Use of Advertising and Facilitators in Adoptive Placements

Use of Advertisement
Citation: Family Law § 8609(a)

No person or organization may advertise in any periodical or newspaper or by radio or other public medium that he, she, or it will place or provide children for adoption, or cause any advertisement to be published in any public medium soliciting, requesting, or asking for any child or children for adoption, unless that person or organization is licensed to place children for adoption by the department.

Use of Intermediaries and Facilitators
Citation: Family Law §§ 8623 through 8638

An adoption facilitator is a person or organization not licensed as an adoption agency that charges a fee for rendering services related to an adoption, or that advertises for the purpose of soliciting parties to an adoption, locating children for an adoption, or acting as an intermediary to an adoption.

Requirements for adoption facilitators include:

• Any advertising must disclose the identity of the facilitator and make clear that it is not an adoption agency.
• Parties must be provided a description of services.
• Adopting parents must be given in writing all information provided by the birth parents about the child.
• Fees and expenses paid must be reported to the court.

Credits: Child Welfare Information Gateway (http://www.childwelfare.gov)