First, many adoption agencies are non-profit so the fees that they charge are to cover the costs of staff and running the agency. Many agencies additionally offer a variety of services to their prospective families (training, counseling, post-adoption support, etc) and those fees help cover those costs. Additionally, governments (ours and other foreign governments) have fees for the services that they provide as well. Some agencies that handle international adoptions additionally give back to the international communities that they represent by funding orphanages, providing toys and supplies for the children and even training for orphanage workers.
If these fees are a concern for you there's a few things that you can do. First, you can explore becoming a foster/adopt parent. Foster adoption is less than $500 in most states. In our county, most of the fees were reimbursed back to us.
Second, if you are considering either domestic or international adoption, here's some questions that you can ask to get a better feel if this agency is for you:
- Is the agency a not-for-profit organization?
- How long has the agency been in existence and how long have they been providing adoption service?
- How many children have they placed?
- Are adoption qualifications clearly stated?
- Does the packet explain all the basic steps and timeframe of the adoption process?
- Does it provide an all-inclusive and straightforward list of adoption fees?
- Will they provide a reference list?
- If international, do they explain the risks of international adoption?
- How many staff members do they have for their adoption program in the US and in whatever country(ies) they represent?
- Are they Hague Accredited? An adoption agency must receive the Hague Accreditation to provide adoption services under The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. You need to absolutely make sure that the agency you are to select is Hague accredited. To verify an agency’s accreditation status, you can visit http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/convention.
In addition, you might want to ask: Have they had any lawsuits? Are there any complaints filed against them through the state licensing agency or Better Business Bureau?
Finally, regardless of your financial status, you should be absolutely sure how much this adoption is going to cost you, including agency fees, government fees, orphanage donation/fees, and your travel and accommodations expenses. No agency can control the rise of government fees, such as fingerprinting, or the price of an airline ticket twelve months from now, but a good estimate is not difficult. Ask questions and learn the differences in agencies’ service. Be a picky and smart customer. Remember, it is your money.An agency’s fees should not change unpredictably. While an agency has all the right to say that “Fees are subject to change without notice,” it is your right to ask what that means. Many agencies will now lock in your fee amount as soon as you sign a fee agreement. You want to work with an agency that does not have last-minute surprises or hidden charges.
If for some reason the adoption does not work out, an adoptive family is entitled to a refund. An adoption agency is obligated to make the refund policy available from the very beginning. Service fees should not be paid unless the agency is ready to serve and the adoptive family is ready to be served.
The willingness to refund unused adoption fees is a sign of a good agency. As long as the motive for requesting a refund is reasonable and there is still un-spent money in the family’s case account, that money should be refunded timely. No one wishes for a failed adoption, and no one can predict tomorrow. Sometimes things beyond your control do happen and force you to terminate or postpone your adoption process. So to protect yourself and your rights, make sure you understand the power and limitations of an agency’s refund policy.
(excerpts taken from "Eight Things to Know Before Selecting a China Adoption Agency" By Rev. Joshua Zhong)
The bottom line is to make sure that you get your questions answered to your satisfaction so that you can make an educated, thorough decision. Hope this is helpful. Feel free to share questions that were helpful to your family in your adoption process.
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