Hague Evaluation

This information is provided only to stimulate your thoughts. Prospective parents must weigh all factors and make a decision that meets their own needs.

Major Points are As Follows:

-Big or small agency? There are pros and cons to each.

Large agencies that are well-rooted in the history of intercountry adoption often have diversified themselves in multiple nations. This is particularly important because, if a country should unexpectedly close as was the case with Kazakhstan in 2008, the agency should be able to quickly move your file into another country program. One of the cons is that some people feel like they get less personalized attention from large agencies with a huge client base. One positive is that some of the largest agencies in the US have significant endowments generated from private donations and these funds help agencies weather difficult times--including avoiding premature agency closure while cases are pending. For example, the large agencies were able to stay open and complete cases during the Guatemalan slowdown while some smaller agencies closed their doors before the adoptions were completed. Some families were shocked to find that office phones were disconnected, etc.

On the other hand, small agencies may feel more personal in their approach to families. However, if the agency only has one program, that is a red flag for the reason we listed above related to country closure. During the Guatemala era, using small agencies was a common phenomena and many families would argue that they prefered this approach and were willing to take the risk given their own commitment to Guatemala. Because we at Hague Evaluation feel strongly that small agencies are important and many provide solid services, we encourage you to select an agency that has a solid intercountry adoption history, with at least two programs, and personnel who have relevant education and training such as social work degrees.  Also, it is important to note that some directors of small agencies are experienced with working "on a shoe string" and will personally work a case tirelessly until it is finished regardless of hard times within the organization. Often these individuals are visionaries and they have founded agencies because it is their life passion and this is a real strength.  

Regardless of which agency you choose, make an informed choice and ask good questions and consider the following:

1. How many adoptions have been completed from the nation in question, including how recently and the average wait time?

2. Expect the agency to provide you with a transparent fee schedule in their first information package--if not, this is a red flag.

3. What is the agency's refund policy? While US accredited agencies are required to have a refund policy, the policy may be writting in unflexible language. Think critically about this approach because there are agencies that are more explicit about refunds and your rights as a consumer. And, whatever happens, if the agency charges the family for a particular service (i.e. a home study) and then does not provide the service for some reason, there needs to be a refund.

4. Ask the agency to give you an example of a difficult case which they have encountered and how they solved the problem, including how the family was informed of the issue and progress.

5. When interacting with the agency, do they seem open to your questions (i.e. #4 above) and do you feel comfortable with them?  Do they feel genuine or superficial like a sales person?

6. NOTE: Even if you are adopting from a non-Hague nation, a strenght of an accredited agency is the fact that they are organized enough to pass accreditation standards, their agency is periodically audited by a CPA for financial solvency, they carry relevant insurance policies and have sufficient assets to weather bad times in the short term, and their staff must meet education and training requirements.

7. You may encounter an agency that acts as a "supervised provider" of a larger adoption agency which has been accredited. This is common practice--especially for small agencies--and should not be considered a problem. However, you should inquire with the agency about how many adoptions they have completed in this collaborative relationship, etc.

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Agency choice is an important consideration. Look at your options, search the web for comments and even join web-based discussion groups about adoption scams and fraud (i.e. yahoo has a group
). Interview agencies so that you may get a feel for their style and openness. Ask about relevant policies and even ask difficult questions. At some point, trust your instincts.

We do recommend that you make sure that the adoption professionals are seasoned and have the appropriate education and training in social work or related field. There are many such providers and there is no reason to risk working with someone who has not invested in professional training or lacks experience.  If the agency case managers are fairly new and you are concerned about inexperience, then ask about in-house training and the line of supervision so that you can determine accountability and experience of the entire team.