What is the difference between an adoption consultant and an adoption facilitator?

Many people ask this question. Adoption consultants do not work with birth parents nor do they ever come into contact with birth parents; they educate and support prospective adoption parents through their adoption journey. On the other hand, an adoption facilitator works by introducing and matching the birth parent(s) with an adoptive parent(s). Adoption advertisers are also considered facilitators.

So you may be asking yourself, “What else does a facilitator do?” The work they do is fairly minimal compared to that of a licensed adoption agency or an adoption attorney. The facilitator can speak to the birth parent(s), gather the intake (medical and social background), get an estimate on what they expenses will be over the course of pregnancy, and locate a waiting adoptive parent(s) for the birth parent(s). Once matched, the facilitator will connect the adoptive parent(s) with a licensed or approved adoption entity to carry the adoption through to fruition. At that point, the facilitator removes themselves from the rest of the adoption process. Adoption facilitators’ fees vary; I have seen fees up to $14,000. Facilitators are not allowed to request medical records, so if this is a hot button of yours, you may not want to submit for a birth parent through one. The medical records are usually requested by the adoption entity that will see the adoption through to the end. Also, many times birth parent(s) are not located in the state where the facilitator works. While the facilitator does need to do their “due diligence” in vetting the birth parent, only so much can be done via phone and internet. I always suggest to clients to submit to situations where the birth parent(s) is located in a state where the adoption entity is located or in a state where the agency has case workers near the birth parent(s) [see previous blog on “What I learned from my failed adoption?”]. The use of adoption facilitators varies state by state. Some states prohibit them, some states allow them, and some states have restrictions on them. An adoption consultant and/or your home study agency social worker are two sources that can tell you if your state allows them or not. Below are a few websites that can give you more information about adoption facilitators. http://www.adoptionattorneys.org/aaaa/adopting-parents/facilitators

http://www.americanadoptions.com/adopt/adoption_facilitator

http://www.adoptingfamilyresources.com/adopting/adopting_agency_facilitator_adoption.htm