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Resources for Choosing An International Adoption Agency

By Allison Martin

Your choice of adoption agency or facilitator is crucial to your adoption experience. Working with someone who is ethical and knowledgable about adoption will provide rich benefits for you and your child's life for years to come. On the other hand, if you are not careful you may be faced with concerns over sudden rises in cost, ethics, lack of essential medical and background information, or even a failed adoption. Unfortunately it is not easy to obtain good information on agencies or facilitators. Checking directly with other parents and with the government programs responsible for oversight is essential. In addition, these links provide helpful resources to start the process in making your decision.

National Adoption Information Clearinghouse
http://www.calib.com/naic
330 C Street S.W., Washington, DC 20447
NAIC is a federal service of the Administration for Children, Youth and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. Well organized website includes professional factsheets and databases on adoption law, agencies and services.

NAIC National Adoption Directory
Search this database for the officials who regulate adoption in your state or your agency's state of business, including state adoption specialists, state liscensing specialists, and public child welfare agencies. May also be useful for locating general adoption support groups in your area.
Intercountry Adoption Fact Sheet
A detailed presentation of the of the process, complexity, and concerns involved in international adoption. Highly recommended.
Wrongful Adoption and Agency Liability
This articles provides an historical overview of agency liability in failed adoptions and gives basic advice on what you can do to protect yourself.

Joint Council on International Children's Services (JCICS)
http://www.jcics.org
The JCICS is a professional affiliation of international adoption agencies who subscribe to a Standards of Practice designed to protect the rights of children, birth parents, and adoptive parents. Member agencies (listed on the website) are "licensed child placement agencies who currently qualify as non-profit organizations under the guidelines of Sections 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code." A useful website.

How to select an agency
http://www.adoptvietnam.org/adoption/agency-selecting.htm
Articles and resouces for selecting an adoption agency.

International Concerns for Children (ICC)
http://www.iccadopt.org
911 Cypress Dr., Boulder, CO 80303-2821
The ICC's Report on Intercountry Adoption includes a detailed reference listing of selected adoption agencies and facilitators. According to the ICC, most agencies selected for listing have been liscensed for two years, have (or will have) 501(c)(3) non-profit status, and have had programs in a particular country for at least one year (or a designated pilot program). A large selection of articles on adoption is also included in the report (read the book review for more information). Updates are available during the year.

Better Business Bureau
http://www.bbb.org
Provides a listing by state of Better Business Bureaus.

State Attorney Generals
http://www.ago.state.al.us/address.cfm?Action=Attorneys
List of Attorney General offices for each state, provided by Attorney General's Office of Alabama

Selecting An Agency For International Adoption
http://www.eeadopt.org/home/services/agency/selecting_an_agency.htm
Exceptional overview of considerations, concerns, and questions to ask in choosing an agency, including programs, costs, parental support, and ethical business practices.

Adopt.com - Adoption - Legal Resources
http://adoption.about.com/parenting/adoption/cs/legalresources/index.htm
Well defined set of links to attorney organizations and information on adoption law. See also the Adoption Fraud section.

The Adoption Guide
http://www.theadoptionguide.com
Primary focus is on adoption difficulties, but includes information for selecting an agency. A new feature is their "Consumer Protection" email list. There is no other site quite like this one.

Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services
http://www.coanet.org
120 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005

Accreditation body with rigorous standards, with emphasis on social work, human and health services. Founded in 1977 as a joint effort of Family Service America (FSA) and the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA). A number of organizations involved in adoption either endorse or are accredited by the Council.

Adoption How to Adopt

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Adoption Scams
Is International Adoption for You?
Hague Regulations/Agencies
How to Adopt Internationally
Make a Welcome Book
Domestic Adoption
Tears of Joy
Older Child Adoption
Parents by Choice
A Dream Come True
Interviewing An Agency
The Greatest Gift
Joy and Surprises - Assimilation
Rainbows from Heaven
Adopting on Your Own
The Adoption Homestudy
5 Top Hot Buttons - Insensitive Comments
Homestudy Humor
Preparing Families for International Adoption
Basic Requirements
Agency Intiated or Direct Adoption? Immigration/Orphans
Interview- ICC

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