The Cradle provides home study and post-placement/post-adoption services for intercountry adoption. During the process, adoptive families will need to choose the anticipated child’s country of origin, while a home study is being completed. This step also includes choosing a primary provider in that country.
The Cradle has achieved Hague Accreditation, which attests that our agency meets the standards of practice as set forth in the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption treaty. Because intercountry adoption is constantly changing and evolving, The Cradle is proud to have trusted partnerships with well-established, knowledgeable Primary Providers in other countries. We will share information regarding our inter-agency partnerships. We may be able to give you the names of alumni families who have adopted from the country you have chosen or are considering.
Questions to Ask a Primary Provider or Placing Agency
When selecting a Primary Provider/ Placing Agency, you may want to ask:
- Is your agency Hague Accredited?
- How long have you been placing children via in intercountry adoption?
- In what year did you begin placing children from (country)?
- How many children did you place from (country) last year and this year so far?
- Where can I find your agency’s list of requirements to adopt from (country)? Does the country have any special requirements? Restrictions? Heritage preferences?
- What are the typical ages, genders and social-medical needs of the children coming home from (country)?
- For what reasons do children typically come into care and what is their care environment in their birth country (e.g., orphanage care, foster care, small group homes)?
- What are the travel requirements to adopt from (country)?
- What is the average timeline of events once a family has completed all the paperwork necessary for intercountry adoption? Time until I receive my first child referral? Travel? Take placement of my child? (Note: Timelines can range depending on your child request such age, gender, health conditions or due to country or world events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.)
- Do you employ permanent in-country staff who work exclusively for your agency and are solely involved in adoption-related/child welfare activities?
- Do you have a program to prepare older children for the transition to their adoptive families and if so, will you describe the program?
- How many adoptions from your agency have disrupted or been dissolved within the last five years? (Note: Agencies who place many older children and children with other special needs will some have disruptions/dissolutions.)
- Where can I find an itemized fee schedule and written explanation of fees for the country program I am considering?
To learn more about intercountry adoption, schedule a free 20-minute call with a Cradle Counselor.
