All agencies who provide adoption services for families who are adopting internationally must be Hague Accredited. Family Connections, Inc. is a New York State authorized adoption agency that has achieved Hague Accreditation from the Council on Accreditation. This achievement demonstrates Family Connection’s continuing commitment to children and adoptive families in New York. Hague Accreditation by the COA, and now by IAAME, is a national qualification that attests to Family’s Connections, Inc. compliance with the ethical and moral standards of practice in international adoption as set by the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption treaty and the U.S. Inter-country Adoption Act of 2000.
The Hague Convention established specific practice standards in regard to international adoption which all Hague Accredited agencies must meet. These standards establish safeguards for children and prospective adoptive families to ensure that inter-country adoptions take place in the best interests of the child. The standards prevent the abduction, exploitation, sale, or trafficking of children and provides protections for prospective adoptive parents. Family Connections’ policies and practices are complaint with Hague standards. The Agency provides quality, ethical services that are in the best interest of children, protect children from exploitation, and ensure quality service to prospective adoptive families.
Family Connections, Inc. has over twenty-five years of experience supporting prospective adoptive families and then supporting the adoptive parents and their foreign-born children transition into loving forever families. The Agency has supported families who have adopted children with the potential for healthy growth and development and families who have adopted children with special needs. We serve clients anywhere in New York State and have social workers throughout the state including but not limited to Syracuse, Watertown, Binghamton, Ithaca, Elmira, Rochester, Long Island, and New York City.
Over the Agency’s long history of services, we have developed strong relationships with medical, social, therapeutic and psychological resources for families who have adopted internationally. Our staff advocates for children and families with the schools, medical providers, and intervention service organizations. Our staff has presented various international adoption topics at conferences and has published articles regarding international adoption in a national adoption magazine (Adoption Today). In addition, our Agency’s bi-annual magazine (Family Connections) publishes educational articles for prospective adoptive parents and our Agency’s weekly blog features international adoption topics - www.adoptfamilyconnections.org.
Family Connections, Inc. provides an array of international adoption services for families including:
- Home study investigation
- Guidance with international adoption paperwork (e.g. home study, CIS application, dossier)
- Referral to International Adoption Placement Agencies (aka Primary Providers)
- Assistance with the processes required by Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Emotional support during waiting time
- Education and training including one-on-one training, literature reviews, blogging, Agency bi-annual magazine (Family Connections), publication in national adoption magazine, and referral to conferences and on-line training providers
- Referral to adoptive family support networks and/or introduction to families who have adopted internationally
- Consultation regarding child referral
- Referral to medical, educational, and therapeutic experts to assist with the evaluation of child referral information and to support the child’s need for services upon their arrival home
- Post-placement/adoption supervision services as required by the child’s country of origin and the family’s Primary Provider (aka International Adoption Placement Agency)
- Guidance in the adoption finalization process in New York
- Post-placement/adoption life-long support services for such matters as transitional family challenges, developmental adoption questions, inter-racial/inter-cultural identity issues, etc.
Family Connections, Inc. works cooperatively with International Adoption Placement Agencies (aka Primary Providers) throughout the country. Most International Adoption Placement Agencies are located outside of New York State. Thus, most adoptive families must have the home study and post-adoption support services provided by a New York authorized and Hague Accredited agency, like Family Connections, Inc. International Adoption Placement Agencies identify children for adoption in foreign countries, refer children for adoption to prospective adoptive parents, and facilitate the international adoption process. Family Connections has relationships with many International Adoption Placement Agencies and can work with any International Adoption Placement Agency of the adoptive family’s choosing.
Family Connections would be honored to support your family’s plans to adopt a child through inter-country (international) adoption. To learn more about international adoption please visit Family Connection’s website at www.adoptfamilyconnections.org or contact Anita 1-607-756-6574 or email info@adoptfamilyconnections.org.
Our professional staff is available to meet with you one-on-one to explore your international adoption options (free consultation). Family Connections, Inc. looks forward to supporting your family’s adoption plans.
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