Independent Contractors

Independent Contractors: This term is probably more commonly used in the areas of business and construction. However, when used in the context of adoption, it refers to an individual or entity that is employed on a contract basis to perform specific services or to complete a specific task. In order to handle the additional services that are necessary to promptly and properly handle a large influx of work during peak times, adoption agencies will often contract with either licensed or unlicensed social workers that are not formally their employees to perform home studies and post-placement supervision on a case-by-case basis for their adoptive families. Although these individuals are not legally the employees of the agency, their work will be supervised, monitored and reviewed by a qualified person within the adoption agency.