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.
Adoption by Shepherd Care (ASC) was founded in 1980 based on Christian
principles and the desire to serve women involved in crisis pregnancies as well
as hurting families. Out of that desire, an adoption agency was formed that
meets the needs of both birth parents struggling with an unplanned pregnancy and
families desiring to complete their family through adoption
Adoption by Shepherd Care knows the challenges of families hoping for children
and offers a number of choices and programs designed to fulfill their dreams.
Our experienced and caring staff will provide you with accurate and detailed
information on the adoption process, honest advice and individualized planning
in pursuing adoption. We encourage you to be active participants in your
adoption plan and work with us to achieve our common goal for building your
family.
Deciding to pursue adoption often raises many questions and uncertainties. In
order to make an informed decision, good information is needed. We provide this
to you through free information meetings focusing on both domestic and
international adoptions and private, individual consultations with our office
supervisors. We will assist you in selecting the program that best meets your
needs.
Your choices include private (designated) or agency matched domestic adoptions,
trans-racial adoptions and a number of carefully selected international programs
which include both infants and older children. Home studies and assistance are
also available to families wishing to pursue adoption through other agencies.
Our goal is that everyone who qualifies for adoption will be given the
opportunity to have their dreams come true.
Adoption can raise many questions for a birth mother. Whether they revolve
around personal issues, legal situations or financial difficulties, these
questions are normal and healthy. We want to help you by answering as many of
your questions as possible --- right from the start!
As an agency, we can assist you in every step of your adoption. Our caseworkers
are professionals who believe that your needs must be met with sensitivity and
compassion. We can assist you in choosing a family, take care of legal work, and
assist with expenses if needed. Your choice of adoption will be based on your
belief that it is a wonderful plan for both you and your baby. It will not be
the result of any pressure on you.
If you are still in the process of examining your options, we can help you by
discussing the choices available to you. We can help you decide what will
be best for you and your child, given your situation. We will also prepare you
for the feelings involved in adoption and assist you in working through those,
both before and after the placement.
Most questions about adoption fall into one of three categories: the process,
legal issues, and financial aid. We have put together the following information
so that you can be better informed about what to expect in the weeks and months
ahead.
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