There are many types of adoption professionals that offer a wide range of adoption services – including adoption law firms, adoption law centers, adoption facilitators and local and national adoption agencies.

An adoption facilitator matches prospective adoptive families with birth mothers, but does not provide any other adoption services, such as legal work or support/counseling for either the adoptive family or the birth parents. Adoption facilitators are often small organizations with one or two staff members. Unlike adoption agencies, adoption facilitators are not licensed or regulated by the government.

*It is important to note that adoption facilitators are illegal in several states and often are not regulated by government authorities.

For Birth Mothers

An adoption facilitator can help a birth mother locate an adoptive family. However an adoption facilitator only matches the birth parents and adoptive family – all other adoption services are completed by another adoption professional.

Although an adoption facilitator can help a birth mother locate an adoptive family, birth parents often do not receive the same level of support and counseling that is offered through other adoption professionals, such as an adoption agency. Some birth mothers may believe that they are not in need of counseling, however a qualified adoption counselor can help birth mothers develop an adoption plan that they feel good about, help locate and connect with a family that meets their wants and desires for their baby, help them to process their emotions throughout the adoption process, help them prepare for the emotions they will face at the hospital and provide support after the adoptive placement. Additionally, an adoption facilitator is not an adoption professional that will be with the birth parents every step of the way – birth parents who want an adoption professionals that will provide services to them throughout their adoption journey should not choose an adoption facilitator.

For more information, visit :

Creating Your Adoption Plan

Adoption Frequently Asked Questions

In Their Own Words: Birth Mother Stories

For Adoptive Families

An adoption facilitator can help locate potential birth parents and can help match an adoptive family with a birth mother, however the service by the adoption facilitator ends there.

Once a family is matched with a birth mother, the adoptive family is then referred to another adoption professional to complete the adoptive placement. While some adoptive families are comfortable with this level of service, a family who prefers a more comprehensive level of service may wish to choose another adoption professional that will oversee all aspects of the adoption process, such as a national adoption agency.

Proper birth mother counseling and support should also be considered when deciding between an adoption facilitator and other adoption professionals. An adoption professional that utilizes a trained Social Services Department can more adequately help potential birth parents decide if adoption really is the right choice for them, help them develop an adoption plan that they can feel good about and can help the birth mother process her feelings and support her in her adoption plan, while also helping to prepare her for the emotions she will face at the hospital and after the adoptive placement. Without adequate support, this can result in a disrupted adoption, meaning the adoptive family must begin the adoption process over again.

Also, just as birth mothers need support through the entire adoption process, so do adoptive families. Adoption facilitators often do not provide support to the adoptive family once the match with a birth mother is made.

Adoption facilitators, like adoption law centers, also are not reviewed or regulated by any objective person, government or organization. Adoption facilitators also are illegal in several states.

For more information, visit:

Choosing an Adoption Professional – Adoption Facilitators

Adoption Frequently Asked Questions

Deciding on a Domestic Adoption Professional