How to Select an Adoption Agency: Four Steps to Get You Started

1. Contact the Interstate Compact Office (http://icpc.aphsa.org/) in your home state to get a list of adoption agencies that are licensed in your state. While seemingly obvious, many people skip this step and regret getting this adoption information later in process.

2. Ask the tough questions from the beginning. Beyond the qualifying basics like age, marital, religious or sexual orientation requirements you should interview agencies to determine their appropriateness for you. You want to get as much adoption information as you can. Once an agency makes the ‘short list' then it is time to really drill down and ask:

How many successful adoptions has the agency completed over the past year? It pays to be specific. If you are at all concerned with the race or ethnicity of the successful placements-ask about that specifically. This is not the time to be shy: if you want a Caucasian infant, find out the agency's success rate in placing Caucasian infants.

How do you match adoptive parents to birth parents and what are the matching criteria? In some cases the birth parents chose and in others the agency does. Make sure you are comfortable with the way you will be matched with a birth mother and know the criteria that an agency will use.

3. Find the adoption agency that fits your personality. Armed with your list from the Interstate Compact Office and the answers to the tough questions you can make an informed decision. Remember, you never should compromise your personal integrity or values to meet an agency's ‘requirements'.  There are many adoption agencies to choose from. So there truly is an agency for all adoptive parents, but every agency is not right for every family. Shop around until you feel comfortable.

4. Money matters: Yes, sad but true, money does matter. So make sure you understand and are comfortable with the agency's fee structure, including payments you are expected to make to the birth parent for expenses. Most agencies divide their fees over the entire course of the adoption-so be wary of an agency that asks you for the bulk of the fee 'up front' or offers to expedite the process for an additional fee. As with most things, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Find out what the policy is if the birth mother changes her mind at the last minute. Most reputable adoption agencies will apply any fees (less fees paid directly to the birth mother for expenses) to a new adoption.

Choosing an adoption agency takes time and patience, so try and stay focused on the end result. If you do your homework, gain all of the adoption information you can and trust your gut, you will make the right choice.