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For families that choose international transracial adoption, there are many ways to minimize the risks involved. Here are some tips on how to do that.
-As I say over and over on this blog, research, research, research. Make yourself an expert on the adoption program you choose. Know the adoption laws of your state, your country and the laws of the country you are hoping to adopt from. Speak to multiple agencies and compare waiting times, fees, the process for getting a referral, travel requirements, etc. These things can vary greatly!!
-Talk to other parents who have adopted from the country you are choosing to adopt from. Find out about their experiences. If you have a good feel for what is “normal”, then you will be much more likely to notice “red flags”, should they pop up.
-Talk to other parents who have adopted using the agencies you are considering. Ask them if they would use the agency again. Why or why not? Ask what the strengths of the agency are, and what the agency’s weaknesses are (all agencies have strengths and weaknesses). Ask how they handled things that went wrong. Ask how the process actually went, compared to what parents were told to expect. There will always be parents that LOVE their agency no matter what, and every agency will have unhappy families, but if you talk to enough parents, you should definitely see “patterns” in the overall satisfaction (or lack thereof) of parents using a particular agency.
-Find out who is working for the agency not only in your country, but also in the country you are adopting from. It is extremely important that both the domestic and the in-country personnel are experienced and ethical.
-Get a fee schedule from the agency. Know what is due when, and where the money is going. It is YOUR money, and you have the right to know what specifically you are paying for.
-Be careful of pilot programs and/or new agencies. While all adoption programs have to start somewhere and many pilot programs grow quickly and successfully, choosing to adopt through a new agency and/or program is always risky. Going with an established agency and program is almost always “safer”.
-Find out early what programs you meet the criteria for. If you are under 30, you cannot adopt from China. If you have a larger family, you cannot adopt from several countries. Some countries have income requirements. Find out what the requirements are and what programs you qualify for before jumping into a program or signing with an agency.
-Educate yourself on what health issues are common for adopted children from the country you are adopting from and be prepared for them. Consult with an international adoption specialist before and after your child comes home.
Feel free to add your own tips to the list by leaving a comment. Here are some resources…
Ask the Adoption Doctor- This is a great resource for parents adopting internationally.
Country Information on Adoption.com- This is a great “starting point”, with lots of information on a very long list of countries possible to adopt from.
