As a childhood cancer survivor, I knew my ability to have children biologically was very unlikely due to the damage caused by the treatments and surgeries my body endured. After marriage and years of struggling with infertility (and a lot of prayer), we made the decision to pursue adoption. Initially I thought we would use a local adoption agency that I’d heard of through a friend of a friend. But after speaking with their staff I was very overwhelmed and realized that we were clueless about the process. It was around this time that we were connected to Christian Adoption Consultants (CAC) through friends of ours who used their services to bring home their baby girl.
I tell everyone that working with CAC was by far the easiest and best decision we made in our adoption journey. With the help and guidance of CAC, we welcomed our son and daughter (twins!) into our home after 4 months of signing on with them. Shortly after the birth of our twins, I joined the team at CAC. I consider it such a joy to help guide families through their own adoption journey as an adoption consultant.
When I tell people that I’m an adoption consultant with CAC, I often get questions asking exactly what I do and what my connection is to the adoption process. Before I explain who we are and what we do, I’d like to start off with debunking a common misconception. We’re not an adoption agency and we don’t work directly with expectant/birthmothers/parents. Instead, we work primarily with hopeful adoptive parents, guiding them through the adoption process from the beginning of their journey until they bring their baby home.
When a family signs on with CAC they’re provided with an Adoptive Parent Guide Book, which includes invaluable adoption resources that we’ve pulled together from more than 14 years of working in the adoption field. Our families receive a recommended home study provider list for their state, and we walk through what they can expect in the upcoming weeks and months.
One thing that sets CAC apart is that we have representatives from every part of the adoption triad on our staff (birthmothers, adoptees, and adoptive parents). As a part of our contract, they receive a consultation with our on-staff birthmother and adoptee. Not only do they have the opportunity to hear their story, but they also get to learn from their unique perspectives! We also have an on-staff profile designer who creates beautiful and unique adoption profile books for each interested family as an add-on service.
After a family’s home study and profile are complete, we provide them with a customized agency list based on their preferences. These aren’t just random agencies that anyone can find in a Google search. Rather, we pour hours, weeks, months, and years into vetting the agencies and attorneys we direct our families to, ensuring they’re working with the best of the best. Ethical practices are very important to us at CAC. Applying to multiple agencies at once (multi-agency approach) often leads to shorter wait times. In 2019, our average wait time until a match was 6 months.
Any way you choose to grow your family involves risks, and adoption is no exception. At CAC we help our families assess every situation that crosses their eyes, pointing out any risk factors that we see. Our families are never alone wading through the ups and downs that the adoption process can bring. We’re available to answer all their questions. In addition to providing support and encouragement, it’s an honor for me to pray for each and every family throughout their entire journey. I’m grateful to have a front-row seat to the unique stories that God beautifully writes for each family!
Adoption is expensive. That’s probably one of the most intimidating factors preventing families from starting the process. At CAC we understand the financial concerns, and that’s why we provide our families with resources and tools on how to fund their adoption through grants, loans, tax benefits, and fundraising.
Education is one of the last factors I want to highlight. There is so much more to adoption than just the act of adopting, as there is so much to be learned along the way. In addition to our Adoptive Parent Guide Book, our families have the opportunity to join their consultant’s private adoption FB support group. It’s a special place where past and present clients can utilize more adoption resources and learn from others who have walked through the adoption process.
A few noteworthy things about CAC: We’re one of the largest, oldest, and most experienced adoption consulting firms in the world. Since establishing CAC in 2006, we have helped more than 3,000 families with successful adoptions. Our team consists of adoption professionals that hold degrees ranging from masters to bachelors in the counseling, social work, child welfare, and human services fields. Our team members have 120 years combined professional adoption experience.
I know from personal experience that the adoption process can seem intimidating, but that’s where an adoption consultant comes in! If you’re interested in learning more about adoption and the services we provide, I’d love to chat and give you a free adoption information packet. Email me at kelly@christianadoptionconsultants.com or check out Christian Adoption Consultants for more information.
Kelly is a pastor’s wife and mom of twins living in Southern Illinois. She holds a Master’s degree in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. She is a Senior Adoption Consultant with Christian Adoption Consultants. Having personally walked through infertility and adoption, she understands the concerns and questions that can arise throughout the adoption process. Kelly loves connecting with families, hearing their stories, and praying for and supporting them each step of the way. @kellybethtodd
