| For adoptive parents looking to adopt internationally, | | | | and others will be accepted until Feb. 15, 2008. The |
| new legislation may make this process easier. Since | | | | agencies will be evaluated based on size, qualifications |
| the U.S. is the world leader in international adoption, | | | | of the staff, financial resources, and their policies. |
| with almost 120,000 overseas adoptions in the last | | | | They must inform parents of their policies, and |
| seven years and 19,292 adoptions in 2007, they are | | | | provide parents with the health and history of the |
| leading a new treaty and teaming with over 70 other | | | | child being adopted. This type of information was |
| nations to standardize policies and procedures in the | | | | previously unavailable to those pursuing international |
| international adoption industry. | | | | adoption. |
| This industry was once unregulated, which often lead | | | | Although the U.S. will still allow adoption from |
| to accusations of corruption with everything from | | | | countries not in compliance with the treaty, the |
| hidden fees to child abductions and "selling" of | | | | government's regulations will show if an adoption |
| children. This treaty, which was ratified December 12, | | | | center is not accredited, which may be a warning sign |
| 2007, is called the Hague Convention and will give the | | | | for adoptive parents. This could prevent Americans |
| federal government and adoptive parents a chance | | | | from being involved in corrupted practices, which |
| to see which agency is accredited and thus safe to | | | | currently are rumored to occur in countries like |
| work with. | | | | Guatemala. |
| According to the treaty guidelines, each country has | | | | The treaty could slow the process down for some |
| a central authority which will establish the ethics and | | | | couples, but it will hopefully save many others from |
| policies, track records, and approve or deny adoption | | | | heartbreak from corrupted adoption agencies. Time |
| agencies' accreditation. In the U.S. the central | | | | will tell how effective this treaty will be, but hopefully |
| authority is the State Department. | | | | it will allow federal regulation to increase the safety |
| With the treaty now ratified, more than 300 | | | | and legitimacy of international adoptions. |
| applications for accreditation have already been filed | | | | |