Agency Response

We reached out to Adoptions International Inc. founder and Executive Director Jody Hall for more information about the posting of waiting children from Vietnam on their agency’s secret group on Facebook. What follows is an exact transcript of our email interview with Ms. Hall, with no editing on our part, save for putting the questions in italics and indenting Ms. Hall’s answers for easier readability. We appreciate Adoptions International Inc.’s willingness to answer our questions. As advocates for ethical adoptions, nothing is more important to us than transparency.

 

Can you explain to us why your agency has a Secret group on Facebook?

ITS NOT SECRET. It’s “closed” to protect privacy – THERES A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE.

What was the goal or purpose in creating such a group?

 TO FIND FAMILIES FOR OLDER CHILDREN IN DRC THAT WE WERE TRYING TO FIND FAMILIES FOR WITHOUT PEDOPHILES BEING ABLE TO VIEW THE CHILDREN. MANY MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONS HAVE CLOSED FB GROUP PAGES.

Are there any ground rules for who is to be invited into the group or what can be discussed?

WE CHECK OUT THE FAMILIES IN ORDER TO SEE IF THEY ARE LEGIT BUT REALLY THERES NOT VERY MANY IN THE GROUP AND WE KNOW MOST OF THEM ANYWAY.

Do you have an agreement or partnership with Alliance For Children?

ABSOLUTELY NOT

If a member of your agency’s group is interested in adopting one of the waiting children, what would be the next step for them?

THIS IS THE FIRST (AND LAST) TIME ANY KIDS OTHER THAN DRC KIDS WERE POSTED. I AM AN ATTORNEY AND I HAVE BEEN IN THE ADOPTION INDUSTRY FOR 25 YEARS. I HAVE MANY FRIENDS IN THE ADOPTION INDUSTRY FROM ALL OVER THE US. THE EXE DIRECTOR OF AFC IS A PERSONAL FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE. IF A.I.I. HAS A BMOM WHO WANTS A SPECIFIC KIND OF FAMILY THAT A.I.I. DOESNT HAVE, I HAVE CONTACTED MY FRIENDS AT OTHER AGENCIES TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ADOPTIVE PARENTS WHO MIGHT BE A MATCH, AND VICE VERSA. WE WERE SIMPLY TRYING TO SPREAD THE WORD THAT THESE PRECIOUS KIDS NEED A HOME FOR AFC. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, OTHER AGENCIES HAVE ASKED US IF WE HAVE FAMILIES WHO MIGHT WANT TO ADOPT A CERTAIN CHILD. WE HAVE POSTED THAT INFORMATION ON OUR WAITING KID GROUP AND DIRECT THEM TO THE PLACING AGENCY. A.I.I. HAS NO FINANCIAL GAIN IN THIS. JUST TRYING TO REACH MORE FAMILIES. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE FOR THE FAMILY TO CONTACT AFC. SUE POSTED THAT INFO ON THE POST ABOUT THESE GIRLS BUT THE UPSET PARENT WAS NOT INTERESTED IN ANYTHING BUT RAISING A STINK.

Who would guide them through the process of adopting the child?

AFC

Would your agency receive any financial compensation for finding families for the waiting children?

ABSOLUTELY NONE!!!!
So shoot me!! I’m not in it for the $$.

 

Editor’s Note: We also reached out to Alliance For Children but they had not responded to our questions by the time of publication.