Some Agencies Attempting to "Umbrella" for Vietnam Adoptions

Last week Ethica, a non-profit voice for ethical child placement, released interesting news regarding agencies attempting to "umbrella" under those agencies that are licensed to facilitate Vietnam adoptions. These unlicensed agencies advertise Vietnam child placement through partnership or networking agreements.

From the Ethica article:

Families working with un-licensed agencies are vulnerable to being caught in delays should the Vietnamese government assert that only licensed agencies may place children. Officials may make this statement at any time and it would be effective immediately, without a formal decree.

Families should take this risk into consideration and refer to the Hanoi U.S. Embassy's list of licensed agencies when choosing an adoption agency. Additionally, families should note that a similar practice was used in Russian adoptions. Families that had worked with unlicensed agencies suffered serious financial and emotional repercussions when representatives could not complete their adoptions.

"Hopefully, this will cause unlicensed agencies to become more ethical and upfront with their programs," notes Nicky Losse, Vietnam Program Director. "Let me state clearly that Children's Hope does not umbrella under any agency nor do any agencies umbrella under Children's Hope."