If you are looking into adoption you may be curious about hiring an adoption service provider and why they are a beneficial ally to have as you move through the adoption process. Hiring an adoption service provider can save you time, money, and emotional stress. Discover the benefits of working with an adoption service provider and some tips for choosing the right one for your family.

What is an adoption service provider? 

An adoption service provider is an organization, company, or individual that handles various aspects of the adoption process. Their offerings include connecting birthmothers with prospective adoptive families, providing adoption resources, connecting with other adoption professionals, providing guidance and support throughout the process, and more. Adoption service providers like LifeLong Adoptions offer safe, personalized services to prospective adoptive families and birthmothers that help all parties successfully navigate the adoption process. 

What support can adoption service providers give prospective adoptive families? 

For the majority of adoption service providers, the goal is to help create families through adoption by supporting and advocating for all those involved in the adoption triad. Depending on the provider, they offer assistance with all or some of the different aspects of the adoption process and/or provide additional services.

Adoption service providers are experts in the industry and working with one or more can save prospective adoptive parents time, effort, money, emotional stress, and more. Some adoption service providers, like LifeLong Adoptions, connect prospective adoptive families with birthmothers through marketing, advertising, networking, and other strategies. With their professional connections and robust knowledge about the adoption process, adoption service providers are critical resources for prospective adoptive parents to have available while navigating such a difficult and unpredictable journey.

How do I choose an adoption service provider?

Every family has unique wants and needs as they start and move through the adoption process. When choosing an adoption service provider, you’ll want to start by figuring out the specific services and support you want. Be honest with yourself about what would work best for your family. This will help you narrow down your search. 

Once you’ve got some options, it’s important to do extensive research on each one so you can identify the providers who offer you the support and guidance you need. Read reviews and ask lots of questions to help you determine whether you could have a good working relationship with the provider and be able to trust them with this important chapter in your life.

What questions should I ask a potential adoption service provider? 

When interviewing prospective adoption service providers, families should always be prepared with questions that will allow them to have an informative conversation about what they expect from their services. Here are some questions to consider:

• What type of support do you offer?
• How long have you been in business?
• What is your philosophy on adoption and those involved?
• How many of your families have placed?
• Do you have adoptive families you have worked with available for us to speak with? 
• Do you help with all types of adoption (open, semi-open, and closed) or only specific types?
• What days and hours is your staff available to families for support? 
• What requirements do you have for prospective adoptive parents?
• How much do your services cost? Is there a price breakdown available? 
• What professional associations do you have?

What are the benefits of working with an adoption service provider? 

1.) Get guidance and support from experts.

A huge pro of working with an adoption service provider is their expert knowledge of all things adoption. It’s always helpful to get guidance and support from educated and experienced professionals. Furthermore, your adoption service provider can be both a supportive shoulder to lean on and a constant cheerleader for you throughout the emotional rollercoaster that is adoption. 

2.) Only pay for what you need.

One of the top benefits of hiring an adoption service provider like LifeLong Adoptions is that you only pay for what you need when you need it, which makes it more affordable to adopt. Because it differs from a costly full-service agency, you have a lot of choice in terms of what services and support you would like. This method allows you to save money and approach adoption in a way that doesn’t break the bank.

3.) You can rely on their professional network. 

As you move through the adoption process, you will find that you will need the support of various adoption professionals such as attorneys, social workers, and home study providers. Your adoption service provider will be able to refer you to professionals who they trust in the area where you live, which makes the process easier for you. It is important to only work with adoption professionals who are vetted and trusted by your adoption service provider. Doing otherwise could jeopardize the outcome of your adoption.

4.) Connecting with a birthmother through marketing.

Many adoption service providers specialize in connecting prospective adoptive families with prospective birthmothers through robust and strategic marketing and advertising. For example, LifeLong Adoptions creates unique paper and online profiles for their families that let their personalities shine. To get the attention of prospective birthmothers, we rigorously market our families and services. For some families, this approach can result in a shorter wait time than some families experience when they work with large, full-service agencies. 

5.) Open to working with families of all types.

One important benefit of working with LifeLong Adoptions specifically is that we are open to working with families of all types. We are committed to supporting adoption in LGBTQIA+ families and believe that everyone has a right to achieve their dream of having a family through adoption.

Trust your adoption service provider 

Hiring an adoption service provider is one of the best things you can do for yourself to help make the adoption process go as smoothly as possible. One of the most important pieces of this is trusting your adoption service provider to give you the support and guidance you need to successfully navigate your adoption journey. When you trust an organization like LifeLong Adoptions to work with you throughout the process, it can save you time, money, and stress as you pursue your dreams of growing your family.