My well-spoken friend, fellow adoptive parent, fellow subscriber to the Guatemala-Adopt list and member of the Board of Directors of the Guatemala Adoptive Families Network, Vincent Unger, posted much of what follows to the Guatemala-Adopt list. With his permission, I have edited it here so that it applies more to all international adoptions in general rather than Guatemalan adoptions in specific.

There are many web sites offering adoption services for prospective parents seeking infants and children from various parts of the world. Although many of the precautions posted to help prospective parents evaluate and ultimately chose an agency and/or facilitator apply to screening web sites - some issues with web sites need special emphasis. Web sites sometimes post available children's photos. This can incite powerful emotions, and a sense of urgency (these children need me and the one that seems 'just right' for me may not be available if I take too long to decide). For such an important decision one has to be on guard to continue with due diligence in selecting an adoption program and partner(s). Here are some things, in my opinion, to especially watch out for on web sites: Children's Bios and Pics: ------------------------- If the web site has photo's and bio's on the children how current are they? How much information is available? If the site claims that they are posting ALL available information about their children and all you see is 'healthy, happy, girl, age, photo' then that is likely what is going to be available as your case proceeds - no specifics. All children should have some medical information, and for relinquishments the children just don't show up out of nowhere so there should be some background. Older children should have some history, how they have developed, and even more medical information. If the web site claims all they work with are relinquished infants who are in excellent foster care - do they also show older children? If so, how are they cared for? Credentials ----------- Some web sites list extensive background information on the principal. Try to sift through what is relevant and provable and what is hyperbole. References to advance degrees are interesting but from what school and in what discipline? Is it relevant to adoption? If associates and staff are alluded to in the website under how well they will serve you - then who are these people by name and what are their credentials? Do they actually work for the group or are they totally independent? Is the agency or facilitator licensed and insured? A member of any adoption or social services association? How long have they practiced in the countries in which they have programs. Who are their agents in those countries? What other foreign agents do they work with? One web site touts a facilitator as 'one of most highly respected individuals in the industry.' I would ask who bestowed this accolade - there is certainly nothing to substantiate this on the website. Testimonials ------------ If all the testimonials are cursory wonder filled experiences - with not a hint of any problems, delays, issues - I would question how much to rely on them. Not that good things don't happen and that even problem providers don't have stellar successes - but everything I have learned about the process these last 4 or 5 years tells me that problems do surface even with the best agencies and facilitators. It has been known to happen where a client needs something they feel they are owed from a provider over some misunderstanding and smoothing the conflict by offering a reference has helped. Regardless of the truthfulness of the testimonial - what isn't said, and by whom, may provide more meaningful information. Auditors tend to take random samples when assaying customer experience - and the nearest we can do to get some randomness over hand picked testimonials is to contact their other clients we find through various Internet bulletin boards, E-mail lists and other means - not just the web site references. Facilitator ----------- If the web site alludes to agencies the facilitator works with but does not list them, try finding out who they have worked with. Then contact the agency for their experience and also post to Internet bulletin boards and lists about experiences with that agency (which might be related to this facilitator). Or post to the bulletin boards and lists - has any agency used this facilitator? Process and Procedures ---------------------- Anyone who has practiced international adoptions knows there are indeed risks, ethical issues, obstacles and potential problems in addition to the fulfilling successful outcome we all desire for all parties. If the web site describes the process in very simple terms with no mention of the range of possible outcomes - watch out! They are either very naive and inexperienced (a danger in its own right)or misleading. vince I want to once again thank Vince for allowing me to share the above. Take care. David