Is anyone working with more than one agency?

Go_Dawgs · January 2010

We're all set to use Lutheran Social Services, but today my paralegal told me about a woman at church who works in adoption. I just spoke with this woman, and it turns out she runs a local adoption agency. The fee is even lower than with Lutheran Services, but she just started running the agency and said she doesn't have a lot of birth mothers right now.

In reviewing the documents for both programs, I don't see anything about us needing to exclusively work with the agency. Neither agency has any large up front costs, either. Most of the money with Lutheran is due after the surrender and the revocation period expires, and with this other agency 50% is due at the match and the other 50% after the revocation period. With the second, if the birth mom changes her mind, the agency refunds the 50% of the placement fee minus money spent on travel.

As long as one of the agencies is willing to accept the home study from the other agency, I'm not seeing a reason why we couldn't just sign up with both agencies. Am I missing something here? Is anyone else doing this?

Go_Dawgs · January 2010

I spoke with Lutheran Services and they said they accept other home studies, but still charge a $1,500 fee to "make it their own." I then called the other agency, and she said that she would be happy to accept Lutheran Services home study and has no problem with me working with both agencies at the same time. So it looks like that is what we'll do!

CaptainSerious · January 2010

Sounds like a great plan!

I've been thinking about your question, and didn't have a suitable answer, because my contract has an exclusivity clause. I was hoping to see if anyone else had any thoughts on this situation or any head-ups about possible things/conflicts to be aware of if you go this route.

Since LS is giving you the green light, it sounds like a wonderful plan. Good luck!

Amy720 · January 2010

We sent for and filled out applications for 4 different agencies. Each agency said it was fine to work with other agencies. We ended up adopting from an agency we weren't even working with when our facilitator got an e-mail from an agency looking for an immediate family for a baby that was already born and the facilitator sent the info to us and we contacted the agency and the rest if history. We had to fill out the application packet from the agency and send in all the paperwork after we were home with Ben. They just needed the money and the home study at the time of placement.

PSU-NCBride · January 2010

We were working with three agencies. None of them had any application fees and they all allowed it so we didn't see a draw back. We were, however, careful to not submit for multiple cases at a time.

WinWed · January 2010

Wow. Seems like you might have an opportunity. Our agency doesn't accept home studies from other agencies.

waxboyd · January 2010

We started out with one, then worked with 3 because they needed families for AA babies. We worked with them all for quite a while and even other agencies from time to time for individual situations (word of mouth through our social worker, a friend, etc.).

Nevertheless, we wound up pulling all of the plugs doing international anyway. :-P

mrsdrkwaver · January 2010

Our agency has been very quiet lately so we were encourages to look into other agencies. I found one in PA that would use our agencies homestudy we have not signed with them since our agency since has picked up a bit but we will keep them on hand incase we need to.

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Is anyone working with more than one agency?

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