Agencies

I was shocked that the placement agency I had selected suddenly shut down their India program. Journeys of the Heart seemed to have a decent track record, unlike many of the agencies. They will not return the money I paid even though they have done nothing! This obstacle meant that I was more discouraged. Many agencies out there promise alot and have no idea how to handle things in the increasingly centralized process that India is using. Most of the agencies do not have any Indian staff and don't have anyone on the ground in India to keep things moving. They charge alot of money and I know too many people who are still waiting without any signs of a referral. India's CARA is keeping a tight grip on new registrations, keeping the list more or less closed to any new families, so that it appears unlikely that new families will get referrals any time soon, even if you can get registered. There are some families coming home with their children. Many wait longer than ever. And the process even after referral is unpredictable in length. Intercountry adoption gets harder and harder every year.