When Josh and I got ready to adopt back in 2012, the Lord led us to use an adoption consultant to guide us along the way. As we look back on our journey, we cannot imagine having walked through adoption without our consultant!
Here are some of the many reasons that we thank God for the role that our consultant played in our adoption story:
1) Decreased the Risks
Domestic adoption has some risks. While all adoptions have risks, a good adoption consultant helps their clients sort through the level of risk involved with each situation and gives invaluable information to help adoptive parents make informed decisions in their adoption journey. Most adoption consultants work primarily with "safe states" that are adoption friendly (where consents are generally signed in 24-72 hrs.).
2) Exposure to multiple agencies and attorneys
Working with multiple agencies helps you have more exposure to more potential adoption situations. Instead of being one family in a line with many at only one agency, working with an adoption consultant makes it possible for you to learn about more adoption situations and so have the opportunity to show your profile more frequently. Out of the hundreds of agencies and attorneys out there, it's difficult to know which are working ethically and are in need of more adoptive families. A good consultant has done that legwork for you!
3) Significant decrease in wait time
Working with only one agency means that you are most likely one of many clients waiting in a long line to adopt. In a traditional approach of only working with one agency to adopt a newborn domestically, many adoptive couples wait 2 years or more before they are matched with an expectant mom. Because consultants help you find multiple good agencies and attorneys who are eager to work with adoptive families, the wait time when you're using a consultant can often be significantly decreased. As in, most families are matched within a year after applying with multiple agencies. We applied to agencies at the beginning of June 2012 and brought our son home in August 2012.
4) Help from someone who is genuinely knowledgable AND really understands.
The good adoption consultants out there typically have adopted before themselves and have accumulated an enormous amount of knowledge and experience related to adoption. They know what it's like to adopt because they've been through the process personally (sometimes multiple times). They are an incredible wealth of knowledge and information (which is great)! But their knowledge is coupled with a heart that has experienced the joys and challenges of adoption. Because of that heart, they are extremely quick to respond to questions from clients (no waiting weeks to hear from them!). Because of that heart, they pray regularly for their clients. Because of that heart, they are a constant encouragement and help to adoptive families.
5) Benefits that far exceed the cost
Yes, hiring an adoption consultant isn't free. But in our opinion, the benefits of working with one far exceed the cost. In the grand scheme of adoption expenses, it really isn't a lot to hire someone who will make a priceless difference in your adoption journey. We received extremely helpful and well-informed answers to countless questions. We were connected with wonderful attorneys and agencies. We were encouraged, supported, and prayed for every single step of the way. We were directed to awesome adoption grants and loans. We were blessed with having someone who was really on our side (much like a midwife who coaches you all through your pregnancy, labor, and delivery). And we joined an incredible community of fellow adoptive families who became fast friends and continue to be a source of information and support.
To be really honest, we feel that we got way more than we paid for. We had such an incredible experience with our consultant, Tracie. I am so thankful for the opportunity I now have to help families in the same way that we were helped.
Please contact me for more information today!
