Starting the adoption process can feel overwhelming. With so many professionals and organizations offering services—consultants, facilitators, agencies—it’s hard to know who does what, who is legally allowed to help, and who is truly working in the best interest of adoptive families expectant parents and children.
If you’re planning to adopt in Texas or supporting someone who is, it’s important to understand the key differences between adoption professionals and what the law says about each role.
Licensed Adoption Agencies
What They Do:
Licensed adoption agencies are the only professionals in Texas legally authorized to place children for adoption. They can handle the entire adoption process, including:
- Home studies and adoptive parent education
- Matching adoptive families with expectant parents
- Providing counseling and support to birth parents
- Legal coordination for relinquishment and finalization
- Post-placement supervision and reports
In Texas, licensed child-placing agencies are also the only ones that can legally advertise adoption services.
Why It Matters:
Licensed agencies are regulated by the state and required to meet rigorous ethical, legal, and procedural standards. They prioritize the rights and needs of both the expectant parents and the adoptive family, ensuring everyone is fully informed and supported throughout the process.
In Texas, only a licensed child-placing agency or the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) can legally facilitate an adoption.
Adoption Consultants
What They Do:
Adoption consultants offer guidance and education to adoptive families. They are not licensed to place children or match expectant mothers with families, but they may help with:
- Choosing an agency or attorney
- Creating a profile book
- Preparing for home studies
- Understanding different types of adoption
- Providing support through the process
What to Know:
Consultants can be helpful if they’re transparent about their limitations. In Texas, a consultant cannot legally match families with expectant mothers or accept payment to connect people for the purpose of adoption.
✅ OK in Texas: Providing education, coaching, or helping you navigate the process.
❌ Not OK: Acting as a middleman between an expectant parent and an adoptive family.
Adoption Facilitators (Proceed With Caution)
What They Do:
Facilitators are unlicensed individuals or businesses that market themselves as matchmakers between expectant parents and adoptive families—often across state lines. They frequently operate online, advertising quick matches or “available situations.”
The Legal Risk:
In Texas, adoption facilitators are illegal. They are not licensed or regulated, and their involvement can delay or jeopardize an adoption, especially if they overstep legal boundaries or make promises they can’t keep.
🚫 Texas law (Texas Family Code § 162.255) prohibits payment to unlicensed persons or organizations for adoption placements.
If someone is charging a fee to connect you with an expectant mother and they are not a licensed agency or attorney in your state, they are likely operating illegally in Texas.
Questions to Ask Any Adoption Professional
No matter who you’re working with, ask:
-
- Are you licensed in my state?
- What specific services do you provide?
- How are you compensated?
- How do you support expectant parents?
- Can I see a copy of your state license or accreditation?
If the answers are vague or raise red flags, trust your instincts. Transparency and ethics matter—especially in a process as life-changing as adoption.
Verify Professionals With a Trusted Resource
Before working with any adoption professional, verify that they are licensed and legal to work in your state. AdoptChange.org is our recommended tool to find reputable, licensed agencies and attorneys across the state. You can look up professionals by organization name or individual names as well as domain names (for those sounds-too-good-to-be-true ads).
Final Thoughts
The adoption journey is filled with emotional and legal complexities. Choosing the right professionals—those who are licensed, ethical, and transparent—can make all the difference. Whether you’re making an adoption plan for your baby, hoping to adopt or supporting someone who is, take time to understand the roles and know your rights.
Because every expectant parent and adoptive family deserves an adoption experience grounded in trust, care, and legal integrity.
