When selecting an agency it’s important to have all of your adoption questions answered in a satisfactory way. If an agency isn’t able to answer your questions, then you’re likely better placed with an alternate agency that aligns more with your views, opinions, or expectations of adoption. After all, choosing to place your child for adoption is a huge decision, and you want to make sure that you and your baby are in the best possible hands when it comes to handling the delicate and sensitive adoption process properly.  In this article, we’ll be looking at 10 important questions you should ask any prospective adoption agency. 

1. What Type of Adoption Do you Specialize in?
   Some agencies make a specific type of adoption their focus. Some agencies solely work with closed adoptions, others open or semi-open, or a combination of the three. If you have your heart on maintaining some form of contact with your child, then you’ll be looking for open adoption, and therefore an agency with a focus upon closed adoptions won’t be for you.

2. Where do they Place Children?
   Another important adoption question to ask an agency is to find out where they place children. Are they a national agency that may place your child in a state across the country, or do they only operate within your state? This is particularly important to consider if you are keen for open adoption, as being thousands of miles apart is likely to make regular visitation difficult. 

3. What Services do you Provide to the Birth Mom/Birth Parents?
   Many agencies offer support services to birth moms and sometimes birth parents to make the emotionally difficult adoption process a little easier. Therefore, make inquiries as to the type of support you can expect from each agency you speak to.

4. How are Expenses Handled?
   Of course, bringing a baby into the world has its expenses, and the agency should be in charge of making sure your expenses are handled by the adoptive parents you’ve been connected with. It’s important to know how the funds will be handled, as this will help you to plan things before and after birth. Some agencies give a monthly stipend, while others will directly pay bills.

5. How Many Couples do you Work With?
   A birth mom should never feel limited in her choice of adoptive parents, but this is also a balancing act. An agency with few couples on their books might result in a dissatisfactory match being made, increasing the risk of adoption failure, while a busy agency may not give the birth mom and their match the time they need to handle the adoption process properly. 

6. What is your Placement Demographic?
   If you’re a woman of color or of a set faith or belief, it is important to ask how many birth mothers like yourself the agency is currently working with, or how much experience they have had in the past.

7. What are my Lines of Communication?
   Adoption is a time of change and lots of emotions, you want to make sure that the agency you choose is available to contact whenever you need them. You should also inquire as to their response times. 

8. What is the Screening Process for Adoptive Parents?
   You’re going to want to make sure that whomever you chose to place your child with has been fully screened and vetted as suitable to be a parent. Therefore ask the agency about their adoptive parent screening process.

9. What Happens if I Change my Mind?
   While many birth parents are sure in their decision, things can change once the baby arrives, so it is good to be informed of what to do or what happens if you change your mind at any stage. 

10. Do you have any Testimonials or Material I can Take Away with Me?
    Many agencies will have birth mother information packs which you can take home with you. These are helpful as they will supply you with further information and give you a chance to reflect and consider your options.