Are you investigating different consulting companies, trying to decide which is the best fit for you? Here are some things to consider:
There is not one right direction that you must take.
I like to compare this loosely to choosing a church to be a part of. There is not only one church that is good or worth attending (praise God)! There are some non-negotiables that you want to ensure your church has and some red flags to avoid. But, each church has a different vibe as well as their own strengths and weaknesses, and you need to find the one that is the best fit for you. What you’re looking for might be different than what your friend is seeking, and that’s ok! If a consulting company says they are the best out there, that’s questionable because there isn’t just one right/best consulting group.
The total amount of money you spend can vary drastically from company to company.
I’m not talking specifically about the fee you pay to sign on with the consultant, but about what comes next. Did you know…
In addition to the fee you pay to sign on with the consultant, some companies recommend you pay additional application fees to a handful of agencies (with each application fee ranging from hundreds to thousands). Even if you applied to five agencies that each had a $300 application fee, that’s $1500 that you’re spending just on application fees alone. But in reality, you’re likely paying several thousands just in agency applications with that approach. (While there are other consulting companies that regularly send you adoption situations from agencies that initially waive any application fees!)
Some companies point you to agencies whose total fees are all averaging in the $70K range. (While there are some adoption agencies that have fees that high, not all agencies do and it’s not necessary for you to pay that high of an agency fee to adopt.)
Different companies have different practices.
For example…
Some companies won’t give out the stats you ask for about how spread thin they actually are; some consultants aren’t even allowed to tell you how many families they are currently working with!
In the consulting world, you will find some companies that are highly formulaic with not a lot of personal contact; the majority of their emails are canned, and the adoption situations they send all are being database-driven (not individualized).
There are some consulting companies that regularly forward adoption situations to you from agencies so that you don’t need to pay additional app fees to present to expectant mothers, while others rarely have situations to forward on.
Some consultants don’t allow you to specify what you’re open to regarding gender, ethnicity, and openness level, while others allow you to decide what your family feels comfortable with.
Additionally, some consulting companies send you situations but don’t tell you what agency those situations are coming from or many details involved, while others disclose what agency sent the situation and the shared information is provided.
Some companies have goals to work with as many families as possible per year while others limit the amount of families they will work with at once to provide more individualized attention.
Seeing families matched as quickly as possible is at the heart of some consulting groups, while others strive to equip you for an ethical adoption.
Ok, but now what?
Just like every Christian decides which church is the best fit for them, every hopeful adoptive parent looking into consultants must ultimately determine which consulting company is the best fit for them. There is no rush; take your time while you gather information. And pray! God loves to give us wisdom as we ask Him. He will be faithful to direct you to the place that will ultimately be right for you.
Don't Hesitate To Reach Out!
I'd love to share with you more about what The Joyful Adoption has to offer you to see if we are what you're looking for. Reach out at any point (katie@thejoyfuladoption.com), and we can schedule a free consultation call.
