How to Choose an Adoption Agency (Viet Nam specific)

Choosing the adoption agency that is going to facilitate you bringing your child home is a very important decision. I believe it is a decision that warrants a great deal of research and time before any kind of commitment is made.

Here are some ideas to consider when selecting an agency:

• Attend information sessions given by agencies in your area. Even if you don’t decide to sign on with one of these agencies, it will still be valuable to you to hear how different agencies work. Remember, you can work with any agency in the country for your adoption. It’s only your home study agency who must be licensed in your state.




• If there is a certain province that you would like to adopt from, make a list of agencies licensed in that province.




• Request informational materials from all agencies that you are interested in.




• Join the following yahoogroup listservs to research the agencies that you are interested in:
  
  
  SPONSOR
  

  
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/a-parents-vietnam/
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Adoption_Agency_Research/
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lovingvietnamschildren/
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vietnammou/
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dec2005dtv/




• Contact the agencies directly by phone or email. Prepare a list of questions in advance and don’t be afraid to ask any and all questions. Some topics you may wish to cover:

1. 
   
   
   
   Fees



2. Wait time



3. Travel Information



4. Information about your in-country staff/facilitator (it is very important that your agency is completely open and forthcoming about this information. If they are vague or uninformed about their in-country staff, it should be cause for concern.)



5. The agency’s history in Viet Nam/humanitarian work



6. Ethical Practices



7. How communication with clients is handled



8. Breakdown of their steps/adoption process



9. Information about their specific baby center(s)/how the children are cared for



10. How the children come to be at the center(s)

• 
  
  
  
  
  Check the agency’s standing with the Better Business Bureau.



• 
  Speak with families who recently completed adoptions with the agency.

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