How to Find an Adoption Match [Benefits of Using an Agency]
When you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and choose adoption for your child, it’s because you want them to have an amazing life full of opportunity. That’s why one of the most important steps in the adoption process is finding the perfect adoption match for your baby.
To get more information on how to find an adoption match for your child you can reach out to an adoption professional today.
As the prospective birth parent, you will be in complete control of your adoption plan. Part of your adoption plan is being able to choose the adoptive family. When you begin the adoption matching process, there are two ways you can find adoptive families:
- Through your own personal network
- Through an adoption agency’s matching services
The avenue you take will always be up to you. After all, this is your journey. Only you know what’s best for you and your baby. To learn more about the pros and cons of each adoption matching method, you can continue reading below.
Finding an Adoption Match on Your Own
Through self-matching, you find an adoptive family without the assistance of an adoption agency. It will be up to you to find a family and connect with no mediation from an adoption professional.
If you are the type of person who likes to do things on your own, that may sound nice. But, there are some serious pitfalls to finding an adoption match on your own.
Many prospective birth parents believe it’s quicker to find an adoption match on their own on an adoption match website or through someone they already know. However, without the help of a professional, the adoption matching process can become stressful.
Birth parents often seek out an adoptive family on their own for two reasons:
- They believe it’ll be cheaper. While finding a match on your own might seem like the cheaper option, it’s actually much more expensive. Having to pay for all the individual expenses can add up. When you work with an adoption agency, adoption matching services are completely free to you.
- They already know the adoptive family. If you’re considering friends or family members as potential adoptive parents for your child, ask yourself: “How will our relationship be affected if they adopt my child?” “Are they adequately prepared to raise a child?” Sometimes the familiar option isn’t always the best option.
Working with an Adoption Matching Agency
Full-service adoption agencies today provide free adoption matching services for prospective birth parents and hopeful adoptive parents. Finding an adoption match on your own might seem like the easier and cheaper option, but when you consider the numerous benefits of the working with an agency to find the perfect adoption match, you might find that not to be true in the long run.
You will be able to sit down with your adoption specialist to go over the qualities you’d like to see in prospective adoptive families. Your adoption professional will compile adoptive family profiles that match your preferences and present them to you to look through. You can look through as many profiles as you need until you find the perfect adoption match for your baby.
Just a few of the benefits of using an agency to find an adoptive family are:
Screening Services
All hopeful adoptive families that adopt through an agency go through a thorough screening process to ensure that they are prepared to adopt. Adoptive parents who work with an agency must complete an adoption home study before they can begin the adoption matching process. Adoption home studies are an evaluation of the hopeful adoptive family’s preparedness and home environment. Most home studies consist of:
- Review of financial documents
- State and federal background checks
- An interview about their stance on adoption and their motivation for adopting
- Home visit
- And more
Home studies are in place to ensure that a prospective adoptive family can comfortably provide a safe and stable environment for your child.
Helpful Resources and Services
One of the biggest perks of working with an adoption agency to find an adoption match is having access to various helpful resources and services.
They can connect you with professionals such as adoption attorneys and licensed counselors so that you can be sure they are reputable, and have one less thing to worry about. They can also help you create your adoption plan so that you can have a positive and successful adoption.
Shorter Wait Times
Some birth parents choose to find prospective adoptive families on their own because they’re worried the adoption matching process through an agency will take too long.
If you work with a national adoption agency, they will be able to present you with adoptive family profiles of families from all over the country. This means you will have more diverse choices and won’t be stuck waiting for an adoption match for an indeterminate amount of time.
24/7 Support
One of the most valuable services you receive when working with an adoption agency to find an adoption match is free, 24/7 counseling.
Unplanned pregnancies and adoption are both emotionally complex processes. Having a professional to lean on for support and guidance during this emotional time is incredibly helpful.
If you have questions about how to find an adoption match or the adoption matching process, you can reach out to an adoption professional today.