An LGBT adoption agency is professionals that are not only ready and excited to help same-sex couples adopt, but they should also have experience with doing so successfully in the past. When looking at adoption professional websites, you’ll want to look for inclusive language. If the agency has posted profiles of hopeful adoptive families, look at how many of the couples are same-sex couples. It’s also a good idea to ask some LGBT-specific questions, such as:
- What counseling or support do you offer for LGBT parents?
- Have you successfully worked with LGBT couples before? How many?
- What’s the estimated wait time for same-sex couples? For heterosexual couples?
Just because any adoption agency can technically complete an adoption for you (and may be legally required to do so) doesn’t mean that all agencies are fully prepared to do so successfully. Using a truly LGBT-friendly adoption agency is a great way to make sure your adoption process goes as smoothly as possible.
WHAT TYPES OF ADOPTION CAN AN LGBT-FRIENDLY ADOPTION AGENCY HELP WITH?
Many LGBT adoption agencies also specialize in stepparent adoption, or second-parent adoption, which is a popular form of adoption for same-sex couples. If you and your partner don’t pursue a joint adoption (or couldn’t pursue a joint adoption prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of same-sex marriage), it’s important to make sure each of you have legal parental rights to your child.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS OF USING AN LGBT ADOPTION AGENCY?
The costs associated with LGBT adoption agencies vary depending on the type of adoption you wish to pursue. For example, a private domestic adoption can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000. Adopting from foster care, however, may cost little to nothing.
It may be important to note that an LGBT adoption agency should never cost more than others simply because it primarily works with same-sex couples. An agency’s costs should be reflected in its services—such as advertising, counseling, and financial protection—and never in the dynamics of the families it works with.
WHAT ARE THE PROS
The pros and cons associated with same-sex adoption agencies are really just those associated with LGBT adoption. The benefits, of course, of adopting are the same as they would be for a heterosexual adoptive couple. Love is love, and you’re adding a whole lot more of it to your life. Some pros of adoption are:
- Raising a child who needs a loving home
- The opportunity to grow your family and to share your lives with a child
- The ability to have an open relationship with your child’s birth parents
