If you’re pregnant and considering an adoption plan for your child, or you’re a family who has decided to adopt a child, one of the first things you’ll want to do is connect with an adoption agency. Even if you’re undecided on what you want to do, they can help answer questions and explain your options. Once you’ve decided that adoption is something you want to pursue, the adoption agency will act as your guide, facilitating the process for you.

But some people wonder if you actually need to go through an agency in order to have your child adopted or adopt a child?

Technically, independent adoption is legal in most states. This means families are able to adopt a child without going through an agency. Instead, they work directly with the birthmom and attorneys. While this may seem like a more straightforward way to pursue adopting it tends to leave about the most important element of the adoption process: a relationship. Adoption should never be approached as a transaction, but rather should include building relationships and not just paperwork.

Also, despite what some may think, the cost of independent adoption isn’t lower.

And so, the large majority of people work through an adoption agency. After all, the process of bringing a child into this world and transferring parental rights to another family is complex, involving medical, legal, and emotional needs.

An adoption agency is very experienced in this process. They are able to greatly simplify things for their clients, while serving as a constant source of support and encouragement.

Supporting Birthmoms

While it’s not always the case, many pregnant women who choose adoption weren’t expecting to be pregnant. Because they weren’t ready to have a child, they’re not certain what to do. Often, the father is not in the picture, and they don’t always have parents to turn to.

An adoption agency helps expecting moms understand their options, provides critical information, and walks with them through the process of bringing another human into this world.

They can also help the birthmom make an adoption plan and decide what to look for in an adoptive family. Even after the child has been adopted, an ethical adoption agency remains a resource for birthmoms.

Guiding Adoptive Families

Adopting a child is a significant undertaking. Before you can truly start, background checks and other paperwork will need to be completed. An adoption agency helps with facilitating this process, making sure adoptive families check the necessary boxes.

Once a family has been approved to adopt, the agency helps them create a family portfolio and works to connect them with an expecting mom. Expecting parents often have specific criteria they are looking for in an adoptive family. An adoption agency helps ensure that the child is placed in a home that fits the desires of the biological parents’ desires.