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CCAI’s Hague Adoption Convention Accreditation is Underway!
Within the international adoption community, “The Hague Convention” is short for
a set of internationally agreed-upon standards for countries involved in international
adoption designed to protect children, birth parents, and adoptive parents and to
prevent child trafficking and other abuses. Born out of a global treaty approved
by 66 nations on May 29, 1993, its formal title is “The Hague Convention on Protection
of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.” Once it goes
into effect in a given country, any adoption involving two “Convention countries”
must adhere to Hague Convention standards. This also means that any adoption agency
or person wishing to facilitate an adoption through two Convention countries must
be “accredited” under Hague standards.
Each country takes its own steps to sign and ratify the Convention. China ratified
The Hague in September 2005. The United States signed the Convention on March 31,
1994. On October 6, 2000, President Clinton signed into law the Intercountry Adoption
Act of 2000, which is the U.S. implementation of the Hague Convention. Today, the
United States is getting closer, but has not yet ratified the Convention.
On February 16, 2006, the State Department finalized the standards and regulations
that agencies or persons must comply with to become accredited to provide adoption
services for Convention cases (such as China). Additionally, the State Department
established requirements for accrediting entities to use to accredit agencies or
persons. The State Department has approved two entities to accredit U.S. agencies
and individuals that facilitate adoptions from Hague countries: The Council on Accreditation
and the Colorado Department of Human Services.
CCAI is currently in process with the Colorado Department of Human Services to become
a fully accredited agency. We submitted an application in October 2006 and submitted
“Phase One Documentation” to the state on May 11, 2007. We are well underway in
our journey toward Hague accreditation!
Q: Will The Hague impact my China adoption?
A: Adoptions currently underway are not considered “Hague” adoptions. The Convention
will not affect any family adopting from a Hague country until the U.S. formally
ratifies the treaty, which is not expected to happen until sometime in 2008. Families
who apply for China adoption after the treaty is ratified will be considered “Hague”
cases.
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Q: Will we be affected if the U.S. ratifies the Convention before we finalize our adoption?
A: No. Your case will not be considered a Convention adoption unless you apply to
adopt again after the Hague Convention is ratified by the U.S.
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Q: What are CCAI’s plans for accreditation?
A: We submitted an application with the Colorado Department of Human Services to
become a fully accredited agency. We have also submitted “Phase One documentation”
to the State and are looking forward to our site visit in the next few months. CCAI
has been aware that the U.S. would be ratifying the treaty and has been actively
working toward accreditation for several years.
We are pleased that Colorado Department of Human Services is our accrediting entity.
We enjoy an excellent, long-standing working relationship with the Department for
our licensing and parent training. We look forward to this process over the next
year as we continue our agency operations in accordance with these new rules and
regulations. We will keep our families informed as this process is completed and
we are officially accredited!!
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Q: We heard the accreditation process is very costly. Are you going to increase your fees?
A: At this time, we have no plans to increase our fees relating to the Hague Accreditation
process. CCAI’s fee policy goes into effect as soon as your fee agreement is signed
when you begin the adoption process. Your agency fees will not change throughout
your adoption.
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Q: We heard that all families will need special training as part of Hague requirements.
What will we have to do?
A: Yes, Hague standards do include a requirement that agencies provide training
to all adoptive families on the adoption process, children adopted internationally,
and attachment and bonding, etc. If your adoption is already in process, you will
not be required to undergo this training. Only adoption applications approved after
the US ratifies the Convention will be considered “Convention cases” and subject
to Hague requirements. Until this time, CCAI will provide all adoptive families
with training materials (as they become available) for your information and interest.
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