by Debra Lobel

Created on: April 27, 2009

So you want to start an adoption agency. Good for you. It is a rewarding experience to be able to give joy to prospective parents and to place children with a family when they don't have one. It is helpful to have some experience in this area, either working at an agency or for an adoption lawyer, being a social worker who assists with adoptions or being an adoptive parent yourself.

Starting up

The first thing you need to do is to learn the laws and regulations of running an agency in your state and county. You will also need to register and get a license to operate an adoption agency. There are three types of adoptions domestic, international, and combination. The costs for each one are different and start-up costs are affected by the type of adoptions your agency will handle. Startup costs will also include the costs of your work area office, furniture, equipment, stationery, advertising, etc. It is advisable to start small to build your agency. This will save startup costs, too. If you need staff, contract with other professionals such as lawyers and social workers before you hire them. Build a reputation for yourself and clientele that trust you before hiring permanent staff.

Marketing and advertising

A big obstacle for almost every startup company is how to find clients and get yourself know to potential clients. You need to find marketing tools that are cost effective and are most useful. Building a website is always a good idea. It lets people know what you offer and how you can help them. Get testimonials from satisfied clients and post them on your website. Register with online directories that are relevant to adoption agencies. You can also market your services the old-fashioned way through print, radio and television to target your local market.

Staff

Trust is very important for an adoption agency. You want to make sure your staff represents your code of ethics and organizational style. A background check of potential employees is very important since you are dealing with sensitive issues and legalities. Start off by contracting potential employees for six months. If you like them, you can hire them full time. If you don't need full-time professional help, you should use outside services. This can be a good idea for legal services. If you are doing international adoptions, hire staff who speak the language and understands the culture of the countries you will dealing with.

Enjoy what you do and know that helping people create families is rewarding.

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