On April 1, the rules for international adoption in the United States changed.

The United States now abides by the provisions of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, an agreement signed by more than 70 countries since 1993.

The international agreement establishes norms and mandates safeguards for the way international adoptions will be done in every country that signed the Hague Convention.

Here are some of the most significant changes:

• Every country that is a signatory to the Hague Convention must have a centralized authority. The United States Department of State is now the American authority overseeing all adoptions.

The State Department will approve the entry of a specific child into the United States before the adoption is settled in the other country. Previously, the State Department allowed an unnamed child to enter the country, awaiting future processing.

• Any American adoption agency or adoption counselor who wants to initiate adoptions from another Hague country must be accredited by the Council on Accreditation or Colorado's Department of Human Services. Accreditation indicates that the agency or person is abiding by all Hague regulations.

• Sending countries must also certify that "no undue pressure was placed on the child's birthparents to place the child for adoption," according to an article on Adoptive Families, an online magazine.

• Sending countries must prepare a report including information about the child's identity, adoptability, background, social environment, family history and medical history — including that of the child's family and any special needs of the child.

• Adoptive parents must apply to a designated authority in their own country to obtain approval for intercountry adoption, essentially ending independent adoptions in Hague countries.

• The biggest impact so far has been the cost, time and requirements associated with accreditation. COA's fees range from $7,500 to $12,600, depending upon the size of the agency. However, fears that agency fees will get passed on to prospective parents have not yet been realized at most agencies.

• Whether the changes are positive or negative, the need for international adoption is great, said Gail Rittenhouse, executive director at Bethany Christian Services in Lancaster. Worldwide, there are still 143 million orphans between the ages of 1-17.

"To me, the need is still so great, that it's worth the work."

Source: travel.state.gov/family/adoption/convention/convention_2300.html and the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption

What you need to know if you're going to adopt internationally

• Work with an agency that is Hague accredited. You will not be able to adopt from a Hague country if the agency is not accredited.

• You do not need to adopt from a Hague country. Many countries have not signed the Hague Convention.

However, you should research your agency to make sure it has established careful precautions to ensure ethical adoptions.

• The U.S. State Department has issued a warning, discouraging adoptions from Vietnam until its government can assure that all children being offered for adoption are free from exploitation.

• If wait times increase for international adoptions, use the time to study treatment for attachment issues. That way you are ready to immediately start meeting those needs.

• Learn everything about the Hague Convention by logging on to the following Web sites:

travel.state.gov/family/adoption/convention/convention_462.html
www.jcics.org/Hague.htm
www.coanet.org/Files/Haguebrochure.pdf

E-mail: lespenshade@lnpnews.com