Adoption is not a risk-free undertaking. International adoption has its own unique risks, including the physical condition of a child matched to you, unpredictable government relationships, policy changes in the foreign adoption country, natural disasters or epidemics such as SARS, your unexpected personal challenges, and unprofessional or unethical agency practices. It is important to understand that you will work with another country that has very different political, legal, economic, and social systems and practices, and you will encounter many things beyond your or your agency’s control.

It is true that adoption offers some choices that a biological birth might not be able to provide, but adoption does not offer any risk-free deal. While China adoption has been a very stable, predictable, and reputable program, it does not mean smooth sailing for everyone. So keep the old wisdom in mind: hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and expect the unexpected.

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.

Currently, about eighty Hague-accredited agencies from the USA are officially recognized by the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA), a sub-governmental agency in Beijing, China, in charge of international adoption affairs in China, from accepting and screening adoption dossiers and making child matches, to issuing Adoption Travel Notices and collecting post placement reports. The CCAA has repeatedly and consistently stated that they will only accept an adoption dossier submitted by a Hague-accredited and CCAA-recognized agency. To find out an agency’s status with the CCAA, you can visit www.china-ccaa.org.

Contact many CCAA-recognized agencies according to your preferences, such as agency size, location, specialty, or religious affiliation, and request a free Adoption Information Packet.

A useful packet from a reputable agency should answer most of the following questions:

1. Is the agency a not-for-profit organization?
2. How long has the agency been in existence and how long have they been providing China adoption service?
3. How many Chinese children have they placed?
4. Are adoption qualifications clearly stated?
5. Does the packet explain all the basic steps and timeframe of the China adoption process?
6. Does it provide an all-inclusive and straightforward list of adoption fees?
7. Will they provide a reference list?
8. Do they explain the risks of international adoption?
9. How many staff members do they have for their China adoption program in the US and China ?

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?

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. The total cost for a China adoption can range from $15,000 to more than $30,000 among the ninety-some China adoption agencies. 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.

Adoption can be a very long, tedious, and unpredictable process. A good agency can help its adoptive families feel at ease and proceed with confidence by regularly providing honest, accurate, and up-to-date information. Ask your agency, “How will you keep me informed? Do you update your website regularly? Do you have a call return policy?” It is your right to expect a promptly returned phone call, email, or fax.

It is a common myth among adoptive families that their adoption agencies have a lot of power over them. They are so afraid of asking their agency tough questions or reporting a complaint during the process, fearing that their dossier mailing will be delayed or their child match will be denied. The truth of the matter is an adoption agency does not and should not have that kind of power. In today’s information age, we rely on accurate and instant information for everything we do. It is your right to demand to be informed during the entire adoption process.

China is very different from the USA politically and culturally, so when families travel to meet their children, many experience a sense of confusion and powerlessness. They realize that, like it or not, they are at the mercy of their agency’s local representatives. Therefore, you want to choose an agency that has a group of dedicated, well trained, and truly caring bilingual reps in China who can hold your hand throughout the entire trip.

The risks of China adoption can turn very real while you are in China . You or your adopted child might get sick, you might lose your luggage or miss a flight connection, you might run into problems with the Chinese local government, orphanage, or the US Consulate, or you might have a family emergency Get clear answers from agencies you are considering:

1. Do you have reps to take care of us while we are in China ?
2. What is their English ability?
3. How long have they worked for your agency?
4. Are they just typical tour guides or trained adoption professionals?
5. Are they available for us twenty-four hours a day when we are there?
6. What kind of contingency plan do you have if my child or I get sick in China ?
7. Are they going to help or advocate for us if we run into problems with our adoption in China ?

The success or failure of your adoption in China largely depends on the quality of the local reps your agency assigns to you or your group. So do your homework and make sure the right agency representatives are waiting for you in China.

You can ask an agency all the questions you can think of, but remember, the answers are most likely one-sided. Not surprisingly, you will find that no agency wants to tell you not to work with them. They all want your “business.” To learn how you will be treated after your application is approved, you have to go to the most valuable resource of all – references.

References were once in the same situation you are in now, trying to get help from people who have been there and done that. They want to protect your interests and help you make a better decision. Find out the percentage of references compared to an agency’s total clientele. That percentage indicates the customer satisfaction rate. Ask the agency: Will you provide me with additional references if needed? Do you provide specific references, i.e. for an older child or a special needs child? Are references available in our area?

Important questions you want to ask the references:

1. What is your overall experience with your agency?
2. If you adopt again from China, would you use this agency?
3. What are some areas in which you feel your agency could improve?
4. Do you think your agency’s fees are reasonable? Have you ever run into any hidden charges?
5. Do they return your calls, faxes, or emails timely?
6. Do they keep you informed?
7. What kinds of services do they provide with adoption paper chasing?
8. Do they provide useful parent and adoption training?
9. Is their staff professional, knowledgeable, and personable?
10. Do they treat you with respect? Are they sensitive to your needs and emotions?
11. What is your experience with your agency reps in China ? Are they genuinely caring and helpful?
12. Do they provide meaningful post placement support?
13. Would you whole-heartedly recommend this agency to other families?

There is a proverb in China : Sugar coated words might be sweet to the ear but are harmful to the heart. Here are some typical red flags to look for in your search for a China adoption agency:

Our China process is faster than other agencies.

Wrong. One of the best things about the China Center of Adoption Affairs is that it treats all agencies, big or small, equally in terms of the child match timeframe.

Other China adoption agencies are bad.

Wrong. While a little friendly competition is great for improving an agency’s adoption service, we all have the same goal: to bring children home. Negative competition demeans the true family-building spirit of an adoption agency, so watch out for agencies willing to badmouth others.

We have the inside track.

Wrong. Every agency with a China adoption program has some level of professional connection with the CCAA. This is normal. What is not normal is to use these connections for abnormal and unethical promotion and operation.

We can guarantee you a child.

Wrong. No agency can promise a child at any time. In a strict sense, all agencies dealing with the CCAA are just adoption facilitators. It is the CCAA who determines and makes the final child matches.

We can bend some rules for you.

Wrong. Those agencies that are willing to bend the established rules are preparing disaster for themselves and for you. Adoption is a legal process. Everyone should follow the rules.