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If an angency does not have Hague accreditation but is listed on a country's website as an agency they work with.... what does this mean? Is there a way to find out why an agency is on the non-approved listing?
If an agency doesn't have Hague accreditation, they cannot complete an adoption with a Hague Country. I don't know if you can find out why they didn't get accreditation. They could be listed on the country's website because they completed adoptions with that country before Hague.
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Foreign countries do not necessarily update their websites regularly.
Prior to the U.S. ratification of Hague Convention #33, any American agency could work with any foreign country, as long as that foreign country would accept it.
However, once the U.S. ratified, only Hague-accredited agencies were allowed to work with other Hague countries. Non-accredited agencies were still permitted to work in countries that did NOT ratify.
I presume that you are trying to adopt from a country that has ratified the Hague. Such a country would be allowed to work ONLY with U.S. agencies that have received Hague accreditation.
To see a list of agencies that received accreditation, go to [url=http://adoption.state.gov/hague/accreditation/agencies.html]Accredited Agencies[/url]. To see a list of agencies that were denied accreditation, go to the following website: [url=http://adoption.state.gov/hague/accreditation/deniedagencies.html]Agencies Denied Accreditation[/url]. These websites are probably more up to date than the foreign one you accessed.
Each agency that was denied applied for Hague Convention accreditation and was denied because the accrediting entity determined that the agency had not demonstrated that it was in substantial compliance with applicable standards in 22 CFR Part 96.
Specific reasons for denial are not disclosed, but could relate to a whole variety of situations. As just a few examples, the denials could relate to issues of licensure, governance and management structure, professional liability insurance, compensation mechanisms, criminal violations by staff, educational and experience qualifications of staff, fee practices, disclosure practices, procedures for dealing with complaints, and much more.
You can read the Hague regulations in 22 CFR Part 96 to see what the requirements are. They may be found at [url=http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr;sid=3a6bbbb77cb23c9ef8c4cc3628af2fe6;rgn=div5;view=text;node=22%3A1.0.1.10.51;idno=22;cc=ecfr]Electronic Code of Federal Regulations:[/url].
I hope this helps.
Sharon
Thanks for your input. The country I was looking at is not a Hague country but it bothers me that the adoption agency does not have Hague status! Thanks for the information and resources. It helps to have information to help me make decisions!
Some good agencies have been denied Hague accreditation because of serious problems, but others may simply not have passed because of poorly documented procedures or other less critical matters.
While using a Hague-accredited agency is one way to ensure that there has been more oversight of an agency than would be provided by the licensing authorities in its state, there are other ways to determine the quality of an agency and whether it is right for you.
Certainly, a good idea is to call the licensing authorities in the state or states where the agency is licensed, to determine if it has had any history of issues that are worrisome. Some states maintain a complaint registry and it is worthwhile to look for a PATTERN of complaints, or a very serious incident. All agencies get complaints occasionally, so a few complaints are not necessarily indicative of a bad agency.
Of course, you can also call the Better Business Bureau in the state(s) where an agency is licensed, to obtain a complaint history
You might also want to call the U.S. Embassy in the foreign country you are considering, to see if the agency has had any history of visa denials (meaning that the agency has not properly determined that a child is eligible for immigration because of orphan status or an irregular adoption process) or other problems.
I believe that membership in respected adoption professional organizations is indicative of a commitment to ethical practices and to ongoing education for adoption professionals. The primary such organization for international adoption is the Joint Council on International Children's Services, although there are others such as National Council for Adoption, the Child Welfare League of America, and the North American Association for Adoptable Children.
If you go to the JCICS website, you will see a list of member agencies. You can also find a list of key Board members and presenters at major conferences. If the head of an agency you are considering, or some of his/her key staff, might have served as a Board member or done a bunch of conference presentations, this is often a sign that he/she is well respected by his/her peers, as well as competent in his/her field.
Research your country of choice well, and become thoroughly familiar with its process. Then, look carefully at an agency's website and any literature you obtain. Are there any false or misleading statements? If so, run, don't walk, to another agency.
Check references carefully, and ask specifically about things that are of particular concern to you, like fee policies, complaint procedures, the handling of travel, etc. Don't just ask, "Is this agency honest?" or "Do you like this agency?" No agency is right for everyone, even if it is ethical in every way.
When you check references, make sure that the people you contact used the agency RECENTLY and for the country you are considering. An agency could well have a great program in one country, and a mediocre one in another. Its programs can also change in quality of key program managers leave or are hired.
Also, be sure to go beyond references given to you by the agency. Remember that the agency is likely to give you the names of only its most satisfied clients. You can find other references by going to your local adoption support group, or on-line to bulletin boards and chats. Just remember that, if you go on-line, board and chat moderators usually do NOT allow agency-bashing. Discuss an agency with someone via private email or PM.
Sharon