[carrilac]

This is a spin off of a post from yesterday. I'm new and currently researching agencies. I've been on the rainbow kids photolisting and have seen so many little babies that agencies claim there are not enough homes for (especially boys).

I am a little embarrassed I'm so ignorant about this, but why do some agencies have waits while others claim to have more kids then they can place?

[tsozio]

That's a great question and I'd be interested in what others say about it. I'm sure some of it has to do with the agency itself (more babies may be waiting with agencies that have a less than reputable reputation), but other great agencies have waiting babies, too. We actually switched from an agency who currently has like a 16 week wait for a baby girl right now to an agency who has no wait at (although does not have a photolisting either). I'm actually way more satisfied and happy with my new agency completely aside from the fact that there was no referral wait. Again, though, I would love also to hear what others have to say about this. Great question.

Timberly

[Tiggysgirl]

I think you'll find a lot of different "opinions" here. I doubt there's anyone who truly knows. There seem to be a lot of photolisting sites who aren't reputable and have a lot of problems. From what I understand, when an agency accepts the referral of a child, they then become responsible for the care and cost of care for that child. I would think that would make agencies shy away from having waiting babies just from a financial standpoint.

I know also that many who are in it truly for the children wouldn't want to have babies waiting when they could go to other agencies and be brought home. I know one lady who I nearly worked with just emailed and said they have a couple of babies waiting, but they did turn down the most recent referral because they didn't have any paper ready families.

A lot of the wait also has to do with the attorneys. Some agencies only work with one attorney, while others work with a number of attorneys. That would also, potentially, increase the number of referrals available at any time.

Honestly, I didn't feel comfortable going with a photolisting site, but I know there are others who have and are and are perfectly happy with it. Either way, I would suggest choosing an agency not only based on referral wait times. It would be really awful to get involved with an agency who had a short waiting list but wasn't ethical (granted, it would also be awful to wait 6 months for a referral). The best thing to do is to RESEARCH!!!

Good luck with your decision!

[dspakowsky]

When the birth mother places her baby for adoption, she gives custody to a Guatemalan attorney. That Guatemalan attorney represents the baby.

How long and how many babies an agency has can really depend on how many attorney's they work with. If they only work with 1 or 2 attorney's, then there's less babies availavble for the agency. If they work with 4+, then there's more.

If you find a baby on a photolisting, you must work with the agency/attorney handling the case. Many agencies have bad reputation, and therefore no one wants to work with them. What's sad is they're still assigned babies and the babies get older and older and have no family assigned to them. Especially boys.

[wildboyz2]

I also switched from one agency that had a 12+ week to another who has almost no wait. I did NOT switch due to this but before I switched when this topic came up I questioned them about it. I was told by both agency that a lot of times the smaller agencies have a quicker referral time because they have less families to have to match with babies. I think that the lawyers and their reputation also factor in on referrals.

[Beachbaby]

Tsozio, do you mind PM'm me your new agency? We're trying to decide, and am overwhelmed with the number of them out there! Thought we had a good one, and txs to this forum; I've changed my mind -- again!!!

Thanks!!!

[tsozio]

Beachbaby,
I pm'd you!

[lotterino]

I do not follow the photolisting sites, but I do know currently my agency has many waiting babies. They also have an excellent reputation and work with great attorneys. They work with several attorneys which may be a factor as to why there are so many available. Baby boys are harder to place since many adoptive families choose girls. It has to do with how many paper ready families there are versus how many babies are waiting for homes.