Choosing an Adoption Agency

There are many ways to approach an adoption - through a licensed adoption agency, an attorney, an intermediary, or independently. Any of these may be instrumental in helping you locate an adoptable child. However, only a licensed adoption agency is legally accountable for helping you through your adoption process.

HOW TO SELECT AN ADOPTION AGENCY

Things to consider in selecting an agency are:

1. Experience
2. Diversity of Programs
3. Quality of Programs
4. Staff
5. Size
6. Attention to Individual Needs
7. Educational Empowerment
8. Accountability
9. Philanthropy
10. Cost

On a scale of 1 - 10, we think Seedlings earns a perfect “10”!

Here’s why –

1. EXPERIENCE: Seedlings has been a licensed, non-profit adoption agency since 1990.
2. DIVERSITY OF PROGRAMS: Seedlings offers a number of excellent adoption options because not all adoption programs fit the needs or adoption criteria for all families. We look forward to helping you find a program that will bring you the child of your dreams.
3. QUALITY OF PROGRAMS: Our programs are reputable, reliable, and dignified. All of the countries with which we work feel it is better for orphaned and abandoned children to grow up in loving families than to spend their young lives in institutions.
4. STAFF: All social workers and caseworkers at Seedlings hold masters degrees in Social Work or allied fields. Many are adoptive parents, as well. Our bilingual liaison staffs that interface with authorities in China and Latin America are highly respected internationally and are invaluable assets to Seedlings. Our travel specialist will customize and coordinate travel plans to meet the individual needs of each family. Our international coordinators and licensed translators are unequaled in their dedication and ability to get the job done.
5. SIZE: Seedlings is a relatively small agency and our size allows us to treat each family with individual attention. Although we prefer to work with families who reside in New Jersey or neighboring states so we can provide hands-on services for them, we can work with couples and singles in all fifty states as well as some US citizens living abroad.
6. ATTENTION TO INDIVIDUAL DETAIL: Each adoptive family is unique and has a unique set of needs. We will never refer to you as “Group 98”, and we don’t hold your papers to fit you into a travel group. We don’t “farm out” any of your adoption process. Your adoption papers will be sent abroad as soon as your home study is complete and your documents are translated and authenticated. Seedlings is always available to offer support, attention, and assistance throughout your adoption process and beyond.
7. EDUCATIONAL EMPOWERMENT: We encourage you to attend informational adoption programs – ours as well as others. We will suggest reading material on various adoption related topics in order to help you become a better and more prepared parent. We encourage you to meet with other adoptive parents on a formal or informal basis so you can learn from each other’s experiences. We hold informational seminars as well as informal gatherings at which prospective parents, new arrivals and seasoned veterans get together to share ideas as well as enjoying their common bond of being adoptive families. We encourage you to ask questions. You will get answers.
8. ACCOUNTABILITY: Seedlings is a private, licensed, tax exempt, non-profit adoption agency. We are accredited by the Bureau of Licensing, Division of Youth and Family Services of the State of New Jersey. We are members of Joint Council on International Children’s Services, and we are prepared for National Accreditation when such standards go into effect.
9. PHILANTHROPY: In thanks for the opportunity to love and raise a child – the greatest of life’s gifts – we all need to give something back. Seedlings routinely donates money and goods to institutions abroad to enhance the lives of children there. In addition, we sponsor several children in China with special needs. With the help of your tax-deductible donations we can do even more.
10. COST: Private adoption is costly because it is an elective time-intensive professional process. Requirements for US licensed adoption agencies continue to escalate as does the cost of insurance. International costs are absolutely beyond our control but are reflective of the time and services necessary to enable families to adopt children internationally. Some employers provide a stipend to adoptive parents, but most do not. There is also a Federal Adoption Tax Credit available to many adoptive parents for up to $10,630 depending upon family income.

We can promise our families is that our costs are reasonable and clearly outlined, and the international programs with which we have ties are honorable and reasonably priced. There are no additional unmentioned fees that you will hear about after you have signed on as our client. Your total adoption costs will vary based on the country and program selected and travel requirements. The full cost of your adoption is spread out over the length of time it will take to complete your adoption process.

Some quotes from our families:

“We arrived in Puno, Peru frightened, cold, lonely and childless. We left Puno, Peru with some new friendships that will last forever, respect for the people of a very beautiful country, and the most wonderful and adorable nine-month old daughters imaginable.” – WP

“Waiting for my child was the longest, most painful period of my life. I thank God every day for the wait because it brought me the child who was really meant to be my child.” – MD

“I find myself gravitating toward friends who are also adoptive parents. We share a miracle that other people sometimes can’t even comprehend.” – GS

“When I play ball with my son, it reminds me of when I was his age and my dad and I played ball together. I’m so proud to be able to say “Nice catch, son!” – LD

“I thought about adoption for a long time before I acted upon the thought. For the life of me, I can’t imagine why I thought adoption would be so different from the standard way of becoming a parent!” – AL

“When people have said things like “It’s too bad you couldn’t have a child of your own”; I’d think . . . “It’s too bad you couldn’t have adopted a child so you would know that parenthood isn’t about blood lines - it’s about love” - KP

An Internet message posted by one of our families:

Hi,

Why did I choose to work with Seedlings? I’m a researcher by profession and I researched 38 agencies working in China before I chose Seedlings. I immediately liked their straightforward written information and I liked being able to speak with a social worker whenever I had a question before I even became a client. (They were licensed by the CCAA in 1992.) They helped me complete my I-600A, helped me assemble my dossier, sent all of my documents to the State Department and Chinese Consulate by courier service so the documents were returned quickly and none of my documents could be lost.

The home study visits were informative and pleasant, and the completed home study was returned to me very quickly. Seedlings doesn’t hold your documents in order to wait for other families to complete their dossiers. When your dossier is complete, it is sent to China. In my case it took slightly more than three months from the day I dropped off my application at the agency until my translated documents went to China, and they arrived in China three days later. (Their translator, by the way, is a distant relative of the poet I-Ching, and she is well thought of by the CCAA. She communicates with the CCAA regularly to insure that each family’s process is moving along smoothly, and the agency is up-to-date on any changes.)

My daughter’s referral came with six other referrals. A family emergency prevented me from traveling with the other families, so my friend and I traveled to China alone. The agency’s travel agent arranged our entire trip and saved us a huge amount of money on travel and 4-5* lodging. Their licensed translator met us at the airport and guided us through the entire process. We had a great time and if we had encountered any problems, health-related or otherwise, the agency and translator would have helped us with those problems, too. Ten days after we left the United States, we arrived home with my beautiful, healthy daughter. The agency has other good programs in addition to China. I’ve already started the process to adopt a second child through them. Good luck with your choice.

- DS.