When considering which professional to assist you, it’s essential to understand the difference in services provided by an adoption agency, an adoption consultant, and a private attorney. The adoption process can be overwhelming financially, legally, and emotionally. This information can help you determine which one best fits your needs.
| Adoption Agency | Consultant | Attorney |
|---|---|---|
| The expectant mother receives counseling and assistance. | The expectant mother does not receive counseling or assistance. | The expectant mother does not receive counseling or assistance. |
| The potential adoptive parents receive training, education, and ongoing counseling. | The potential adoptive parents receive adoption support and guidance. | The potential adoptive parents receive no education or support |
| A caseworker completes the home study. | Referrals are given for home study providers. | Potential adoptive parents search for a home study provider. |
| Caseworker coaches and guides the potential adoptive parents in creating their online Profile and provides marketing. | Consultant coaches and guides the potential adoptive parents in creating and marketing their Profile. | No assistance given in creating a Profile or marketing a Profile. |
| Expectant mother (and father) select a pre-screened and pre-approved couple. Birth parents can meet several couples before deciding. | Offers advice to adoptive parents when deciding whether to accept a match. | The attorney attempts to find a birth mother, or family finds birth mother. |
| Can handle an Identified Adoption where birth parents and adoptive parents meet and bring their relationship to the agency. Both still receive counseling and legal assistance. | Consultants are not licensed and cannot provide legal representation. | Handles an Identified Adoption where birth parents and adoptive parents meet and bring their relationship to the attorney. Both receive legal assistance. |
| Individual caseworkers provide continued counseling for the birth parents and the adoptive parents. | Provides support and advice for the adoptive parents. | Only offers legal representation. |
| Agency communicates with hospital staff regarding adoption plans. Provides separate advocate for birth and adoptive parents. In-person emotional support during hospitalization. | Birth mother arranges hospital stay. | Birth mother arranges hospital stay. |
| The agency handles legal details for the termination of parental rights. | Birth mother and adoptive parents must find legal representation for the termination of parental rights. | The attorney handles the legal details for the termination of parental rights. |
| The agency staff assists the birth mother during the post-adoption grieving process. | No assistance for a birth mother post-adoption. | No help for a birth mother post-adoption. |
| The agency guides birth and adoptive parents on building an open adoption relationship. | No guidance is given to either the birth mother post-adoption. | No guidance is given to either the birth mother or adoptive parents post-adoption. |
| Provides post-adoption supervision to adoptive parents between the time of placement and finalization. | No further assistance is given. | No further assistance is given. |
| Prepares post-adoptive report for the court and consults with attorney facilitating finalization. | Adoptive parents must consult an attorney to handle the legal proceedings for finalization. | Prepares documents for the court and handles legal proceedings for finalization. |
| The agency remains available to counsel the birth mother, child, and adoptive family throughout the years. | There is no further contact. | There is no further contact. |
