[wishing4real]

A good place to start is to request info packets form the agencies you are considering. Review them carefully. Look at the number of children placed historically over the past few years. Call the governing agency over them and find out if there have been complaints loddged against them (like the BBB, but here it was Health and Human Services - they are responsible for licensing, etc .)

Ask for references . . . I know they will only provide references for happy customers, but at least you will know there were happy customers at all.

Several of the agencies we looked at based their fees differently:

Some had a flat fee that covered adoption costs including mother's living expenses, medical expenses, etc. Basically fees cover everything, but not child's medical as they can be placed on your insurance at birth.

Others offered a sliding scale based on income. Flat fee plus percentage, so if your income is higher, you can pay much more.

Others based it on race. While it is sad, the reason I was given is because, here anyway, white bmoms know that many will pay a premium for their children and that they can demand more support during the process, also, statistics show that less of them are on medicaid or subsidy, so the adoption agency generally puts more out for support. I am in Utah though and we are not as culturally diverse as other states, so there is more of a demand for whilte children than others simply because there are more white families here. So it may be different where you live . . . I don't know.

Others have a flat fee and then you pay mother's expenses. Unfortunately though, if the bmom changes her mind, you are out the support you paid to her.

Travel expenses are generally not included in the fees. So you may be obligated to pay for you or the bmom, depending on the situation, unless you choose a local agency who serves only local bmoms.

We chose an agency that paid all bmom living expenses from our fees. If our match falls apart (which it may, the baby is supposed to be born on Mon or Tues and we have not heard from the bmom for nearly weeks), then our fees will be applied to the next match. The fees are non refundable, but the agency writes them off, instead of the adoptive parents. It is also a local agency so no travel is involved. Out costs will be about $18,000. A little higher than some, but it was comforting knowing that the costs were fixed and we could depend on paying that amount when it was all said and done (excluding baby's medical, travel, and home study fees).

I hope that didn't sound like rambling. There are so many avenues to take, but know that which ever you choose, the little spirit that is supposed to join your family will. . . it will find you when the time is right!

Good luck!