Questions to Ask

ladyk5

Good Morning Everyone!

My husband and I have started our adoption journey. We’re very excited and very nervous about what’s to come. We have pretty much selected an agency, but are meeting with them tonight before submitting our application to make sure everything is as it appears and to have some questions answered. We've come up with a list, but what are some questions I should ask? Thanks J

sgb721

Approximately how many EM's do they work with each year and how many placements do they average?

Do they have a maximize number of adoptive couples they work with?

How and how often will they communicate with you?

Prior to setting your profile demographics and signing on with them- do they have a common practice of working with EMs within your profile range?

GL!!

hey_its_jenn

I would want to make sure they have the cost lined out as much as possible, sometimes that's a big shock to people.

I would also want to know what kind of post-placement support they have in place for both you and the EM.

Good luck!  Let us know how it goes! 

Dr.Loretta

How many placements vs how many waiting families. That's usually more telling than average wait time

Whether they work with single people, gays/lesbians, or those with no religious affiliation, if that's important to you.

If they have separate tracks or fee schedules for minority children

How much counseling is available for all members of the adoption triad

We asked basic licensing questions (who licenses them, how often, when was their last update)

Fee schedule and what happens to fees if an adoption falls through

What happens to your wait if an adoption falls through (do you go to the top of the list or do you go back into the general waiting pool)

If they can provide references, including references from people who have had adoptions fall through

What is involved in the home study

Do they provide guidance in completing profiles