Any opinions on Care to Adopt?

I've never heard of this agency. Do they do Panama adoptions? The only ones I've heard that work in Panama are Commonwealth Adoptions Internationa, Faith International, and World Partners. There may be others, but I've not found them. I think there's a newcomer to Panama called Mandala? We wanted to adopt from Panama and had to search for an agency that did Panama, while most parents look at agencies then decide the country. So, I looked at a lot of agencies trying to find someone to do our country. Robin

Well blow me down! hehe I just went to their website and see they do handle Panama. Wonder how long they've been in the country program. There are some basic questions to ask any agency. I would ask for references to families who've completed an adoption in that country's program. Ask how many families they have waiting in Panama. how many referrals they have? How many families are actually waiting to travel. Also ask if they have an office in Panama. And are they licensed IN Panama. And check their standing with the Better Business Bureau. [Edited To Remove Agency/Facilitator/fee based services Recommendations or comments] Please remember that comments about agencies or other fee based services made after 2/10/2004 MUST be made via Private Message. I'd love to hear what you find out about this agency. Robin

[Edited To Remove Agency/Facilitator/fee based services Recommendations or comments] Please remember that comments about agencies or other fee based services made after 2/10/2004 MUST be made via Private Message. - Maggie

To Maggie: How's it going in Guatemala? Any news??? Please let us know when you get a referral!!! Hope things are going well for you. To Craftiemom: Robin (DolciLady) had some great questions for you to ask any agency. Checking the BBB is also a great tip. Many so-called "agencies" are just home-run businesses by former adoptive parents who think they can "do it better" than the agency they themselves used. I'm not saying that this is what your agency is--I'm just saying that SOME are. Keep in mind that even the most experienced agencies (like Robin's) are beginning to regret ever setting foot in Panama due to the LONG process and the inconsistent rules. They don't know what to tell their families anymore because the process is different for each family. Good luck. Just ask LOTS of questions, and don't be shy. If any agency is offended by your questions or side-steps them, you'll know something is wrong. Rebecca

Hey everybody...Thanks for you responses. Those are some great questions to ask. We were be sure to check everything out before committing to this ...or any agency for sure! We are still debating on adopting from Panama, and are trying to gather as much info as possible. Thanks again!

[Edited To Remove Agency/Facilitator/fee based services Recommendations or comments] Please remember that comments about agencies or other fee based services made after 2/10/2004 MUST be made via Private Message. On another note, why does adoption from Panama have to be so hard? We would really love to adopt from there, but were waiting to see if the process settles down and becomes more predictbale or stable. Julie

Julie, We all wish we had an answer for why adoptions appear to be difficult through Panama. I comfort myself that the adoptions are complicated in order to ensure that the right parents are found for the child. I believe that Panama is trying to do the right thing for their children. The individuals (DNA) in Panama are dedicated to finding the right families for their children. Unfortunately, like in many countries (including the US), children are not the country's first priority. Therefore, there are not adequate funds set aside to ensure the welfare of their children. Agencies have only begun working with Panama in the last year or so, and they don't have everything figured out yet. However, private adoptions from US citizens have been allowed for quite some time and the process has been long for those adoptions also. We wish you well with your decision on a country. Lauri Awaiting Final Court date of June 9th

Thanks for your message, Lauri. I'm looking into other Latin American countries but none seem to be going too smoothly right now. Can someone explain to me what I did wrong in my last post? All I did was mention that there's another agency with a Panama program that hasn't been mentioned here. I didn't say they were good, bad, or indifferent, just that they have a program in Panama. I can't even do that? I'm sorry, but that's just ridiculous, and if they want to ban me for saying so then so be it. It's not like I enjoy getting a million popup ads every time I visit this site. Julie (to other forum members, sorry I'm so cranky, but this just really irks me)

Julie, I have to agree with you. I usually just read the forum and don't post much because of the fear of being banned. Laurie, Will you be traveling for the June 9th court date or is this a hearing? You may have posted it before but I can't find it. Whoownsthis, Just wanted you to know I've been praying for you. Carol

At this time we are not planning to travel for the final hearing on June 9th. Our attorney said that she can represent us at the hearing. We have already met with the DNA and have provided an additional psychological exam while in Panama. Those are the things that we were told the judge sometimes looks for. We plan to travel once the paperwork is complete by the court. We don't have an exact date for that. Lauri

Julie and Carol, We also have a Yahoo group where you can post info about agencies to your heart's content! ("PanamaAdopt" is the group). The Yahoo board doesn't have these annoying popups, but you do have to click past the ad pages which are also very annoying. Do people ever use these agencies that annoy us all with their incessant popups?! I would think people would be so annoyed by their in-your-face advertising tactics that they'd avoid them like the plague! (Maybe that's why some agencies cost so much...to pay for their advertising?) Note to moderator: I didn't name ANY agency. This is just a thought to ponder. I don't even know who advertises here anymore since I've had a popup blocker installed for several months. ;)