When deciding on adoption, one of the first things will be choosing which adoption professional who you will work with in finding an adoptive family for your child. They all have their pros and cons and all are divided into three categories.

1. Adoption Agency
2. Attorney
3. Facilitator

Adoption Agency

Adoption agencies are licensed and regulated by state authorities. This means they must follow certain standards to be able to continue providing services. State authorities review their files to make sure agency standards are kept at a very high level. Adoption agencies usually handle the entire adoption process for you. Adoption agencies can be divided into three categories.

• Small agencies - Usually one or two staff members are employed. The advantage is you can become very intimate with the staff at this agency. The disadvantages are that small agencies usually only serve a specific county or state. This complicates things if you wish to choose an adoptive family from another area or if you plan to relocate in the future. Small agencies are not typically able to serve beyond their geographic area. Furthermore, small agencies rarely provide support after regular business hours which can be frustrating to many pregnant women. You also need to check for religious affiliation as this can be uncomfortable for pregnant mothers who don't share religious views.
• Medium sized - Usually five or more staff members are employed. The advantage is medium-sized agencies usually serve a larger geographic area, which provides you more support and options. It is important to determine the areas served, because should you move outside their coverage area, you may not be able to receive support services.
• National agencies- Usually twenty or more staff members are employed. The advantage is national agencies typically serve all fifty states. They often have a wide selection of adoptive families who they screen and educate more than medium or small-sized agencies. This allows you to feel more secure in selecting a family who is going to be a great mom and dad. You can move to state and national agencies will either provide services to you or arrange for services to be provided. This is especially beneficial for adopted children - as they grow they can reach out and get answers to questions they may have about adoption. National agencies also provide around-the-clock service and often have one staff member who is your guide throughout the entire process. American Adoptions is a national agency. You can review the wide selection of American Adoptions adoptive family profiles here.

Attorney

Some birth mothers prefer to work with an attorney. If you choose an attorney, it is important to educate yourself about the pros and cons. Attorneys are a functional choice if you are simply looking for an adoption professional to process the legal work. On the other hand, attorneys typically handle the legal part of the adoption process such as going to court, which can make reaching them a challenge. Attorneys rarely have a counselor who can provide you guidance and support during the adoption process, which is important to many pregnant women. If you want someone to build an adoption plan around your needs, an adoption agency should be considered. If, however, you just need someone to handle the legal work, an attorney may be your best choice.

Facilitators

Facilitators are unlicensed professionals who often attempt to appear to be an adoption agency. The challenge for you is determining if you are working with a good facilitator or a bad. Many pregnant women discover they have been working with a bad organization when it is too late. Since facilitators are not regulated by state authorities, no one can close them down if they are providing poor adoption services. Since most pregnant women want to find the best family for their babies, they often prefer to work with either attorneys or adoption agencies.