Things to consider when choosing an agency

[MarieL]

Hi Everyone

I've been thinking that maybe it would be a good idea to come up with a list of things folks should consider BEFORE signing with an adoption agency.

Hopefully, we can get a good list together and then pin the post, so any new folks on the boards can use it as a resource.

I'm going to start, please help me out and post what things you think are important to know, prior to signing with an agency.

Ok, here goes:

1. Find out the reputation of the agency. Don't only contact references that the agency may give you. Post on the net (multiple boards and the listserves that are available for different countries). The idea here is to contact as many folks as you possibly can and get as many replies as possible. Ask for private replies (as some folks may not feel comfortable posting to a group). Look for personal experience, not "a friend of a friend told me". While every agency can run into problems on any individual case, try to get a feel for how things go in general.

2. Contact the BBB to see if there have been complaints lodged against the agency.

3. Contact the different agencies and ask them to send you their information packets. Review each packet CAREFULLY.

4. Compare - not only prices, but services and how contracts are worded.

5. Check for "hidden" or "additional" fees, not covered by the contract. I think most reputable agencies will tell you their fees and then outline fees that are in addition to the fees the agency charges. Examples of these fees are visa fees, medical exam fees, travel fees, DNA, etc.

Ok, what have I left off???

[Dawn]

Good idea Marie!
I have a few to add:

Contact your state's department of health and human services. Many will have a list of agencies they consider reputable.

Contact your state's licensing board. Any complaints filed against the agency are a matter of public record. You should be able to obtain copies.

When posting to request information, use a yahoo or hotmail email address that is dedicated soley to gathering this information. That way you can close the account if some nutjob starts harassing you. I learned this lesson the hard way!

Look for an agency that has a different person dedicated to each country. The rules are vast and varied and nobody can be an expert in more than one country's requirements.

When interviewing agencies, ask them one or two questions you already know the answer to and see what they tell you. Attention to the small details is essential!

Beware of agencies who won't disclose who their in-country contacts are. Especially in Guatemala, the reputation of the attorney and/or facilitator are VERY important. Two people can use the same attorney, but use different facilitators and have a very different adoption experience. Also be cautious if you are denied direct contact with anybody in Guatemala. This seriously limits your ability to obtain accurate and complete information in the event you encounter problems.

Ask what the fees cover. In a Guatemalan adoption, ask specifically what you will be charged for fostercare and then GET IT IN WRITING! This will eliminate unpleasant and financially disasterous surprises later on. Also get in writing a schedule of when fees are due. Again, this should protect you in the event you encounter problems.

Remember there is no such thing as a stupid question. Ask anything you feel you need to without shame or embarrassment. This is an extremely critical decision and you deserve to have every scrap of information you can get your hands on!

Don't be fooled into thinking a small, local agency is the best choice. Small and local does NOT mean good, capable and reputable.

Ask if the agency deals directly with the in-country contacts or if they contract with another agency. Do not assume the agency will offer this information up front because they don't always. Why pay your agency an inflated fee because they are giving another US agency a cut in exchange for use of their program? Contract with the agency that actually has the program.

We used Adoption Choice, Inc. in Milwaukee Wisconsin and had a less than happy (nightmare actually) experience with our adoption. Please refer to this website: http://saradave.tripod.com/theadoptionagencychecklist/
The website owner used Adoption Choice as well...he is just as sorry as we are.


Dawn
Mom To Gracia
Born 1/30/02
Referred 2/18/02
Finally home 9/25/02

[DebbeCA]

I know this may sound petty, but one thing that's important to me is an agency that is willing to accept any preferences (such as gender) that you have. I know, probably not important to most, but it's important to me that an agency be open and willing to work with potential adoptive parents.

Also, find out exactly what their fee covers (you probably said that already, Marie!).

Thanks for the great thread, Marie!

[MarieL]

I thought of something else:

Find out how long they have had their program in the particular county you wish to adopt from. In other words, are they well established in country.

How many children were brought home from that country using your agency in the past year? The year prior to that? In other words, how many adoptions do they do in the country you are interested in - few or many?

[SallyRK]

Great topic! Here are some more ideas:

--Choose the country you will adopt from BEFORE you choose your agency. Some agencies have much stronger programs in one country than another. Make sure the families you've talked to about their experiences were working with the same country.

--Beware of agencies with long contracts that have lots and lots and lots of fine print. If you are very interested in such an agency, I'd suggest having an attorney go over it with you--although personally, I just eliminated agencies that had contracts that were long or unclear.

--Check out the agency with Mary Mooney's site, Adoptionnews.org. Also check it out in Christine Adamec's book that comes out new every year. One thing it indicates is whether an agency has been sued. It's possible a good agency has been sued, but again, I avoided those agencies since I could find other strong ones that didn't have such a record.

--Consider how good the agency is about responding to your initial inquiries. If they respond quickly, it's a better sign than if you have to wait days and days and days. I would not judge an agency on how slick or expensive the brochure is, but clarity really counts for something.

Hope these ideas help! Also, if you're looking for an excellent agency for adopting from Guatemala, ask me which one we used!

[rae]

Great idea Marie! This thread could help a lot of newbies.

You might want to check out this website for ideas. It is put together by an adoptive father who was caught up in an illegal adoption scam. Lots of good ideas. http://saradave.tripod.com/theadopti...ist/index.html

Also, make sure you understand the differences between adoption agencies and adoption facilitators. Some websites make it almost impossible to tell which type they are. Some states require that you work with agencies. In general, agencies are required to be licensed, giving the client an extra layer of protection. It's good to know all the differences between the two so you can decide for yourself whom you prefer to work with.

[AmyCT]

Check out www.theadoptionguide.com - this is another site that lists agencies that have had problems.

[Suzanne]

I agree that you can learn a lot about an agency from those who have had an experience with them. Ask a lot of questions. We went into our adoption knowing very little about the procedures. Fortunately we had a great agency and facilitator and had a wonderful experience. We received regular updates, pictures and videos of our child. Be sure and ask if your agency provides these updates plus if they return phone calls and emails. They are really important when waiting for your child to come home. I also agree that you can get all your documents together first and then choose your agency. It was important to me that all the fees were not due at one time. Ask your agency their policy on how fees are to be paid. Different agencies have their own policies about refunds. Be sure and check this out. We lost our first referral (sad story but not the agency's fought) and the portion of fees that we had paid were refunded until we were emotionally ready to accept another referral. The best advise is to ask questions and talk with other parents who have adopted a child. If anyone would like a reference on the agency we used or have any questions, you can email me at sgh10475@aol.com.

Suzanne - Mom to Malia - born 11-19-2000
Home from Guatemala on March 20, 2002

[mommytoalexis]

Hi

In addition to all of the great info in the other posts, I would also ask how often you will receive photos, video and updates.

Donna

[Chris MomtoJosh]

MAKE SURE.... that you know Each and every person who will be involved in your adoption. If your adoption agency refuses to tell you who their "sources" are or the name of a facilitator or anyone else, RUN THE OTHER WAY!!!!!!!! Do not trust them. Trust yourself, do your own checking on each person involved. Do not be gullable and nieve or it WILL come back to bite you.

There are facilitators who have bad reputations that are involved in, especially Guatemalan adoptions, that are acting anonymously with the adoption agency. The agency withholds the facilitator's name and you are only allowed to meet the coordinator in Guatemala. The facilitator's name never shows up on any paperwork, therefore can not be held responsible for anything that goes wrong. If you have info on a certain facilitator BE SURE to specifically ask your agency if they will be working with this person and if they say no, GET IT IN WRITING. Before you sign that contract with the agency INSIST that this paragraph be part of that contract. This could be the only legal recourse you have against the agency should they use a disreputable facilitator that ruins your adoption. (Speaking from Experience.)

And that little clause in their contract that says there are always health risks with international adoptions and that they are not going to be responsible for them. Don't take any chances, go visit your child and take them to a doctor of your choice especially if you have limited medical information on your child or it is taking an especially long time to complete your adoption. These could be signs that something is wrong. Believe me, they WILL hide behind that clause to protect themselves. Also, specifically ask your agency if the LAWYER is the one that is going to be handling everything on your case, from filing the documents, to getting the birth mom in for her interviews, to getting her there for DNA, etc...if you have an agency/facilitator that only hires the lawyer for just preparing the legal paperwork and they use runners or jockies for everything else, it could slow down your case dramatically. Especially is the agency or facilitator has many adoptions they are working on and the runners or jockies are overwhelmed, this also causes MANY mistakes and mix ups.

If you are considering a Guatemala adoption I HIGHLY recommend checking out
http://www.lapa-nnj.com/Attorney_Agency
You have to pay $14.95 for a years subscription, but there is VALUABLE information on agencies and facilitators and attorneys there that could keep you from making a big mistake. Also check the local Better Business Bureau where the agency and/or facilitator is located. You can do this online and it is simple to do. One such BBB is www.bbbsouthland.org located in California. Just type in the name you are searching for. Or simply go to www.bbb.org and search for the state you wish to search in.