[HansenFamAZ]

I've wanted to post about this lately, and when I saw this specific post on a facilitators' website, I wanted to cry, kick, scream and/or shake someone.

Here is the post. I added the XXXX's:

"Full Caucasian Baby XXXXXX due XXXXX 3 rd in XXXXX

Expectant mom is Caucasian, 26 yrs old, blue eyes and brown hair. This is her 9th pregnancy. She is parenting her first child, she has had 1 miscarriage and she has placed the last 6 children for adoption. She notes the pregnancy to be a surprise and that she and her husband are not in a position to support any additional children. She is receiving prenatal care and will be covered under Medicaid. She denies the use of drugs, alcohol or smoking with this pregnancy. The expectant mom has placenta previa and has delivered early in the past. It is expectant she will deliver early with this pregnancy as well. The babies have been born early and all have been healthy with no concerns. There are no mental concerns.

The expectant father is 29 yrs old, Caucasian, blue eyes and brown hair. He is married to the expectant mom and they are still in a relationship. He is the biological father to all of her children to include the last 6 children they placed for adoption together. The expectant father notes he does smoke a pack of cigarettes per day but denies any drug or alcohol use. There are no mental concerns. He supports this adoption plan and will sign consents for placement.

The expectant couple would like a Married Traditional family with less than 2 children. They would like the family to be (of the) XXXXX (faith). They are not open to a family of XXXXXX faith. They would like the family to be open to contact during the pregnancy and meeting with them prior to placement. After placement – a semi-open adoption with pictures and letters thru the agency until the child is 18 yrs old. This couple has placed their other children through this same agency and while the agency notes this couple may be a little difficult at times, they always place without hesitation. An adoptive family should be aware of this going into this situation. The fees associated with this opportunity are $42,500 for everything except travel to XXXXXX. The expectant couple is asking to view profiles and speak with adoptive families prior to a match consideration."



I know I am totally assuming alot when I read this and will surely be flamed, but this situation seems like a baby mill with months of expenses being paid and an agency that is willing to support it.


Without even going into the motives behind the eparents, what is up with the agency? I know someone has to place this baby, but if you keep helping a couple 7 TIMES get months and months of living expenses, why would they not place more babies? And the fact that they acknowledge they are hard to work with? So you mean they ask for more and more financial help or do they take the acouple on an emotional rollercoaster but always place in the end? Why not have the couple contact you (the agency) a month before the due date and match a couple with them then? If they are not doing it for the money and always place, don't let them jerk someone around like that.

And why are the fees so high? No extra work is being gone to track down a bfather (or five possible bfathers) or medical bills to pay. She's surely got plenty of maturnity clothes. Since this is posted through an outsourced facilitator, the afamilies are contacting the agency, are not paying the agency to be "marketed" and have to pay the facilitator fees on top of the fee listed. (Why doesn't the agency pay it?)

I FEEL like I am looking at a classified ad for a BABY and can have it for the bargain price of $43K plus travel.


My SW told me a local AZ agency called one of her clients and said there was a baby born and was he was biracial, which was a "surprise". The pospective aparents that were at the hospital wanted a CC baby and did not want the baby. The agency knew this family had adopted a biracial baby through then before. The fees were $30K. Did they want the baby? They called their SW and asked her OPINION and she said, "I would pass. Sounds like you are buying a baby to me." It's like the agency was hell bent on making their money off this situation.


Or why are fees $25K for a "situation" when a bmom decides in the hospital she wants to place, has never contacted an agency before, and the hospital staff calls an agency they know. There was NO "work" taking care of the emom and afamily over the past few months. I get there was networking done so the hospital knew to call them, but it was LUCK! And they want to charge thier clients FULL price! AAAGH!


I guess it's time for me to figure out how to create a "national" agency that pays it's employees for the hard work they do working with emoms and afamilies, pays for advertising to get the name out there, but does not rock the aparents financially in the process.


Thanks for letting me vent, ramble, etc. Can you tell I'm thinking about child #5/adoption #3 and am irritated as to some of the options out there?