Presenting Embryo Donation and Adoption: How to Educate Your Clients, Part 3

In this four part series we’ve looked at overcoming barriers to educating clients about this new family building option and different families’ motivations for adoption. Today, we want to address two questions frequently asked by adoption agency professionals. 

When Should We Share Embryo Adoption with Our Clients?

Domestic and international adoptions are becoming increasingly difficult. Fortunately there are many points in time where an agency has the opportunity to educate their clients about another adoption choice. During your initial consultation with clients about adoption, you can present all their options to them so that they can make an educated decision of what option will be best for their family. Their home study social worker may also find as they are conducting the family assessment that they are a good candidate for embryo adoption and choose to share that option with them. In the event that their adoption experiences a disruption, embryo adoption is something that can be brought up again. As we all learned in psychology 101, a person truly grasps a new concept after being exposed to it five, six, even seven or more times! By continuing to share embryo adoption with your clients, they may find the path to their desired family in a more timely and cost effective manner.

It's important to help your clients face their fears and discover the advantages (and disadvantages) of embryo adoption. Discover the answers to common questions so you will be prepared and feel confident in answering your clients' questions.

How can we educate our clients about embryo adoption?

Choosing to share embryo adoption with your clients may be as simple as adding a section to your agency's existing website. Adding links to websites with information on embryo adoption to your resources page may be a great place to begin. You may also choose to include brochures on embryo adoption in your information packages that provide information on all your clients' options. The Awareness Center has also created a customizable power point to make sharing embryo adoption confidently easily in your grasp.

Simply educating your clients regarding this unique adoption choice does not preclude your agency from participating in the process. Your agency could still offer to perform the required home study. Perhaps you could partner with an existing embryo adoption agency and refer clients to their program... similar to an international adoption referral.

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