[karar]

I was looking into using Adoption Ark but I haven't heard anything on them good or bad. I was interested in a few of their programs. If anyone has any information, please email me, karapales@aol.com.

[sak9645]

Some general suggestions on choosing an agency:

1. Choose a country before choosing an agency. Some agencies that have a great program in one country will have a mediocre one in another. Also, given how often countries close and change their rules, consider choosing a backup country, and then picking an agency that works in both your first and second choice countries. It is much easier, and usually much cheaper, to change from one program to another within the same agency, than to switch agencies midstream.

2. Make sure that you fully understand the adoption requirements of your country (countries) of choice. Become an expert, so when you talk to an agency or read its literature, you can determine whether it is giving you factual information or a load of manure. In developing expertise, read the State Department website and other authoritatitive websites, such as the website of the U.S. Embassy in the country and the foreign embassy in the U.S.

3. Check with the licensing authorities in every state where an agency is licensed to see what sorts of complaints have been leveled against it and how they have been resolved. Remember that even the most ethical agencies will have one or two complaints, mainly from people who chose an agency that wasn't right for them. Look for a PATTERN of complaints or complaints that suggest very serious problems at the agency.

4. Also contact the Better Business Bureau for the states in which the agency is licensed. You can do this on-line.

5. (This can be very important with certain countries, like Mongolia.) Contact the U.S. Embassy in the foreign country and ask if the agency has had any problems getting visas for referred children, or any other significant problems. Agencies that work in countries where many of the children in orphanages do not meet U.S. immigration requirements need to be VERY careful in referring children to parents. And agencies that work in countries where corruption is rampant need to make very sure that a child was not bought or stolen. It is absolutely terrible for parents if they complete a foreign adoption and then cannot get their child a visa to enter the U.S. They have legal and financial responsibility for the child, yet the only way they will be able to bring him/her home is to live overseas with him/her for two years.

6. Go to the JCICS website at JCICS2 and see whether the agency is a member. The Joint Council on International Children's Services is the leading advocate for ethical international adoption and for the ongoing education of international adoption providers. An agency applying for membership to JCICS needs to sign the organization's Standards of Practice, indicating intent to comply with these excellent standards. JCICS also maintains a complaint registry and adjudicates complaints against agencies. There is simply no reason for a good international adoption agency NOT to belong to JCICS, which has a sliding fee scale based on agency size.

7. Also look for membership in other mainstream adoption related organizations, such as the National Council for Adoption, the Child Welfare League of America, or the North American Council on Adoption. And, above all, look for indications that an agency's staff are on the Board of Directors of JCICS or one of these agencies, or have led workshops at one of these agencies' conferences. This indicates that the staff are well-respected by their peers in the adoption field.

8. Regard accreditation by the Council on Accreditation of Services to Children and Families as a big "plus". This New York based organization is the only major U.S. accrediting body for agencies. However, at this time, do not regard absence of accreditation as a serious problem. Many agencies waited to apply for accreditation -- a costly and time consuming process -- till they were sure what implementation of the Hague Convention in the U.S. would require, and are just now pursuing it.

9. Make sure that the agency is accredited by the foreign country of your choice, if that country requires accreditation or licensure. Examples of countries requiring accreditation by their government include Russia, Vietnam, and Ethiopia. While some people have adopted successfully by working with a non-accredited agency that "umbrellas" with an accredited agency, be VERY wary of such an approach. Most countries that license agencies do NOT allow umbrella-ing. There is a high risk, if you use an agency that umbrellas, that the country could stage a crackdown while you are in the adoption process, leaving you unable to complete your adoption.

10. Above all, check references carefully. First, ask an agency that you are considering for a list of people who adopted from your country of choice in the past year or so. Always ask for references from people adopting from the same country, as an agency can have a good program in one country and a less good one in another, and always ask for recent references, as a country's program can become significantly better or worse over time, particularly with the hiring or resignation of experienced staff.

11. Do remember that the people whose names are given to you by an agency are probably its most satisfied clients. To get a more balanced picture, also seek out people who have used the agency recently for your country of choice by going to your local adoption support group or on-line. If you go on-line, be sure to ask people to comment on an agency in private emails to you. Most board, listserv, and chat administrators do not allow discussions (particularly negative ones) of agencies for fear of litigation, and many families will be reluctant to say negative things about their agency if they are still in process.

12. When you talk to agencies, be very specific. Don't just ask whether the agency was ethical or honest, or whether the family was happy. Remember that, even if an agency is ethical and honest in every possible way, it could still be wrong for your family. So make a list of things that are important to your family. As an example, if you have never traveled overseas before and are concerned about the trip to complete your adoption, be sure to ask lots of questions about this part of the process. As an example, ask about the quality of the hotels used by the agency and, especially, about the quality of the guide assigned to you. You will really want someone who "holds your hand" every step of the way and is knowledgeable both about the country and about the adoption process.

If you do your homework thoroughly, you should have a positive adoption experience and feel good about maintaining contact with the agency with which you worked.


Sharon