[arthymom]

We're not looking for agency names, rather just curious about the process.

They have clients that are waiting for babies too, so what happens if I see a baby on their waitlist and call about that baby? Does that mean that they have assisted their own clients and have more babies than they can refer?

Has anyone done this successfully (besides those of you who have e-mailed me already about your agencies...Thank you by the way...)

I must admit that it is really hard to go to the photolisting pages and NOT fall in love with babies. There are two today that I totally fell for, but with no I-171 I won't move forward.

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

[mommytoEli]

We weren't prepared to adopt again so soon....when my dh found our eli on a photolisting. We inquired about him, and began the process immediately to bring him home. He was just a few days old when we first saw him on the list. Sometimes, an agency may still have clients on the waiting list for a referral, but the children on the photolisting may not meet the waiting families' requirements for age, gender, or situation.

[lmitchem]

Hi,

We also found our daughter on an agencys photolisting website. We knew this was the child God wanted us to have and we were not paper ready at all. We were for domestic adoption but had to do everything over for international. Nope, I won't be getting a newborn home but I'll be getting the child that belongs with our family. Photolistings aren't for everybody but it was the way for us.

Good Luck!
Lisa

[ChristineVA]

I have a related question. We also are not paper-ready, but putting that aside, if you see a child on a photolisting, you must work with that agency, right? I saw a baby boy that I fell in love with on a photolisting & was so taken with him I was ready to call the agency immediately, but first I pm'd a few people on this forum. Everyone provided very negative feedback and said to stay away from this agency. So I didn't feel we could sign on with them. Is that the only way to be matched with this little one? I've been checking the agency's website for two weeks now and he still has not been matched with a family (& I'm heartbroken every time I look at his picture - we thought were primarily interested in a newborn girl but I can't stop thinking about this sweet little 5 month old boy who is still waiting. Our family would be perfect for him.) What would you do?

[DPline]

Our son was photolisted on the website of the agency we were already using for our daughter's adoption.

I think that mommytoEli&Ethan hit on it that often the children they had photolisted don't meet the requirements for their waiting families. (There are also the bad agencys who use photolisting as a bait and switch, but that is a whole other situation.)

[p4pxa]

I am like Christina, I too see wonderful children that an agency I have received negative information about and I would like to know if other agencies have access to these children.

[lmitchem]

I think some of the agencies sometimes do cross post children to try and get them matched with a family but usually I would think you have to be with that agency. I know you do ours.
Lisa

[Mandy4President]

I was told that they are not supposed to be given as a referral to two agencies. Simply because then there is a chance that they would be referred out to two families at the same time. Our daughter was on a photolisting. We were completely paper ready and switched agencies...just make sure you check out the agency. We're super happy with our agency so far. They've worked better for us than the agency we had before that did not photolist.

[lifessence]

Not all agencies with photo listings are good. So use caution in going with an agency just because you fell in love with the child. Try to remember there is a long road ahead of you before the child is yours and the agency is your only link to that child.

Finding an agency is like dating - everyone puts their best foot forward - then once you are past the beginning the real person comes through = once money is translated things change as well. Just be careful and use the Agency PM listing to make sure you are not working with an agency that has given many problems.

[mommytoEli]

haha....you are sooooo right! Now that I am married to my agency, instead of dating them, life is much different. Money truly changes everything!

If you found the "perfect baby" but the agency reccommendations are coming back "less than perfect," run like h*!! in the opposite direction. I have seen a child on 2 different websites before , but it was an older child. Most likely if you want that particular baby, you will need to use that agency. I would suggest staying off the photolistings where you received negative feedback on that agency. Then you won't be tempted to think maybe you will have a different experience. B/C most likely you won't....especially if you received many many negative feedbacks. Believe it or not, I have heard of people on this forum who are very happy with their agency. Their agencies actually do what they say.....imagine that

If I haven't told you alraedy, please feel free to pm me for which agency I do NOT reccommend.

[hbrown24]

I know it's true that many agencies who have photolistings are not good agencies, however, we found our baby on a photolisting and our agency was wonderful and we had a very positive experience!

[ez4me2remember]

Please research your agency before falling in love with a baby! I wish we had before we sent out money! I am with the same agency as lifeessence and momytoeli and it is not fun! I have heard there are some good agencies that photolist....but ours is not one!

[ChristineVA]

Would you guys mind PM'ing me with the photolisting agency you are using and that you are unhappy with? (I'm curious if it's the same one.)
This is just so sad - it's not this precious little guy's fault that he's stuck with a bad agency.

[ManyTimesBlessed]

As far as I understand, children are offered to potential adoptive parents before they are placed on photolistings.

[Mariais5]

We found our daughter on a photolisting. We used the same agency that some of the above used, but we were completely happy with them! Every case is different, and we are all going to love or hate our agency according the service and timeline we receive from them.. We found our daughter the end of June before we had started our homestudy or applied for our I171-H. We had pink on 12/21, so our timeline was excellent. To me, the attorney is the most important link.