Choosing an adoption agency is quite possibly the most important decision you will make in the adoption process. These are the people who you will be relying on every step of the way. You will need them to be reliable, ethical and honest. It is important for them to be there for you whenever you have questions or an issue arises. Your future and your soon to be child's future are in the hands of the adoption agency staff. For about one year of your life, these people will be the ones you turn to for help and advice. Make sure they deserve your trust!
Just remember not to fall for the lure of the photo of a child on a web site (this applies only if you are adopting from a country that does not allow referrals or photolistings). Also, don't think that because an agency's web site is flashier or seems more informative than the others, that they are better. Another important thing to remember is that any references from former clients they give you are hand selected by the agency.
So, where do you start?
References are actually a really good starting point. Just don't rely only on the contacts the agency gives you. The best thing you can do is join adoptive parent groups. Yahoo Groups has several of them. Joining a group and asking the other members about their experiences with different agencies is a good way to get the truth about an agency. If someone had a really good or a really bad experience they are usually more than willing to share their story.
Finding blogs written by adoptive parents is another good source of information. Usually you will find the most truthful information about an adoption agency on a blog of a family who has already completed the process. Many families who are still in process are afraid to say anything negative. Families who have their child home or, in the worst cases, did not bring a child home are much more likely to be open and honest. Also, you will be able to read how their in-country experience was. That is a very important thing to know!
Search! Search long and hard for information on an adoption agency as well as the people who run that agency. Searching the name of an agency might get you all sorts of posts on anything to do with adoption... Searching the names of the staff and facilitators will get you more specific results. If you do search the name of the agency be sure to put quotes around the name "Sample Agency" in your search.
Make sure you check with The Better Business Bureau, http://welcome.bbb.org/ , for any negative reports on an agency you are considering. You can also look for complaints on Rip Off Report, http://www.ripoffreport.com/.>
If you notice any "red flags" or get a bad feeling about an agency or it's staff, go with your feelings. There are several agencies out there and you do not have to settle for one that you are not completely comfortable with! You need to decide which things are most important to you and find an agency who can meet your needs. For example, some agencies require you to stay in an apartment or hotel of their choosing. (that was the case with the agency we used and we hated it) Some agencies have families go over in groups and they do things together while they are in country. Some agencies let the families go to the orphanage, sightseeing and meals on their own but have them all stay in the same hotel or apartment building so they can still have contact if they would like to. Other agencies keep their clients seperated (personally i think you should be leary of any agency that doesn't want you to have contact with their other clients, they are likely hiding something. again, this is personal experience talking) I recently heard of an agency that had sightseeing or shopping trips planned for their clients each day. As I said, you need to decide what you would like your experience to be like and try to find an agency who can help you obtain it. Also, some agencies offer post-adoption support which can be important, especially if adopting an older child. Another thing to consider is the wait time. Some agencies with a larger client base have a longer wait time before you will actually get to travel. The most important thing of all is the child waiting for you on the other side of the world. Be sure to select an agency you can trust to get you there!
