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Adoption is an incredible way to grow your family. It is also a selfless and loving decision for those who are not yet ready to become parents. Whether you are a hopeful parent looking to adopt, or an expectant mother considering adoption, you may be wondering how to start the process.
In general, there are three primary types of adoption today. These include:
- Foster care adoption, in which a child is adopted through the Child Welfare System
- International adoption, in which a child is adopted from overseas
- Private adoption, which involves adopting a baby in the U.S., using an agency that has closely worked with a birth mother to create an adoption plan
This article will focus on private adoption and private adoption agencies.
If you are considering adoption, whether as an expectant/birth parent or someone hoping to grow your family, you may be wondering what role a private adoption agency plays in the process. Private adoption agencies, like Adoptions With Love, offer personalized, comprehensive support throughout every stage of the journey. From counseling services and legal guidance to matching and post-adoption support, these agencies are here to help you make informed, thoughtful decisions in a caring and confidential environment. In this blog, we will break down what a private adoption agency is, how it works, and how it can support you.
What is Private Adoption?
A private adoption is an adoption in which the expectant/birth parent(s) choose to make an adoption plan for their baby. In other words, they voluntarily place their baby for adoption, often with a family of their choice. This is different from foster care and international adoption, where many children are placed due to difficult circumstances that are out of the biological family’s control.
Private adoptions are most often domestic, infant adoptions, and are therefore the most common path to adopting a baby in the United States today.
While some private adoptions are independent, most expectant/birth parents will work with a licensed agency to find an adoptive family for their baby. This ensures the baby is placed in a safe and loving home. Private adoption agencies also provide the birth mother with important services, like counseling, throughout her pregnancy and beyond.
A family hoping to adopt a baby in the United States will typically go through a private adoption agency, as well. This ensures that the adoption is both legal and safe, and that the birth mother has been supported every step of the way. In Massachusetts, it is required that prospective parents looking to adopt a baby privately work with an adoption agency licensed by the Commonwealth.
What is a Private Adoption Agency?
A private adoption agency facilitates private infant adoptions. These agencies work closely with expectant/birth mothers to create loving, thoughtful adoption plans and to find the best possible family for their baby. Private adoption agencies also work directly with families hoping to adopt.
Learn More About Private Adoption
The Role of a Private Adoption Agency
A private adoption agency can make the journey to adoption easier for everyone involved. Whether you are looking to adopt or thinking about making an adoption plan for your child, you can get the supportive services you need with the right private adoption agency. The following is a brief breakdown of the role a private adoption agency can play and how it can support your needs throughout the adoption process.
Matching Birth Parents and Adoptive Families
One of the key roles of a private adoption agency is to match adoptive parents with their child. Expectant/ Birth parents can feel confident that their child is going to a safe, stable, and healthy home with the support of their adoption agency. This is ensured with the Home Study. This process takes several months for adoptive parents to complete and includes a thorough screening and background check, multiple at-home visits and interviews, and the review of medical and financial records.
Expectant/birth parents choosing adoption have the power to select their child’s adoptive family. Through their private adoption agency, they can browse adoptive family profiles of those ready – and approved – to adopt.
Matching adoptive parents with their children is a quicker process with the support of a private adoption agency. At Adoptions With Love, for example, most adoptive parents wait less than one year, from completion of their home study, before adopting.
Legal Assistance and Paperwork
The private adoption agency also takes care of the legal process for birth and adoptive parents. At Adoptions With Love, for example, the team of adoption attorneys are well-versed in adoption laws by state and can help both parties understand the adoption process.
Adoption attorneys can also help you determine your rights, answer your questions, and – most importantly – ensure your adoption is carried out safely, smoothly, and legally.
Providing Counseling and Support
A private adoption agency also covered counseling services for both birth and adoptive parents. For expectant/birth parents planning adoption, this service is free of charge and is encouraged before and after the adoption is complete. This counseling care is available 24/7 for those going through the adoption process. Adoption is a life-changing experience. It is important for a private adoption agency to support the mental and emotional health of its expectant/ birth and adoptive families.
What are the Benefits of Working with a Private Adoption Agency?
When a woman chooses to work with a private adoption agency, she gets to make many choices throughout the process. After choosing the adoption path, she can choose the type of adoption plan she desires. She also has the opportunity to choose the family to raise her baby. All hopeful families that work with private adoption agencies are carefully screened, with interviews and background checks, before they are approved to adopt. For an expectant/birth mother, this can provide great peace of mind in knowing her child will be raised in a safe and stable home.
Private adoption agencies also provide many services to expectant/birth mothers making an adoption plan. These include education about adoption, financial assistance, and counseling before, during, and after the adoption plan. You can learn more about the role of a private agency for birth mothers here.
When a hopeful family chooses to work with a private adoption agency, they can ensure their adoption is carried out safely and legally. In many states, working with a licensed adoption agency is mandatory for private adoption. Otherwise, an adoption cannot be made “official.” In addition to legal security, private agency adoptions also protect families financially. For example, if an adoption falls through at Adoptions With Love, the placement paid will be returned to the prospective adoptive family. Finally, adoptive families can rest assured that the birth mother has been counseled, educated, prepared for, and guided throughout the adoption journey.
When an adoption is finalized, the work of a private adoption agency does not end. Many agencies, such as Adoptions With Love, will offer an array of services to families long after the adoption is finalized. This includes, but is not limited to, Search and Reunion Services, Open Adoption Communications, Post-Adoption Counseling, and Letter and Picture Programs.
Private adoption agencies support all members of the adoption triad – birth parents, adoptive parents, and the child.
Differences Between Private vs. Public Adoption Agencies
With a private adoption agency, expectant/birth parents are empowered and supported throughout the adoption process. This includes services such as counseling, legal guidance, and even financial assistance – all at no cost to the birth parent. Birth parents can also choose their child’s adoptive parents and determine the type of adoption plan that best meets their needs.
Public adoption agencies – also known as foster care adoption – are state-run and support the placement of children who have been removed from their homes. This removal is court-ordered and typically due to a case of crisis or unsuitable circumstances for the child. Foster care is not a path chosen by birth parents.
Public adoption agencies can be a positive choice for adoptive parents looking to adopt in a very inexpensive way, but there is a risk with this option, that the child is returned to their biological family. This can be devastating for adoptive families that have already bonded with the child.
Choosing a Private Adoption Agency
Criteria for Selection
When considering adoption, it is important to carefully select your private adoption agency. This professional will be working with you closely throughout the adoption process. Here is a brief outline to help you choose the right private adoption agency.
Reputation and Accreditation
Look for an adoption agency that has many years of experience, is fully licensed, and has positive reviews. This information is typically easy to find by visiting the organization’s website. There are typically testimonials available from birth and adoptive parents. You can also search on Google or Facebook groups to find even more reviews to help you feel confident in your decision.
Services Offered
The right private adoption agency will also offer the supportive services you need throughout the adoption process. For expectant/birth mothers planning an adoption with Adoptions With Love, for example, the following services are offered at no cost:
Financial assistance. This includes rent, utilities, transportation costs, and even maternity clothes, as needed.
Medical coverage. We can help you find a midwife or doctor with whom you feel comfortable, and cover any uninsured medical expenses related to pregnancy and birth.
Counseling support. Our trained and experienced professionals offer round-the-clock care before and after adoption is complete.
Legal services. Our experienced adoption attorneys will meet you at your home or at the hospital, walk you through the adoption process, and answer any questions you may have.
Adoption design services. We can help you custom design an adoption plan that makes you feel comfortable with – and confident in – your adoption decision. You can also choose your child’s adoptive family.
Ongoing support. We will stay connected and available for support for years to come.
Cost and Financial Transparency
The right private adoption agency will be upfront about costs for adoption. For adoptive parents, it is important to financially plan for your adoption. With a private adoption agency like Adoptions With Love, there is one flat fee for adoptive parents. This is an all-inclusive placement fee that covers the services and support offered to the expectant/birth parent(s) and fees associated with the adoption agency, such as legal support, Home Study, and post-adoption agreement planning.
For expectant/birth parents, there are never any costs when it comes to working with a private adoption agency.
Questions to Ask Potential Agencies
- How long has your organization been working with birth/adoptive families?
- How often are you available for contact?
- What is your screening process like for adoptive families?
- How are expectant/birth parents supported?
- How do you help birth/adoptive families navigate their relationships?
- What support can you offer?
Frequently Asked Questions About Private Adoption
What are the costs involved in private adoption?
For birth parents, there are never any costs associated with private adoption. In fact, the best private adoption agencies offer expectant/birth parents planning adoption financial support, as needed.
For adoptive parents, the costs involved in private adoption include the Home Study, the adoption design work, the supportive services for birth parents, legal services for the adoption process, and counseling services offered for both birth and adoptive parents.
How long does the process typically take?
At Adoptions With Love, adoptive parents are typically matched within 3-12 months of completing their home study
Is Private Adoption Right for You?
Private adoption is perfect for families considering adopting a newborn, as newborn adoptions are uncommon through public agencies. Private adoption is also perfect for expectant/birth mothers who want what is best for their baby and want to have a say in their adoption plan. Private adoption gives women who are not ready to parent the opportunity to make a thoughtful plan for their baby’s life.
By working with a private adoption agency, you can expect personal guidance and support at every stage of the adoption journey. At Adoptions With Love, your adoption counselor will always be just one call away. We are available 24/7 to help you through this incredible journey.
Adoptions With Love is a licensed, non-profit, private adoption agency offering a full range of services to expectant/birth parents and adoptive families. For almost 40 years, we have provided personal, trustworthy, and professional services to all members of the adoption triad. We are here for you, if and when you are ready.
Learn More About Private Adoption Agencies
Working with a private adoption agency can make a meaningful difference in your adoption journey, whether you are an expectant/birth parent seeking support or a hopeful adoptive family looking to grow. Private agencies such as Adoptions With Love offer personalized care, legal guidance, and emotional support every step of the way, always with your best interests at heart. If you are exploring adoption and want to learn more about your options, reaching out to a trusted, licensed agency is a powerful first step toward making informed, confident decisions for the future. Contact us today to learn more about private adoption, call us at 800-722-7731, or text us confidentially at 617-777-0072.