The task of choosing an adoption agency or attorney involves a number of options and possibilities. The following suggestions are designed to help both birthmothers and adoptive parents in their decision-making process.
Suggestions:
- Get referrals from friends or others that have adopted or have placed their child for adoption, or contact an agency to get a list of referrals.
- Ask how long the attorney has been involved in this line of work.
- Find out if the attorney/agency has a history of disrupted adoptions, and if so, the reasons why.
- Research and develop a list of attorneys that appear to meet your requirements.
- Find out what services they offer both before and after the adoption.
- Find out the costs of the adoption and the financial obligations of both the birth family and the adoptive family.
- Ask if the agency places minority or biracial children.
- Ask about open versus closed adoption and the attorney’s views and experience with each type of adoption.
- Ask about any contractual obligations.
- Ask about Adoption Plans and Decrees.
- Inquire about the availability and type of counseling.
- Adoptive Parents:
- Ask how long the average wait is for a couple in your situation.
- See what the procedures are in place to establish the health of the child.
- Try to learn how involved with the attorney the birthparents’ parents are and how the attorney deals with birthfathers.
- Birthparents:
- See what procedures are in place to determine the health of the adoptive parents.
Last Updated: 07/2014
The post Choosing an Adoption Attorney appeared first on American Pregnancy Association.