Adoption Terminology
Accredited Agency
An accredited agency is an adoption service provider who has been accredited by either the Council on Accreditation (COA) or the Colorado Department of Human Services (CO) to provide adoption services in the United States for cases subject to the regulations set forth by the Hague Adoption Convention. An accredited agency does not include a temporarily accredited agency. There are more than 200 accredited adoption service providers in the U.S.
Accrediting Entity
The Council on Accreditation (COA) and the Colorado Department of Human Services (CO) are the two organizations that have been designated by the U.S. Secretary of State to accredit adoption service providers in the United States for cases subject to the Hague Adoption Convention.
Adoption
Legally speaking, adoption is the judicial and administrative act that establishes a permanent legal parent-child relationship between a minor and an adult who is not already the minor's legal parent and terminates the legal parent-child relationship between the adoptive child and any former parents. Making the decision to adopt is one of the most important choices that you will make in your lifetime. This decision will not only forever change your life, but also the life of a child.
Adoption Court
There are several key legal entities involved in the intercountry adoption process. State courts play dual roles-also as an adoption court-holding legal jurisdiction over the adoption or the grant of custody for the purpose of adoption.
Adoption Record
In an adoption case, an adoption record is considered to be any information, supporting documents, or items related to a specific Convention adoption of a child including, but not limited to, photographs, videos, correspondence, personal effects, medical and social information, and any other information about the child. These records are received or maintained by an agency, person, or public domestic authority. We all recognize the importance of keeping accurate and up-to-date records.
Adoption Service(s)
There are six major services provided by adoption service providers: (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 a prospective adoptive parent(s), and reporting on such a study; (4) Making non-judicial determinations of the best interests of a child and the appropriateness of an adoptive placement for the child; (5) Monitoring a case after a child has been placed with prospective adoptive parent(s) until final adoption; or (6) When necessary because of a disruption before final adoption, assuming custody and providing (including facilitating the provision of) child care or any other social service pending an alternative placement.
Agency
An agency is a private, non-profit organization licensed to provide adoption services in at least one State. For-profit entities and individuals that provide adoption services are considered "persons." Not every adoption service provider is considered an agency.
Apostille
An Apostille is a simplified form that contains standardized numbered fields of common, yet essential information, which allows the data to be understood by all adoption officials regardless of the language spoken in Hague Adoption cases. A completed Apostille must be attached to the documents needed for Hague cases; it provides a certification of certain public and notarized documents.
Approved Home Study
An approved home study is a comprehensive review of the home environment of the child's prospective adoptive parents that has been: (1) Completed by an accredited adoption service provider; (2) Approved by an accredited adoption service provider. One of the most critical elements of the intercountry adoption process is the approved home study.
Approved Person
An adoption agency is not the only type of adoption service provider available to prospective adoptive parents. An approved person such as a lawyer or retired judge, is an individual that has been approved by an accrediting entity to provide adoption services in the United States for cases subject to the Hague Adoption Convention.
Case Registry
In compliance with the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000, the U.S. Secretary of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security jointly established the Case Registry, an adoption records system.
Central Authority
The U.S. Department of State has been designated as the United States Central Authority for the Hague Adoption Convention. As the U.S. Central Authority, the Department of State facilitates, oversees, and regulates Hague Adoption Convention cases in the U.S.
Convention Country
A Convention Country is one of 75 nations that has ratified, entered into force, and are party to (members of) the Hague Adoption Convention along with the United States.
Country of Origin
The country of origin is considered to be the country in which a child is a legal resident and will be emigrating from in conjunction with an adoption case.
DHS - Department of Homeland Security
DHS is the acronym for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. agency responsible for facilitating immigration cases, including those related to intercountry adoption.
Disruption
A disruption is very much like it sounds. It occurs when there is an interruption of the intercountry adoption process during the post-placement period, but before the adoption is completely finalized.
Dissolution
Dissolution is the termination of the adoptive parents' parental rights, after the adoption has occurred.
Hague Adoption Certificate
When a child emigrates from the United States (outgoing adoption case) to another Convention country, the U.S. Secretary of State issues a Hague Custody Declaration and a Hague Adoption Certificate. The Hague Adoption Certificate officially states that the child has been adopted in the United States, in accordance with the Hague Adoption Convention and the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000.
Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption
The Hague Adoption Convention is the landmark treaty on intercountry adoption that governs adoptions between the United States and nearly 75 other nations.
Legal Custody
Having legal custody means that an individual has responsibility for a child under the order of a court of law, a public domestic authority, competent authority, public foreign authority, or by operation of law.
Legal Services
Legal services are interpreted as any assistance that relates to legal advice, information, and to the drafting of legal instruments, such as: drawing up contracts; powers of attorney; and providing advice and counsel to accredited agencies, temporarily accredited agencies, approved persons, and/or prospective adoptive parent(s) on how to comply with the Hague Adoption Convention and the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000.
Notary
Authentication of a signature on a legal document. When the signature on a document has been witnessed by a licensed notary of the state it is said to be notarized. The notary will attach a document/stamped notation and seal to the document which verifies that they are a licensed notary and witnessed the signature. For some countries, this is just the first step in authenticating documents that will still need further authentication by county, state, US, and/or foreign authorities.
Orphan
A child may be considered an orphan for any of several reasons, including the death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation or loss from, both parents; if a surviving parent or unwed mother is unable to properly care for the child, among other reasons as specified by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The term "orphan" is also used in non-Hague adoption cases.
Post-Adoption
Post-adoption is the period of time after an adoption in a Convention country and is followed by a re-adoption in the United States.
Post-Adoption Reporting
After a child has been adopted, some countries of origin have post-adoption reporting requirements. Adoption service providers must comply with the state laws of the jurisdiction where you live regarding the number of post-adoption home visits that are required as well. The adoption service provider includes a requirement for such reports in the adoption services contract.
Post-Placement
Post-placement is the period of time before an adoption, but after a grant of legal custody, or guardianship of the child to the prospective adoptive parents, or to a custodian for the purpose of escorting the child to the identified prospective adoptive parents.
Primary Provider
The primary provider is any accredited agency, temporarily accredited agency, or approved person that is identified as responsible for ensuring that all six adoption services (mentioned earlier) are provided.
Private Adoption
A private adoption occurs when arrangements for adoption have been made directly between a biological parent in one Contracting State and prospective adopters in another Contracting State.
Referral
Your adoption agency will send you information about a specific child so you can decide if the child is right for your family. This is a referral. A referral usually consists of the name and birth date of the child, a photo, and some medical information. The quantity/quality of information varies from just a few vital statistics to a full battery of laboratory test results. Sometimes a video of the child is provided in addition to the photo and medical information. The prospective parents have a specific amount of time after a referral is made to decide whether to accept or decline the referral.
Temporarily Accredited Agency
A Temporarily Accredited Agency is an agency that has been accredited on a temporary basis by an accrediting entity to provide adoption services in the United States in cases subject to the Convention.
U.S. Authorized Entity
An U.S. Authorized Entity is an agency or person that is accredited or temporarily accredited or approved by an accrediting entity, or a supervised provider acting under the supervision and responsibility of an accredited agency or temporarily accredited agency or approved person.
Visa
A Visa is an official authorization permitting entry into and travel within a particular country or region. When an orphan enters the United States with an immigrant visa, he/she is considered to be a lawful permanent resident of the United States, not a U.S. citizen.
Adoption terminology has been taken from the US Department of State website on Intercountry Adoption.
Helpful Websites & Links
US Department of State- Intercountry Adoptions
US Department of State- Hague Convention
US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Accredited Agency
An accredited agency is an adoption service provider who has been accredited by either the Council on Accreditation (COA) or the Colorado Department of Human Services (CO) to provide adoption services in the United States for cases subject to the regulations set forth by the Hague Adoption Convention. An accredited agency does not include a temporarily accredited agency. There are more than 200 accredited adoption service providers in the U.S.
Accrediting Entity
The Council on Accreditation (COA) and the Colorado Department of Human Services (CO) are the two organizations that have been designated by the U.S. Secretary of State to accredit adoption service providers in the United States for cases subject to the Hague Adoption Convention.
Adoption
Legally speaking, adoption is the judicial and administrative act that establishes a permanent legal parent-child relationship between a minor and an adult who is not already the minor's legal parent and terminates the legal parent-child relationship between the adoptive child and any former parents. Making the decision to adopt is one of the most important choices that you will make in your lifetime. This decision will not only forever change your life, but also the life of a child.
Adoption Court
There are several key legal entities involved in the intercountry adoption process. State courts play dual roles-also as an adoption court-holding legal jurisdiction over the adoption or the grant of custody for the purpose of adoption.
Adoption Record
In an adoption case, an adoption record is considered to be any information, supporting documents, or items related to a specific Convention adoption of a child including, but not limited to, photographs, videos, correspondence, personal effects, medical and social information, and any other information about the child. These records are received or maintained by an agency, person, or public domestic authority. We all recognize the importance of keeping accurate and up-to-date records.
Adoption Service(s)
There are six major services provided by adoption service providers: (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 a prospective adoptive parent(s), and reporting on such a study; (4) Making non-judicial determinations of the best interests of a child and the appropriateness of an adoptive placement for the child; (5) Monitoring a case after a child has been placed with prospective adoptive parent(s) until final adoption; or (6) When necessary because of a disruption before final adoption, assuming custody and providing (including facilitating the provision of) child care or any other social service pending an alternative placement.
Agency
An agency is a private, non-profit organization licensed to provide adoption services in at least one State. For-profit entities and individuals that provide adoption services are considered "persons." Not every adoption service provider is considered an agency.
Apostille
An Apostille is a simplified form that contains standardized numbered fields of common, yet essential information, which allows the data to be understood by all adoption officials regardless of the language spoken in Hague Adoption cases. A completed Apostille must be attached to the documents needed for Hague cases; it provides a certification of certain public and notarized documents.
Approved Home Study
An approved home study is a comprehensive review of the home environment of the child's prospective adoptive parents that has been: (1) Completed by an accredited adoption service provider; (2) Approved by an accredited adoption service provider. One of the most critical elements of the intercountry adoption process is the approved home study.
Approved Person
An adoption agency is not the only type of adoption service provider available to prospective adoptive parents. An approved person such as a lawyer or retired judge, is an individual that has been approved by an accrediting entity to provide adoption services in the United States for cases subject to the Hague Adoption Convention.
Case Registry
In compliance with the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000, the U.S. Secretary of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security jointly established the Case Registry, an adoption records system.
Central Authority
The U.S. Department of State has been designated as the United States Central Authority for the Hague Adoption Convention. As the U.S. Central Authority, the Department of State facilitates, oversees, and regulates Hague Adoption Convention cases in the U.S.
Convention Country
A Convention Country is one of 75 nations that has ratified, entered into force, and are party to (members of) the Hague Adoption Convention along with the United States.
Country of Origin
The country of origin is considered to be the country in which a child is a legal resident and will be emigrating from in conjunction with an adoption case.
DHS - Department of Homeland Security
DHS is the acronym for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. agency responsible for facilitating immigration cases, including those related to intercountry adoption.
Disruption
A disruption is very much like it sounds. It occurs when there is an interruption of the intercountry adoption process during the post-placement period, but before the adoption is completely finalized.
Dissolution
Dissolution is the termination of the adoptive parents' parental rights, after the adoption has occurred.
Hague Adoption Certificate
When a child emigrates from the United States (outgoing adoption case) to another Convention country, the U.S. Secretary of State issues a Hague Custody Declaration and a Hague Adoption Certificate. The Hague Adoption Certificate officially states that the child has been adopted in the United States, in accordance with the Hague Adoption Convention and the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000.
Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption
The Hague Adoption Convention is the landmark treaty on intercountry adoption that governs adoptions between the United States and nearly 75 other nations.
Legal Custody
Having legal custody means that an individual has responsibility for a child under the order of a court of law, a public domestic authority, competent authority, public foreign authority, or by operation of law.
Legal Services
Legal services are interpreted as any assistance that relates to legal advice, information, and to the drafting of legal instruments, such as: drawing up contracts; powers of attorney; and providing advice and counsel to accredited agencies, temporarily accredited agencies, approved persons, and/or prospective adoptive parent(s) on how to comply with the Hague Adoption Convention and the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000.
Notary
Authentication of a signature on a legal document. When the signature on a document has been witnessed by a licensed notary of the state it is said to be notarized. The notary will attach a document/stamped notation and seal to the document which verifies that they are a licensed notary and witnessed the signature. For some countries, this is just the first step in authenticating documents that will still need further authentication by county, state, US, and/or foreign authorities.
Orphan
A child may be considered an orphan for any of several reasons, including the death or disappearance of, abandonment or desertion by, or separation or loss from, both parents; if a surviving parent or unwed mother is unable to properly care for the child, among other reasons as specified by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The term "orphan" is also used in non-Hague adoption cases.
Post-Adoption
Post-adoption is the period of time after an adoption in a Convention country and is followed by a re-adoption in the United States.
Post-Adoption Reporting
After a child has been adopted, some countries of origin have post-adoption reporting requirements. Adoption service providers must comply with the state laws of the jurisdiction where you live regarding the number of post-adoption home visits that are required as well. The adoption service provider includes a requirement for such reports in the adoption services contract.
Post-Placement
Post-placement is the period of time before an adoption, but after a grant of legal custody, or guardianship of the child to the prospective adoptive parents, or to a custodian for the purpose of escorting the child to the identified prospective adoptive parents.
Primary Provider
The primary provider is any accredited agency, temporarily accredited agency, or approved person that is identified as responsible for ensuring that all six adoption services (mentioned earlier) are provided.
Private Adoption
A private adoption occurs when arrangements for adoption have been made directly between a biological parent in one Contracting State and prospective adopters in another Contracting State.
Referral
Your adoption agency will send you information about a specific child so you can decide if the child is right for your family. This is a referral. A referral usually consists of the name and birth date of the child, a photo, and some medical information. The quantity/quality of information varies from just a few vital statistics to a full battery of laboratory test results. Sometimes a video of the child is provided in addition to the photo and medical information. The prospective parents have a specific amount of time after a referral is made to decide whether to accept or decline the referral.
Temporarily Accredited Agency
A Temporarily Accredited Agency is an agency that has been accredited on a temporary basis by an accrediting entity to provide adoption services in the United States in cases subject to the Convention.
U.S. Authorized Entity
An U.S. Authorized Entity is an agency or person that is accredited or temporarily accredited or approved by an accrediting entity, or a supervised provider acting under the supervision and responsibility of an accredited agency or temporarily accredited agency or approved person.
Visa
A Visa is an official authorization permitting entry into and travel within a particular country or region. When an orphan enters the United States with an immigrant visa, he/she is considered to be a lawful permanent resident of the United States, not a U.S. citizen.
Adoption terminology has been taken from the US Department of State website on Intercountry Adoption.
Helpful Websites & Links
US Department of State- Intercountry Adoptions
US Department of State- Hague Convention
US Citizenship and Immigration Services