Choosing Adoption Agencies for Birth Mothers: How a Licensed Adoption Agency is Regulated in Missouri

Placing your baby for adoption can be a very difficult and complicated journey for birth mothers, but choosing your adoption agency shouldn’t be. There are a few different kinds of licensed adoption agencies available to you, each with its own set of laws and government regulations. Out of those, only a few adoption agencies for birth mothers will actually be the right fit for you by providing you with all of the essential resources you need to be safe, healthy, and happy. Not every adoption agency will have everything you are looking for as a birth mother placing your baby for adoption. That is why we are here to help you understand what you are looking for in a licensed adoption agency in order to narrow down your search. Adoption Choices of Missouri is here to help fulfill all of your full-service, licensed adoption agency needs.

The 3 Main Different Types of Adoption Agencies Available When Placing Your Baby for Adoption in Missouri

It is absolutely vital that adoption agencies protect and guarantee the safety of birth mothers, children, and adoptive families. That is why adoption agencies must be licensed and reviewed by the government in order to continue to operate successfully. Adoption agencies absolutely must be able to maintain certain standards of practices. 

Each one of these types of adoption agencies comes with its own set of government rules and regulations. While all three of these adoption agencies are wonderful options, you will find that some are better suited to meet your specific needs than others. 

When choosing the adoption process in Missouri, there are three main types of adoption agencies available:

• Private domestic adoptions, which can be done through either a local or national adoption agency. Also known as domestic infant adoptions, they are simply when the birth mother willingly chooses to place her baby up for adoption through an adoption agency. 
• Foster care, which is typically a form of government-sanctioned care. Foster care is usually reserved for special cases in which the state government decides it must intervene for the health and safety of the baby. 
• International adoption, which is when a baby is placed for adoption in another country than they were born in. International adoptions must obey the laws of both the federal government and the adoption laws of whatever other country may be involved as well.

The Main Requirements for Licensed Private Domestic Adoption Agencies for Birth Mothers

If you have chosen a domestic infant adoption, you must decide if a local or national adoption agency is right for you. Either way, you can rest assured knowing that both local and national adoption agencies must be reviewed and approved by the government on a periodical basis.

Although there are some basic federal laws regarding adoption, adoption laws vary greatly by state. Even national adoption agencies must adhere to the state laws of the particular state or states in which the adoption is taking place. Just like local adoption agencies, national adoption agencies must be reviewed in each state they practice in and must be held to the laws and standards of each individual state. 

The main thing to know about Missouri adoption law is that it requires adoption agencies to perform home study tests of prospective parents. A home study test means that the adoptive family is monitored and evaluated at home in their natural surroundings to determine whether or not they can provide a suitable stable environment. Even though you will get to select the adoptive family of your choice, you should be selecting a family that is pre-screened and pre-qualified. This helps to protect everyone involved by ensuring that your baby is being placed for adoption into a safe and loving home, no matter who you choose.

How to Maximize Your Benefits as a Birth Mother Through a Full-Service Adoption Agency

It’s not just enough to make sure your adoption agency is monitored and reviewed by the government. You will want to make sure that your adoption agency has your best interests as a birth mother at heart. You can do so by making sure that you choose a full-service adoption agency, like Adoption Choices of Missouri. A full-service adoption agency means that your adoption agency will provide all of the services and resources available to help further ensure the safety and comfort of both you and your baby. 

Remember, placing your baby for adoption should never be at any cost to you. In Missouri, the adoptive parents can help to pay for the birth mother’s living expenses. While that is a great start, we believe in going above and beyond for our birth mothers by providing access to a multitude of adoption resources. These adoption resources can look like financial assistance, medical aid, mental health counseling, and even legal representation. After all, it is only natural that you would want an adoption agency that will protect your legal rights as a birth mother.

Contact Us Today for Unplanned Pregnancy Help with Choosing Licensed Adoption Agencies in Missouri

Do you want to know more about what it means to choose a licensed adoption agency in Missouri? Or maybe you are more interested in finding out what resources adoption agencies in Missouri can offer birth mothers? Whatever questions you may need to be answered, don’t wait to call our adoption agency today. Our adoption specialists are ready and waiting to assist you with all of your adoption needs. Call us now so that we can get to work helping you with your adoption journey as soon as possible. 

Adoption Choices of Missouri serves birth parents statewide and beyond, please call us or text us to learn more! Call us toll-free at 877-903-4488 or, in Missouri call or text us at 1-816-527-9800

Meet the Author: Kelly Felix is a graduate of the University of New Orleans. She holds a BA in English as well as a BA in Sociology. Her English concentration is in journalism, and her specialties in sociology are gender studies and environmental sociology.

When she isn’t voraciously guzzling coffee or devouring books, Kelly can be found either bent over a canvas working on her art or at her computer playing video games. She has hands-on classroom teaching experience from her time working as a substitute teacher for Kelly Services. Kelly also completed an in-house editorial internship at Pelican Publishing Company, and she finished the goal internship program at Green Light New Orleans. Kelly generally exists in a state of suspended disbelief, but when she’s not there she resides in New Orleans.