Making an adoption plan for your baby is stressful enough; combine that with trying to figure out who to ask for help, and one can find themselves feeling scared and overwhelmed. If you’re trying to figure out whether you should work with one of the many Florida adoption agencies or an adoption law firm, like The Adoption Law Offices of Madonna M. Finney, there are a couple of key differences that might help you make the best choice for both you and your baby. 

Key Differences Between Florida Adoption Agencies and Adoption Law Firms

While we can’t speak for all of the Florida adoption agencies, we can explain a couple of the key differences between working with an adoption agency and our adoption law firm in Florida. 

Birth Mother Services/Support.

In compliance with Florida law, expectant mothers who have made an adoption plan are able to receive a certain level of assistance both during their pregnancy and up to six weeks after they’ve given birth. While most adoption agencies in Florida do help expectant mothers obtain this assistance, it’s always something you should ask the adoption entity about when you first meet with them.  

The Adoption Law Offices of Madonna M. Finney truly understands how important it is for expectant mothers to receive the best support and assistance possible as they navigate the adoption process. Our team will do everything in our power to ensure that you have everything you need to have a healthy pregnancy. When you work with our adoption law firm, you would have access to all the living expenses and medical care you’re eligible to receive, as well as free counseling. 

Service and Care. 

When it comes to service and care, our law firm is unmatched. Our staff works one-on-one with each expectant mother who walks through our doors. We are a staff of all women, who are experienced and knowledgeable about all things adoption-related. Additionally, our Social Work Director, Angela, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with special training and certification aimed at helping women during their pregnancy and postpartum recovery period.

Some women report that when working with one of the larger Florida adoption agencies, the process can become bureaucratic and that it can be difficult to obtain assistance with living expenses or to simply get in contact with someone that can help them in that moment. That’s not the case for us. We’re here for you 24/7, 365 days a year. One member of our staff is ALWAYS on call. No matter what’s going on in your life, we will be there for you. 

Expertise. 

Some adoption agencies in Florida operate more like a business. They staff social workers and administrators, but don’t actually have an adoption attorney on staff. Most of the time, these adoption agencies will simply out-source the legal aspect of an adoption to an attorney in their area. While this practice is allowed, it doesn’t always ensure that your adoption case is handled by an expert in adoption law.

In contrast, when you choose to work with an adoption law firm like ours, you can rest assured that one of the most knowledgeable and qualified adoption attorneys in Florida is handling the legal aspects of your adoption. Madonna Finney is one of the only Board Certified Adoption Lawyers in the Panhandle of Florida, and limits her practice to adoption law. She has been helping women carry out their adoption plans for over 23 years. She currently is Fellow of the prestigious Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, and serves as a Director and the long term Legislative Chair for the Florida Adoption Council.

Autonomy. 

When it comes to expectant mother autonomy, it’s well known that working with an adoption attorney provides much more freedom and choice than working with an adoption agency in Florida. What’s the reason for this? Well, like we mentioned earlier, some Florida adoption agencies are more likely to operate like a business and this means that they place more focus on servicing and catering to the waiting adoptive families on their roster. 

For example, if an expectant mother doesn’t feel like there’s a good match on the agency roster, the agency may not reach out to other agencies or law firms to see if there’s another family out there that meets the woman’s selection criteria. On the other hand, adoption law firms tend to have smaller rosters of waiting families, and therefore have to broaden their search more often. It’s not uncommon for us to look outside of our roster to help an expectant mother find the perfect adoption match for her and her baby. 

Considering adoption in Florida? Looking for adoption agencies in Florida? 

Not sure what to do? You don’t have to navigate this all by yourself. The Adoption Law Offices of Madonna Finney is here to help you sort through your pregnancy options, explain the adoption process, and answer any adoption questions you may have at this time. If you choose to make an adoption plan with us, we would guide you step-by-step through the adoption process, help you find the right adoptive family and ensure that you have all the support and assistance you need to have a happy and healthy pregnancy. Feel free to reach out to us. Our team is here for you 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, each day of the week. Call or Text (850) 308-1836 or message us on Facebook or Instagram.