How to choose the right agency

(HealthDay News) -- If you're thinking of adopting a child, choosing the right agency is an important step.

Here are guidelines to help select an adoption agency that's right for you, courtesy of the American Pregnancy Association:

• Get references and recommendations from friends or family members who have adopted. The agency should also be willing to provide references.
• Find out how long the agency has been working with adoptions. Have candidates disclose details of fees, contracts, legal documents and other requirements.
• Ask about services that the agency provides, for both the adoptive parents and birth parents.
• Find out whether the agency offers open or closed adoptions, and what experiences agency staff has had with both.
• Ask about the average wait time for completing an adoption.
• Inquire about procedures used to identify the health of the child.

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