RUSSIAN ADOPTIONS, WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN CHOOSING AN AGENCY

RUSSIAN ADOPTIONS (2008)

ROBERTA KALMAR LMSW

With the resurgence of Russian adoption and the new opportunities available to families comes the chance for you to research your adoption agency.

Remember agencies differ in their contractual agreements, fees and flexibility in selecting your child. It is therefore essential adoptive parents view the contract very carefully feeling free to speak with their agency about certain statements.

The following guidelines are provided to assist you choose the adoption agency which meets you needs and to insure, as much as possible, that your child is physically healthy and has the ability to reach normal developmental milestones.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN CHOOSING AN AGENCY

o Is the adoption agency accredited by the Council on Accreditation? You will need to have the name of the agency you selected included in your Adoption Home Study for Citizenship and Immigration Services.
o How many children have they placed from Russia during the course of their Russian program? Ask if you can speak with some of the parents regarding the process and their experiences.
o Within the age range you wish to adopt how many children required Early Intervention Services? Were any of these children on the autism spectrum? These questions will inform you what types of services children may need including speech, occupational and/or physical therapy. The frequencies of these services can range from once to three times weekly and from a few months to a year depending on the developmental lag. Having this knowledge alerts prospective parents to the need for scheduling these appointments without infringing on their work day.
o Does the agency provide videos, pictures, medical reports and reports of developmental development? Does the agency provide professional assessment of the child or provide you with a listing of international pediatricians who can evaluate you youngster?
o Review your agency’s record of business with the Attorney General of Your State.
o Select an Adoption Agency/Home Study agency in your state which is licensed/authorized to conduct Adoption Home Studies and post placement reports. Likewise be certain your social worker possesses the appropriate credentials to perform your Adoption Home Study.

Article Source: http://www.adoptiondoctors.com/articles

Roberta Kalmar, LMSW, is the Director of Social Work for an authorized New York State adoption agency. She possesses 30 years experience in the field of adoption and has conducted adoption home studies for the United States, Africa, Eastern Europe, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Russia and the Caribbean . She has visited orphanages in Ethiopia, Guatemala, Vietnam and Cambodia and has accompanied adoptive parents to Ethiopia and Guatemala to receive their daughters. Her publications appear on the web. For additional information, please visit her web site at www.ABCADOPTIONSONLINE.COM or call us at 718-499-8993.

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