This is the third of several posts about the questions to ask an adoption professional (agency/facilitator/attorney/social worker) to help you on your adoption journey. Finding a reputable professional to work with is one of most important steps to having a successful adoption.
Have you completed interstate adoptions?
This is important to ask if you are expecting to adopt a child from another state. You want to work with a professional that has experience with handling the laws that go with interstate adoption. You should be informed about the ICPC (Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children) so you can make sure your adoption professional can effectively help you.
Can you provide a list of references of former clients?
This is important because these adoptive families can give you open and honest information about the adoption professional. This may be your most valuable resource for finding out if you can trust them and be comfortable working with them. Ask for at least five references. If they won’t give them to you, start looking for another professional.
What type of education and preparation is offered to us?
When you work with adoption professionals, they will offer or at least refer you to additional education or seminars or informational meetings. They may also be able to connect you with local adoption support groups. These can be a great help as you prepare to adopt.
When my wife and I started our first adoption process, we had no idea which professional to use for domestic infant adoption. We did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions before we felt comfortable.
There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to selecting an adoption professional. It is very important to find reputable ones, but you also need to have a level of trust and comfort with them.
Here’s a single printable checklist titled 12 Questions for adoption professionals.
Here is a site that shows adoption professional ratings: Adoption Agency Reviews
You can start looking for your adoption professional at adoption.com or at MyAdoptionAgencies.com.
What do you think? Are there more questions that you’ve found helpful to ask an adoption professional? Enter your comments below or email me. I’d love to hear from you!
