Adoption is a wonderful, exciting time. I speak from personal experience. I have a 20 month daughter that lights up my life every day. But I can still remember the overwhelming apprehension I felt when my husband and I began the process. There are so many different avenues to pursue, where is one to start? Hopefully this article will provide some perspective and help alleviate some questions you may be having.

The first thing to consider is what type of an adoption you want to pursue. This will narrow down your areas to look at and agencies to consider tremendously. Would you like to pursue an international adoption or adopt domestically? Are you looking to adopt an infant or would you be willing to adopt an older child? Are you open to any race? Do you have a gender preference in mind? Remember, that there are no right or wrong answers to these questions. This decision is going to affect your life on a daily basis, therefore it needs to be something you feel completely comfortable with. Once you have decided the answers to these questions you will know what and where to look for an agency that can meet your needs.

The internet is a wonderful resource for beginning your search for agencies. You can often find listings of agencies within your state and available adoption situations with a quick search. Due to the openness of the internet, unfortunately there are also many adoption scams posted. Be careful when searching and never give money to a person without first making sure it is a legitimate adoption situation. There are many forums and groups on adoption scams, it would be wise to join one as well as adoption support groups. Online forums are great for getting questions and gaining support to those who are in a similar situation. Also, often communities have adoption support groups for adoptive couples, children, families, and transracial adoptions (the adoption of a child in a race other than your own).

One of the best ways you can choose an agency is to start telling people that you are adopting. I found that in my experience whenever I told someone we were pursuing an adoption everyone I told seemed to have a story about a friend, neighbor, relative who had adopted and what a wonderful experience it had been. Often they volunteered this unsuspecting persons information to me and told me if I had any questions to call them. Most people who have experienced adoption, love to talk about it! I found it very valuable to be able to talk to people about what agencies they used, what they liked and disliked, what to expect and what the typical fees for the agency were. Through my conversations with various people, as well as my own research, I was able to make an informed decision about agencies I felt comfortable with.

Once you contact an agency you will begin the process. Each agency has different requirements, but a good agency will help you through each step. There will be paperwork and a homestudy that will need to be completed. A homestudy requires a licensed social worker to come into your home and evaluate the home for safety as well as get a feel for the couple who the child will be placed with. Once the paperwork is complete, you will play the waiting game, waiting for your child to join your family. Although the wait can feel like a long time, try to have patience and to prepare for your future family. It is an exciting time for all.

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