| Adopting a child can be a joyful time in any family's | | | | agencies that decline to answer questions or do not |
| life, but it can also be a frustrating and confusing one | | | | provide suitable answers. Ask about the agency's |
| as well. For this reason, many individuals turn to | | | | success rate. With overseas adoptions, find the |
| adoption agencies to facilitate the adoption process. | | | | agency's estimated time frame before the adoption |
| These agencies are licensed by the state and must | | | | will be finalized. You should not be the first individual |
| stand up to rigorous inspection and regulations | | | | or family interested in adopting a child, so the agency |
| enforced on a monthly basis. Many countries have | | | | should be able to provide you with answers to all of |
| staff located around the world to aid international | | | | your questions. If you feel inclined, ask for a list of |
| adoptions. These individuals are on the regular payroll | | | | contacts from the agency's previous clients. Make |
| of the agency, making them official staff members, | | | | arrangement to contact these individuals and ask |
| not for-hire individuals who sometimes work in | | | | them about their satisfaction with the agency. |
| cooperation with the agency. This is an important | | | | Besides finding more information on the adoption |
| question to ask when dealing with an agency with | | | | agency, you may learn a great deal from the story |
| international staff. | | | | of other adoptive families. |
| When you begin the search for an agency to help | | | | Before you sign on with an adoption agency, first |
| with your adoption, there are many different options | | | | contact your specific state's licensing office to |
| available. For those with an expendable budget, you | | | | determine if the agency's license is up-to-date. |
| may with to contact a private-sector agency. These | | | | Afterwards, contact the Better Business Bureau to |
| organizations can do the grunt work and research | | | | ensure the agency has not had any complaints filed |
| potential children available for adoption. The drawback | | | | against it. Finally, take a trip to the internet and |
| to using a private-sector agency is the price. Most | | | | contact individuals who have used this agency in the |
| families will not be able to afford such service in | | | | past. Various chat rooms and web bulletin boards are |
| addition to adoption fees, travel costs, and other | | | | dedicated to potential adoptive parents and allow |
| costs associated with adopting a child. A more | | | | such individuals to communicate. |
| budget-friendly option is the not-for-profit sources | | | | Social Services are an excellent agency for individuals |
| and social service agencies. | | | | who are interesting in adoption but may not have the |
| After you find an appropriate agency, make sure you | | | | funds available to hire a private agency. In order to |
| ask questions before using this organization to help | | | | find the contact information for your local Social |
| with the adoption process. Find out how long the | | | | Services representative, contact your specific state. |
| agency has been operating and understand the fees | | | | The same questions apply to those individuals using |
| upfront. Many agencies will ask you to sign a | | | | Social Services, as well as not-for-profit agencies to |
| contract, which is not unusual. You should keep a | | | | facilitate their adoptions. To find more information |
| copy of this contract, in addition to anything else you | | | | about adoption agencies, just log on to the Internet |
| sign. Remember to read all documents that require | | | | and visit locations such as [ to do a thorough search. |
| your signature carefully before signing. During your | | | | Copyright 2005 by Dana Sanders. All rights reserved. |
| questioning, analyze the agency's answers. Beware of | | | | |