If you are planning on adopting a child, you can either choose to go through an adoption agency or do an independent adoption. With an independent adoption, you deal with the prospective birth mother directly and will need to take care of all the background checks, meetings with the birth mother (and possibly father), and handle the legalities of the adoption. Here are pros and cons of an independent adoption to help you decide if it is the right option for your family.

Pro: You get to know the prospective birth parents

This is actually a benefit for both the birth parents and the adoptive parents. As the person adopting a child, you will be able to get to know the birth mother and father, find out about their medical history, and really spend time with them. If there are any problems, you will know right away, without having to deal with the agency. For the birth parents, they might also prefer it because you and they control the meetings, and they don't have to go through the agency every time they have a question or concern.

Con: There might be restrictions

There can sometimes be restrictions associated with independent adoptions. For example, when researching this type of adoption in your area, you might find that it is not legal to advertise when looking for a potential birth mother or that the amount of money for the adoption is limited to a certain amount. For example, you might live somewhere that the birth mother only gets medical expenses and prenatal care covered, but no other compensation. These are all things to understand before you continue.

Pro: The adoptions go more quickly

When you go through an agency, there are multiple adoptive parents hoping to adopt a child. This could mean you end up on long waiting lists, possibly even waiting for years for a birth mother to choose you. However, with independent adoptions, they tend to go more quickly. You might find a birth mother that is looking for adoptive parents who doesn't have many other options and likes you right away. You could have the adoption complete a lot faster than if you went through an agency.

Con: A lot of work is involved

While the adoption goes faster, and the costs aren't the same as with an agency adoption, it is still quite a bit of work. You need to research whether or not you can do this kind of adoption in your area, what restrictions there are, and how to do it legally. It can also be a lot of work just finding a birth mother and being sure they will follow through with the adoption. It is highly recommended that you get help from a family law attorney from Aaron Law Offices PLLC or a similar firm if you are going through this type of adoption.

Pro: You save money

Adoption agencies are expensive, and you might spend a lot more going through an agency than you would if you did it independently. Agencies not only charge you to give compensation to the birth mother, but for their own services like running background checks, spending time with the birth mother, providing counseling, and preparing the legal processes of adoption. With an independent adoption, you pay the birth mother directly and save on agency fees.