The agency that you choose to handle your international adoption will make a large impact on your overall adoption experience, according to Adoption.com. Choosing an agency is an important part of pursuing your adoption, and should not be taken lightly. Adoption.com states that if something about the agency feels wrong or "off" to you, chances are that you are right, and that you should look elsewhere for representation. Research your options before deciding on an international adoption agency.
Step 1
Ask friends, family members and anyone else that you know who has completed an international adoption about which agencies they used. Make a list of the agencies with which people you know have had good experiences.
Step 2
Contact government agencies in your state to verify that the adoption agencies you are considering are reputable. The Child Welfare Information Gateway suggests calling both your State Licensing Specialist and the State's Attorney General's Office. These agencies will be able to tell you whether the agencies have up-to-date licenses and if they have complaints on file. Call the local Better Business Bureau to find out if there are any complaints outstanding on each agency.
Step 3
Call or email the agencies and ask them to send you information. Study the brochures and pamphlets that they send you. Determine whether the agencies are accredited, recommends Adoption.com. Accreditation is more stringent than licensing, and indicates that the agency meets the criteria of the accreditation agency. These include good financial practices, effective procedures, ethical adoption practices and good training programs for the staff.
Step 4
Narrow down your options to two or three agencies of interest to you. Contact these adoption agencies and ask them to answer a list of questions. Some items that BabyCenter recommends asking about include how adoptive parents are prepared for adopting a child of another race and culture; what types of support the agency provides to adoptive parents; how those considering adopting children with special needs are prepared for the experience; and what the fee agreement includes. At this time, ask for a list of no less than three references for you to call.
Step 5
Call all of the references that the agency gave you. Ask them about their experience, while recognizing that the agencies most likely would not pass along a reference who had a negative experience. The Child Welfare Information Gateway recommends asking if they had any concerns during the pre- or post-adoptive period. Make your final decision based on all of your research.
Tips and Warnings
- BabyCenter.com states that many international adoption agencies hold an open house or informative meeting monthly. Find out if the agencies that you are considering do this, and attend the meetings if possible.
