We support all ethical paths to adoption. Here are some common ones:
Agencies
Perhaps the most common path people think of, agencies have a long history of helping families adopt. When choosing an agency, some things to consider are their scope (where are they located/licensed), their primary demographic (religious affiliation, location, same sex, etc.), and their priorities (promoting open adoption, prevention of abortion, matching based on ethnicity, etc.) Agencies tend to be the most costly path to adoption because they offer a higher degree of support and guidance throughout the process. Some agencies even provide after-placement counseling options throughout the life of the adoptee.
Consultants
Similar to agencies in terms to showing your waiting family to lots of birth families, but often with a wider reach. If your priority is to be shown to as many birth families as possible, this is a good option. There is a wide range of consultancies; shop around to find one that fits your budget and desired level of support. Some will have a similar level of support to an agency, while some will ask you to keep track of more of the details.
Foster-to-adopt
Currently, this path to adoption is primarily for biological family. While it is possible for non-biological families to adopt through foster care, it is less common than it used to be. If you just want a child in your home ASAP, this is a good option for you. Kids in foster care need a soft place to land, and your home could be that place! Be prepared, however, that the child may come and go from your home to their birth parent’s home over the course of weeks to years before an adoption is finalized.
Social Workers
Some social workers work for agencies, some as consultants, some through the foster system, and some are independent. Depending on how they are practicing, connecting with a social worker may provide a smaller, more personal experience for your adoption journey.
Attorneys
Many attorneys offer adoption services. Some are active in matching birth families with waiting families. Others focus on offering only the legal services involved in finalization. You may need to find your own attorney when the time comes to finalize or there may be a recommended attorney connected to the adoption (sometimes from your side, sometimes from the side of the entity with the child).
Matching Platform
Similar in concept to dating apps/sites, you pay to create a profile that birth parents can see. If your profile matches what they are hoping to find for their child, they can contact you. This option is a good one for people who are on a minimal budget and/or like to have a lot of control over how they are being presented. Be prepared to master the platform’s algorithm to keep your profile near the top of searches.
Independent
This path can have a lot of different appearances: passing out cards with your contact information, using matching platforms, asking your social circle to keep their ears open… No matter how it looks, the priority is having control over how your journey unfolds. You will want an attorney to help with finalization, but otherwise you can do this process yourself. If you have the time, energy, and aptitude, you can drive your own bus on the path to adoption.
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Domestic Adoption
Domestic adoption is an adoption that happens within the country of which you are a citizen. For AFFGS families, this usually means in the United States. Most agencies and consultants are licensed in all states, but it is a good idea to confirm this prior to signing a contract. Be aware that whatever path to adoption you choose, the birth family has their own path. To take your child home, it is possible you may pay your agency all their fees and still have to pay the fees of the state where the birth family is located and any fees associated with the birth family’s agency, attorney, etc. Also be aware that many agencies/consultants work with EITHER birth-three years OR children over three years. If you are looking to match domestically with a child over 3 years of age, you are searching for an “older child” placement.
International Adoption
This path is typically for a particular country. An agency may have programs in several different countries, but your contract with them will be for a particular program in a particular country. Many agencies offer free information meetings to tell you their programs’ current status, including wait times and population of children (ex: ages 7 and older or medical conditions). There is a political element to internation adoption; relations between the United States and the country from which you are adopting can “open” or “close” the country to adoption by Americans. Be prepared for potential bureaucratic delays. Also know that all countries house children differently; while the United States usually employs a foster system, many countries still use institutions (aka group homes or orphanages).