6 Qualities The Right Adoption Professional Will Have

The path to adoption can be long and tumultuous. Having the right adoption professional by your side can make your journey smoother and less confusing. Take your time when deciding on the right adoption professional and get references from other families. Look for these important characteristics in the man or woman you choose to hire.

1. Knowledgeable

If you are like me, there will be no end to your questions throughout your adoption process. There is a great deal to learn! The right adoption professional will provide accurate answers. She doesn’t need to know everything, but she should be able to find an answer or provide a different resource to every question.

2. Objective

You will discuss many very personal topics with your adoption professional. She should be able to advise you without inserting her personal beliefs or opinions. She should also respect your personal beliefs and opinions regardless of if they align with hers.

3. Responsive

The questions I had during my adoption journey often felt very pressing (though in retrospect most of them weren’t). I really appreciated that my caseworker told us how soon we could expect her response and then she consistently stuck to her policy! Her timeliness did so much to soothe my anxieties.

Another way she showed responsiveness was by providing us with multiple modes of communication. Though this isn’t necessary, it was convenient that she was open to phone calls, texts, and emails.

The adoption process moves more like a buggy than a Bugatti. For me, any unnecessary delay was aggravating. Great adoption professionals will do all they can to speed up the process. Even something as simple as routinely responding to emails within 24 hours can add up to take a week or two off your wait.

4. Compassionate.

The right adoption professional will understand the stresses and emotions that often coincide with adoption. She should be able to empathetically walk you through the ups and downs. You should feel emotionally safe with her because she will be privy to sensitive information. Find someone who will be a comfort to you during emotional and private events like relinquishment and placement.

5. Thorough.

Yes, it’s uncomfortable to have someone look under your bed and poke around in your closet. Yet, I would have fired my caseworker had she not done so. In the circumstance of our home study, it was her job to be nosey! Awesome adoption professionals put the needs and safety of the child first, and that means a thorough inspection of your home and character.

Adoption professionals also need to have an eye for detail when it comes to paperwork and legal processes. You will want to be confident that such forms will be filled out exactly right. What a nightmare it would be to be delayed by a missing or incorrect detail.

6. Resourceful

No singular adoption professional will be able to meet all your adoption needs. However, the right adoption professional will help you find others to aid you where they cannot. Our caseworker went above and beyond by helping us find community groups, adoption trainings, other adoptions professionals, and families who were willing to share their adoption experiences.

I hope these tips will help you find a compatible guide for your adoption journey. Don’t be afraid to switch to a different professional if the one you hired is lacking these or other important qualities. You deserve to have confidence and trust in someone so integral to such an important and amazing venture. 

Are you ready to pursue adoption? Visit Adoption.org or call 1-800-ADOPT-98 to connect with compassionate, nonjudgmental adoption specialists who can help you get started on the journey of a lifetime.