[adoptinginpdx]

Hi,
My wife and I are getting ready to start the International adoption process and the first step is (obviously) to pick an agency. We've heard Holt is good and are also considering American World.

Does anyone have any feedback or guidance they'd care to share? Are there any agencies that people feel strongly about as being the best? What are various things we should "look out" for?

It seems as though there are many and we're getting overwhelmed with the information packets.

Thank you!

[KarenInCa]

Hi, where are you located?

[adoptinginpdx]

Portland, OR

[KarenInCa]

I sent you a PM

[Sheba]

I am sending you a pm on our agency.


Julie

[sivad73]

We are in the very early stages of adoption and are looking into China. The only problem is it is totally overwhelming! Any feedback on good agencys and prices would be very helpful! Thanks so much I have learned a ton from this forum so far!

Shannon

[thundrrds]

I won't on this thread provide any insight into particular agencies.
However, there are questions you need to answer for yourselves about an agency that have little to do with costs:

Do you want an agency that does adoptions in a # of countries or only China?

Do you want an agency who's director's are from China and have developed an agency in the states or an agency run by person's who are from the states?

Do you want an agency close to where you live so they can also do your homestudy? Or are you comfortable working with a homestudy agency and then the 'international component/ adoption' is done by the other agency?

Do you want to talk to the same contact person throughout the process or are you comfortable with a 'specialist' who works with you on certain components of the adoption process?

What's your comfort level in getting everything done for the dossier? What are you willing to do on your own, what do you want the agency to do for you? What guidance does the agency provide with 'dossier prep"?

Do you want an agency that sends dossiers to China when enough are on hand or on a particular day of the month; or an agency that due to its volume sends them several times per month.

Do you want to be in a small travel group or are you ok with traveling with @ 10 families who reside throughout the states/ your country?

Do you want to make your own travel arrangements or have the agency handle that? Often times the larger agencies work with travel agencies and do this for you?

Do you want one person as the 'rep' with you in China? What is their knowledge of the whole adoption process in China/ what do they know about all the gov'ts, dialects and languages spoken? How often does an agency send groups to China?
How many in China staff do they have? Are they staff or guides hired as contractors? What's their education and understanding of the process?

What supports does the agency offer with overall communication? How often are calls responded to immediately (throughout the process; not just in China). How about message boards/ emails from the agency? What family activities/ family training and follow up post adoption does the agency offier? (is this important to you?).

For the trip? Does the agency have a nurse or doctor on the trip? Some agencies provide this. Is that important to you?

What lisc does the agency have. Who can you contact for references? What states does the agency have a lisc to work in? How long have they been in business? How many China adoptions have they done and how many do they complete annually?

Once you have some idea of what you'd like from an agency it may help you in making decisions!

best of luck.
Joanne

[sivad73]

Thanks for all the advice! I think my problem now is I dont even know the ansewer to some of those questions! Does anyone with previous adoption experience have any advice on some of the issues listed on the other post? Thank you all soooo much!

Shannon

Looking to start the process with a agency this summer!

[ollie37]

My husband and I are also in the process of researching agencies.

***Please Note***

URL=http://forums.adoption.com/announcement.php?s=&forumid=377]NEW POLICY TO BE EFFECTIVELY IMMEDIATELY[/URL

All agency specific discussions must be done in private. Discussing agency specific timelines processes, dossier preparation time, application process time, referral times and fees fall under this guideline.[/b]

[sivad73]

I have heard of both. I think both look pretty good. We are currently looking at Great Wall. They have an office in our area so we could actually talk to someone face to face which would be very nice. Anyone with info on Great Wall? Would love for you to pm me!

Shannon

[CkJR4ever]

Hi! My husband and I are using xxxx we are in new Jersey. they have lots of offices on the east coast. i love dealing with them .

Colleen
NJ

***Please Note***

URL=http://forums.adoption.com/announcement.php?s=&forumid=377]NEW POLICY TO BE EFFECTIVELY IMMEDIATELY[/URL

All agency specific discussions must be done in private. Discussing agency specific timelines processes, dossier preparation time, application process time, referral times and fees fall under this guideline.[/b]

[SofiasMom]

Joanne,

that's a great list. I sort of fell into my agency and it turned out fine. Looking back, I should have asked those questions. My agency is close to where I live so they did everything for me, gave me a breakdown of the costs from beginning to end, step-by-step instructions and a list of the documents required, they set up the SW/homestudy. When my dossier was ready for China, they sent it to their China facilitator for translation. Then there was the wait with no communication (I could live with this but others in my group hated this part). The China facilitator was experienced and I really trusted him to be my advocate in China.

[Arlington1]

Ollie,

I sent you a pm regarding Wide Horizons For Children

[f86sabjf]

Could you please e-mail me regarding experiences with agencies like: Commonwealth, Adoption associates or others that are accesible from FL? We are interested in a China adoption and are having trouble coming up with an agency and help to pay for it. Thanks, in advance for your help!