.
Private Adoption
When most of us think of the term "private adoption" we envision an attorney, specializing in the legal issues of adoption, arranging and finalizing an adoption on behalf of a birthparent and adoptive family. However, adoption facilitators are now a growing member in the adoption community. In most instances, adoption facilitators are themselves adoptive parents who take on the task of helping others adopt. They possess a wealth of knowledge gained through their personal experiences and radiate enthusiasm and passion. However, it is important to note that unlike an adoption attorney or agency, facilitators are not trained in the area of adoption but are instead self educated. In most instances, facilitators are not licensed or regulated and do not fall under the jurisdiction of any State or Federal agency.
Comparison of Services--Agency vs. Private
Agencies offer adoptive families a variety of services including: completion of a mandatory homestudy, medical and biographical information intake concerning birthparents, placement of a child, supervision during placement prior to finalization of the adoption, and representation at the adoption hearing.
Services to birthparents include: prior screening through the homestudy process of adoptive families, counseling and emotional support prior to and after the birth and placement of a child with the adoptive family, and financial assistance during pregnancy, delivery and 8- to 12-weeks postpartum.
In the private adoption arena, services vary drastically depending on each provider. It is important to note that it is the role of an attorney to oversee and attend to the legal aspects involving adoption. One attorney may simply handle the legal filing of adoption paperwork and represent the adoptive family in court. Another attorney may obtain signatures from the birthparents on relinquishment documentation. While a third attorney may assist birthparents and adoptive couples in meeting and creating a match for the purpose of placing a child for adoption and subsequently filing the necessary adoption paperwork with the court.
Adoption facilitators may be referred to as the modern day "matchmakers" in the world of private adoption. Facilitators tend to network with attorneys, birthparents and adoptive families. Their networking helps bring birthparents and adoptive families together for the purpose of the birthparent placing a child with a family for adoption. In the case of private adoption, only a birthparent is able to place a child for the purpose of adoption.
In their matchmaking endeavors, facilitators obtain information from both birthparents and adoptive families which may be shared with each party for the purpose of encouraging a match between the parties. Since, in most cases, neither attorneys nor facilitators are licensed or trained social workers, the term "screening" of birthparents or adoptive families seems to be an inaccurate description of the information intake they perform.
Comparison of Costs
It is literally impossible to quote costs or offer guidelines for costs in the area of adoption. In most instances throughout the United States, public and private religious social service agencies tend to be the most inexpensively priced. Most State and County agencies are in desperate need of adoptive families for the children in their care and therefore seem to be the lowest cost alternative for adopting families. Organizations such as Jewish Social Services and Catholic Family Services offer sliding scale fees based on a familyÕs yearly income. These agencies may also be retained for selective services such as preparing a homestudy for another agency or in the case of a private adoption.
Private agencies may offer adoptive families an all in one fee or an al la carte menu of fees including an application fee, program fee, homestudy, medical expenses of the birthmother, placement fee, supervision after placement, document preparation and filing costs and counseling fees for the birthmother prior to and after the placement of a child.
Attorneys customarily charge a professional fee, document preparation fee and recording costs. It is the responsibility of the adoptive family to obtain and pay for a homestudy, legal/medical and counseling bills of the birthmother (if applicable), and other miscellaneous costs involved in the adoption. Some states permit adoptive families to pay "reasonable" living expenses for the birthmother of their child during her pregnancy and postpartum.
Many facilitators charge application and program fees. In addition to these fees, the adoptive family must retain an attorney, obtain a homestudy and may be responsible for the fees and expenses outlined in the previous paragraph.
It is difficult to say which option an adoptive family should choose in making a decision as to whether to use an agency, attorney or facilitator when adopting a child. Adoption has been referred to as a matter of the heart and it may seem cold to view it as a business transaction; but it is important to view it as such.
Before choosing an agency, attorney or facilitator to represent you in an adoption, contact the licensing agency, Better Business Bureau, Office of Consumer Affairs and/or the State Bar Association to see if there are any complaints registered against the business or individual you are thinking of working with. Obtain and contact references as well. Contrary to the national media's high profile coverage of adoption heartbreak stories, there are many more success stories than failures. Best wishes to all of you who are on the road to adoption.
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