Hague Accreditation Update:

Adoption By Shepherd Care has achieved "Hague Accreditation from the Council on Accreditation."

As announced on March 26, 2008, our status as a primary/supervised provider is the highest level of accreditation. A primary/supervised provider is responsible to develop and implement all six adoption services required by the Hague for Convention country adoptions.

Those six adoption services include:

1. Identifying a child for adoption and arranging an adoption
2. Securing the necessary consent to termination of parental rights and to adoption
3. Performing a background study on a child or a home study on prospective adoptive parents and reporting on such a study.
4. Making non-judicial determinations of the best interest of a child and the appropriateness of an adoptive placement of the child.
5. Monitoring a case after a child has been placed with the prospective adoptive parents until finalization of the adoption.
6. When necessary because of a disruption before finalization of the adoption, assuming custody and providing facilitation of child care or any other special service pending an alternative placement.

It is important to note that the vast majority of source countries for adoption are Hague Convention countries. When choosing an adoption service provider for a Hague Convention country adoption, prospective adoptive parents should know that only an accredited primary service provider, like Adoption By Shepherd Care can provide you with these services for your adoption.