LifeLong Adoptions

I unfortunately cannot recommend Lifelong Adoptions services after 3 years with them I suffered more heartache and emotional pain and never actually became a parent.

The good things Lifelong Adoptions includes: 1) They created a beautiful profile and help you get advertised as they are top hit on google search. 2) They also try to educate hopeful adoptive parent on different topics associated with adoption.

Now the bad: 1) They are facilitator not an agency so they offer no due diligence from being scammed and most of their staff fail to recognize what a scam is. My first match the woman was discovered to not even be pregnant, at the time I was green on the adoption front called the case coordinator for help she literally hung the phone up on me said it was my call. 2) Communication is a struggle with staff at times I would not hear from them for months (though the response this review claimed they talked with me 79 times total it may not be about the amount times but the quality in conversations). Trying to schedule a call with my last coordinator sometimes were weeks before we could talk on the phone. She would often be late to phone calls and cut the calls short. 3) They work with several families between Lifelong and Angel Adoptions (look at their organization charts several of the staff are shared). My last coordinator happened to work for both organizations so I am not surprised she was always short with me. 4) I was scammed (working with multiple families) at the final week of my contract. I had paid $20,000 for the adoption between an agency in the mother’s state and attorney. She asked for additional funds to extend my contract and I had not even be refunded any money yet from this disruption right away. She indicated it was my fault this match was not successful. Though the director tried to make this right by putting my contract on hold the communication from the coordinator caused my trust to be broken. I did not feel safe proceeding with them due to adverse effects to my mental health that the coordinator caused.

In conclusions, though they met the terms of the contract that is more in favor of them then then client. Based on what I know now I would never gone with them to help pursue my dreams of becoming a mother because they no better than advertising agency (marketing company).

Save your money and emotional health by looking elsewhere for help with your adoption journey as though they want to create a safe space for expectant parent they do not create a safe space for the hopeful adoptive parent that paid them money for services.

PLEASE don’t pay this company money until you do all of your research and explore every option possible! Please do not make the same mistake we made… I now compare it to paying $ 17,400 for a lottery ticket and LOSING. We made the biggest mistake of our lives by signing up and paying this company over $ 17,000 almost two years ago. The company says that the $ 17,400 is for ADVERTISEMENT… if you pay $ 17,400 for advertisement you would think you would have something to show for it but we have nothing, we have not had one birthmother contact us! Since the beginning we were reassured over and over again that everything looked great on our profile and we would definitely adopt a child, but nothing. There were no reviews of this company before we signed up and paid the money, we really wish we would have seen the reviews that are now being posted… we would have definitely taken another route! There are a couple of areas that have bothered us about this company, the first is that there is a different cost for what race you want to adopt, it is the cheapest to adopt an African American child. Really? Why? Also, there has been a high turnover of employees at this company, not sure why… kind of bothersome. We are writing this to forewarn others whose dream is to adopt a child that LifeLong will not work for you like they should for the money you pay. If you are never contacted by a birthmother with no option to adopt you have lost a lot of money with no child and depleted funds to adopt elsewhere. Just please think about everything before signing up with LifeLong.

This agency may not be for everyone! I got to admit I was losing hope. The team there have been amazing! From Jodie to Chelsea to Nicole to Stephanie! They are there every step of the way and truly care that you are able to adopt! There is no rhyme or reason as to why a Birthmom chooses you! I do know that by listening to them, they have made our dream a reality! If you feel something is not working then be proactive and have them help you! Good luck to those future adoptive parents and thank you LifeLong Adoptions!

This organization took the time to know my husband and my desires to help us find a birth mother. When we found Lifelong we weren’t sure exactly what to expect, but after our first conversation with Mark we were sure this was the right next step in our search toward adoption. Mark and his team explained all the services and fees involved and helped us feel comfortable with the decision to enter into a24 month contract. After a few options which didn’t pan out we were starting to feel scared that we weren’t what a birth mother was looking for, but Mark and his team once again put our fears at ease, stating «when it is right you will know»… @11 month in to the contract I received a call that we had been selected by a birth mom and she was due in 10 wks. My husband and I were so excited. LLA helped us research lawyers and the legal options for us as well as finding a social worker locally and putting us in contact with the mom and starting the dialogue which solidified her choice for us to have us adopt her unborn son. He came early and everything was a whirl wind… It is now 15 months post placement and everything is perfect. We still keep in touch with Lifelong and post updates. If you are searching for a facilitator who wants you to succeed and cares about your family. Lifelong is for you. We have recommended them to all of our friend who have shown any sign of wanting to adopt. The fees were ¹⁄₃ of what an adoption agency would have charged us and the placement time was so fast. It of course is stressful waiting and making this choice is never easy but LLA was with us to help in any way they could. Thanks again. It works… Do it!

During our informational call with Mark Doyle from Lifelong Adoptions, we were assured that they would provide significant support and guidance to us and our birthmother through the adoption process. Mark answered every question with «Absolutely…» We were very naïve, but excited about our adoption journey. Unfortunately, we did not receive the guidance we were promised… Nor did our birthmother. We were completely lost in the process and it led to significant emotional and financial stress for my partner and me as well as our birthmother. The process was beyond horrible.
We were so dissatisfied with the organization’s lack of support that we spoke with Sue Chaffee, the Executive Director and Mark Doyle to request a partial refund to provide additional support to our birthmother who did not receive the support she was promised. They both spoke badly about birthmothers and stereotyped them as liars. They also said that they have never had anyone ask for a refund, and said we need to be thankful that we adopted. It was so disrespectful and unprofessional.
Please think twice before using this organization.

UPDATE. After writing a negative review Lifelong called me from a blocked number and tried to strong arm me into taking my review down. Now I know what probably happened to the negative birth mom’s review that use to be on here. They also tried to find out what other sites I had posted on. I was able to confirm all of the lifelong staff, except one, are housed in the Angels adoption agency in Illinois, where facilitation is illegal. The California address is just a mailbox. Even if nothing they are doing is against the law I think it is unethical for them not to give adoptive parents, who are paying thousands of dollars, truthful information about their company.

We are a currently waiting family and are not sure about this agency. We singed over a year ago and have yet to speak with a potential birth mother. When interviewing we ask all the right questions and got answers we wanted to hear, which may or may not be true. We signed a 2 year contract and at the end if we are not matched we walk away with nothing. Each time I speak with them, they assure me that everything is fine and to wait and be patient. Just a heads up their promises of a short time frame for a «connection» seem to be over hyped.