Questions for prospective adoption agencies

[some more info I dug up from the yahoo group on Ghana Adoption. I have yet to read through these questions but will hopefully do that soon]

Orphanage operations:

1. How are children supported by the home?
2. Does the agency give a large donation "per child" to an orphanage that "gives" a child for adoption? Or does the agency give support to the orphanage that is not based on the adoption of a child?
3. Do you know what your kids are eating each day? (Some homes have kids eating 5 times per day, others only once per day)
4. What medical testing is done for each child?
5. Does EVERY child in the home get the same care as those who are referred? How do the kids come to the orphanage?
6. Does the Ghana staff know what age/gender/types of children that adoptive parents are waiting for? If so, it may turn into a scenario where Ghanaian folks start "looking" for kids according to which families are waiting.

Referring the child:

1. How does the orphanage/agency determine which family gets which waiting child?
   Does the agency do a medical and THEN determine if the child will be referable through their program?
2. What is required for me to receive a referral (home study, application, USCIS approval, or just money)?
3. Regarding splitting siblings, has the agency PROVEN to you that they are committed to placing siblings together whenever possible?
4. Do they place HIV+ and Hep B+ kids with the same enthusiasm as healthy kids?
   In the case of a baby, what has the agency done to insure that there is no other option but international adoption for that baby? Did they see if social welfare could place the baby domestically?
5. When can I expect to see the medical testing of a child I am interested in adopting?
   What makes a child eligible to be referred to a family? For instance, what documentation is necessary to refer a child to a family?
6. If you are offered a Ghanaian infant under 2 years old ... find out "why? " (It used to be that infants weren't available, because "there are Ghanaian families that want to adopt the younger children." Now, however, I hear of more and more babies being available. Could it be that the families are being offered financial incentives?)

Biological families:

1. How do you, as the agency, counsel biological families when they say they want to give a child for adoption?
2. Will you give a child back to their biological family if they change their minds? Is there any point in the process where your answer would change (for instance, after court)?
3. Is the orphanage/agency providing financially for the families that are releasing their children for adoption? (While it seems "nice", it can also be construed as "buying children". When other families hear about the $ being given, they may also decide to "sell" their child to the orphanage.)
4. Does the orphanage/agency require or suggest that the adopting family give financially to the releasing family? (Again ... could be construed as "buying babies".)
5. Is the orphanage/agency making "deals" with families ... "you give me the child and I'll do ___ for you." ? ($ to start a business, etc.)

Agency details:

1. Is the agency a recognized non-profit, with 501C3 status?
2. Are they directed by licensed adoption professionals?
3. Are they Hague Accredited (whether or not the sending country has ratified the Hague agreement)?
4. Are they accessible throughout the "agency shopping" process?
5. Are they willing to spend time working with you to ensure that you understand *their* particular process (every agency functions differently)?
6. Are they willing to send you a sample copy of their placement contract for review? If so, will they review it with you and explain it to you?
7. Does it have any blanket disclosure clauses? Is their refund policy clearly spelled out? Are there any *gag clauses* in the contract (if so, is this ok with you?)
8. Will they provide references of past RECENT clients?
9. How long have they been working in each of their countries?
10. Is the program you are considering a pilot program? If so, is this spelled out clearly?
11. Do they have the proper in-country credentials, or partner with an agency who has them
12. If they partner with another agency - are they transparent about this?
13. If your adoption stalls, who is responsible, your agency or the partner agency? Is this in your contract? What are their ground support policies?
14. How many Ghana adoptions has your program completed?
15. When the agency makes a mistake, do they admit it?
16. Do they respond to your phone calls and e-mails rapidly and professionally?

Agency operations:

1. Does the agency give ANY funds to a judge in order to say "thank you" for a court judgment?
2. Does the agency "create" siblings?
3. Does the orphanage/agency change the children's ages? This would also be known as falsifying legal documents. (This is done in order to make the children "more adoptable", but it is justified by saying that the children will "fit in better in America, since they are behind academically".)
4. How many in-country staff does your agency have?
5. Are the in-country staff employees, or independent contractors/facilitators that can work with several agencies?
6. Do you, as the agency, take part in investigating the backgrounds of each child you refer, or do you trust an outside source to do this (orphanage director, facilitator, etc.)?
7. In the history of your program, what is the median age of the children referred/adopted? Why do you think the age is higher/lower than ______ program that I’ve also talked to?
8. How did you come to hire your staff in Ghana? What are their qualifications?
9. How does the agency prepare the children for adoption?
10. Are you given open access to your referred child when you travel to Ghana to visit? Is the agency secretive about what you may or may not do when you are around the children in the home?
11. How many country staff are supporting the program you have chosen? Is it one guy doing it on a part time basis or is it a team of people dedicated full-time to your agency's work?
12. If something goes wrong on the Ghana side, who takes responsibility? Will it be your agency or will they blame their country facilitator and then wash their hands of it?

General advice:

1. Have you put an "all call" out on the adoption groups (and I would specify, NON-adoption agency owned) asking for references, good/bad/ugly, for specific agencies? Don't just consider the latest cases, go back a few years. Don't just consider the old cases. Consider how the agency will treat you when things go bad.
2. If one agency has different children available than another agency- ask WHY that is.
3. Choose an agency that spells out their fees CLEARLY. You are committing to an expensive process – ASK what is included in the agency fees. Some agencies appear very expensive, or inexpensive, ON PAPER. However, the expensive agency might include such services as drivers and translators in their fees, while the inexpensive one does not. Know exactly what you are paying for.
4. Interview your placement agency!
5. What would you say is an area you would like to improve on in your program?
   · What would you say is a reason someone might NOT choose your program?
   What makes your program unique to the other Ghana programs available?