Finding an Adoption Agency

One of the first and most important steps in your adoption process will be selecting an agency which begins with choosing an agency that provides home study services for the type of adoption you are interested in. 

Choosing to work with an adoption professional is a lot like choosing a therapist. You must learn how you can locate an adoption source that is right for you, and you must find professionals that you are comfortable working with as you will be working with them on a fairly intimate level of a decent length of time on a very important matter. One professional or agency might be right for one family, but not for another. Remember, you must sift through the information everyone gives you to make an educated choice for yourself.

Public agencies (i.e. your local department of social services) generally work exclusively with families interested in adopting children in foster care, while private non-profit agencies may provide a range of adoption services such as domestic infant adoption, foster to adopt and international adoptions.

Interviewing Agencies

To find a public or private agency that is a good fit for you, your beliefs and values, and your unique situation, compare information from several different agencies. Make some phone calls. Ask for more information. See who is responsive. Note who calls you back. Most will gladly provide details about their services and requirements upon request. Before selecting an agency, take the initiative to interview agency representatives by phone or in person to learn more about them. Ask questions about the children available through the agency, costs, timing, and requirements for would-be adopters. Go online and see what other people are saying about using their services.

Always remember that you are paying for adoption services making you the client and in a position of power. Do not be intimidated by professionals or agencies and be afraid to ask questions. Do not proceed with your adoption until you have done your research and evaluated it. Many people spend money on application fees, procedural forms, and home studies before making a decision on what option is right for them. Then they end up having to do things over, thus increasing their adoption costs.

Some Questions to Ask When Researching Possible Adoption Agencies:

  1. What types of children do you place?
  2. Are there any restrictions or rules about who can adopt through the agency, country, etc.?
  3. How many placements have you made in the past year?
  4. How long after beginning the process can I expect to adopt my child?
  5. What will the total cost of the adoption be, and what do the various fees cover?
  6. How many years of experience in adoption do you have?
  7. What are the names and phone numbers of adoptive parents who have worked with the agency or individual?
  8. If you hire an independent social worker to do you home study, ask if they are a Certified Social Worker, licensed by New York State (many people claim to be social workers who are not). Interstate adoptions and most agencies require that a home study be done by a CSW. You do not want to have to pay another fee to have a home study re-done by a CSW.
  9. When you hire an attorney, hire one with adoption experience, rather than the attorney who did your house closing. You need to have an attorney who is familiar with the adoption process and will help you iron out glitches, not complicate them with their inexperience with adoption.

Once chosen, the agency will be the key player in placing a child in your home, so it’s important that you understand the type of adoption services they provide, their processes, and their policies.

Ensuring Your Adoption Agency is Licensed

State licensing procedures come under attack nationally because licenses are sometimes given to dishonest, incompetent, and/or disreputable individuals who know there is big money to be made in adoption. Over and over, the Coalition cautions prospective adoptive parents to do their homework, and be sure the agency they work with is ethical, responsible, experienced, and safe. We need to continually reinforce this message with anyone who is pursuing adoption. 

All prospective adoptive parents [residing in or adopting from New York State] should contact the New York State Office of Children and Family Services to learn if any agency they are considering working with is licensed in New York and if there are any complaints against the adoption agency. If you are doing an agency adoption and the adoption is to be finalized in New York, the agency is required by law to be licensed in this state.

  • Go to www.ocfs.state.ny.us/adopt/adagcy.asp for a listing of adoption agencies licensed by NYS.
  • If you plan to finalize the adoption in a state other than New York, check to see if the adoption agency is licensed in that state.
  • To verify an adoption attorney is in good standing in New York, call the Office of Court Administration at 212-428-2800.
  • For international adoption information, the U.S. State Department at http://adoption.state.gov/ is a very good resource.


Below are some resources to help you choose the agency that’s right for you.