Membership Requirements

Founded in 1980, the mission of the National Council For Adoption (NCFA) is to promote the well-being of children, birthparents, and adoptive families by advocating for the positive option of adoption. Our main programs for achieving this mission are member agency services and training, policy analysis and government relations, research and publications, media relations and public education, conferences and events, website and social networking, and information clearinghouse services. Benefits of adoption agency membership in the National Council For Adoption include:

NCFA Members-only Listserv

All member agencies and their staff are eligible to utilize the members-only listserv. A powerful tool, our listserv allows agency staff to communicate with one another as well as the NCFA. In addition to a the general listserv, we offer the following general listservs to our members, as well as topic-specific and region/country-specific listservs:

• Member Updates
• Domestic Infant Adoption
• Foster Care Adoption
• Intercountry Adoption

*Please note that listserv access is limited to two staff members for Adoption Attorney and Resource Organization members.

Information and Assistance

NCFA is a comprehensive clearinghouse of adoption information. As a member agency, any member of your staff can receive assistance from NCFA staff regarding adoption cases and best-practices solutions. We strive to provide our members prompt expert advice to meet their adoption information needs from public policy and regulations to statistics and best practices. We monitor changing situations in the field of adoption by maintaining contacts with key domestic and international adoption officials, professionals, and websites, and provide authoritative, insider, members-only information as soon as it is available.

Representation

We represent the concerns and interests of our member agencies before policymakers and foreign and domestic governments to ensure adoption-friendly practices. Our member agencies speak with one powerful voice on matters of common interest, and, whenever possible, we assist them individually with policy issues in their states and specific-case problems they encounter with government agencies.

Member Education and Training

We provide training and education for members and their clients in the areas of intercountry and foster care adoptions. NCFA was very involved in drafting the Hague regulations, and has provided education to help members make the transition to the new system. We also help members learn how to work with the public child welfare system to promote adoptions of children out of foster care. We offer our member agencies up to 20% discount on all training registration fees for all agency staff.

Conferences

NCFA's annual National Adoption Conference assembles government officials, agency directors, social workers, and leaders in the adoption community from around the country to discuss crucial issues facing adoption. We also advocate for pro-adoption policies and positive public attitudes towards adoption with briefings and conferences for policy and opinion leaders. As a member agency, you are eligible for up to a 20% discount on conference and training registration fees for all agency staff.

Referrals

Because of our leadership and visibility in the field of adoption, we receive many phone calls and e-mails from birthparents and prospective adoptive parents who want to work with a credible adoption agency. We refer these inquiries to those agencies we know best, our members. NCFA's online referral page is visited by thousands of potential clients each year and lists the services your agency provides.

Publicity

Your NCFA membership entitles you to be listed on the our website and in our publications. Additionally, we highlight members' good work and success stories on the website and in publications, and refer friendly media inquiries about adoption agencies to our members.

Credentials

Because of our credibility and leadership in the field of adoption, our member agencies are highly regarded as ethical, professional, and licensed operations that are respected among their peers. All member agencies receive a certificate of membership annually.

Other Members-Only Resources

We reserve our most valuable information, meetings, and contacts for our members. For example, we send members inside information about breaking adoption news by e-mail. arrange meetings with high-ranking domestic and international government officials, and host members-only meetings to help CEOs learn from each other and discuss strategy.

International Delegations and Trips

When visiting America, country of origin adoption officials, from Moldova to China, request meetings with NCFA. We also arrange occasional trips to sending countries for member agency leaders and our senior staff to meet with the governments' adoption officials. We also arrange occasional trips to countries such as China and Russia, for member agency executives and our senior staff to meet with the governments' adoption officials and visit orphanages.

Additional Benefits

In addition to the above benefits, NCFA member agencies receive the following:

• Discounted CEUs for agency staff
• Opportunity to submit proposals to write an article for publishing
• Priority selection for conference presentations
• One complimentary copy of the current Adoption Factbook
• News & Updates from NCFA

Apply now to join!

Membership Requirements

• The agency will pay annual dues of $650 per state the agency is licensed and actively placing children in.
• They agency has been in existence and in good standing with licensed authorities for a period of at least 18 months.
• The agency complies with state licensing and approval requirements. The agency reports itself to be in good standing with its state licensing department.
• If the agency is providing intercountry adoption services to families adopting children from Hague or non-Hague countries, the agency must be Hague-accredited. Upon application to NCFA, any applicant agency that is not already Hague accredited has a period of one year to receive Hague accreditation. If an applicant agency has both a domestic and intercountry program but has not received Hague accreditation, the agency will be listed only as a domestic agency on the NCFA website.
• The agency and its staff have a reputation within their community for transparent, ethical, and professional services.
• The agency is staffed by persons qualified, according to the requirements of their respective professions or disciplines, to provide the services offered.
• The agency pledges itself to play a positive role in the community, offering leadership and cooperation on behalf of birthparents, children, and families.
• Although an agency is not required to agree with every NCFA position, the agency supports the general goal of NCFA to advocate for birthparents, children, and adoptive families.
• The agency agrees to allow reasonable access to agency information and staff for NCFA-approved or conducted research and technical assistance, including providing statistical data related to the number of annual placements.
• The agency agrees to send a representative of the agency to NCFA’s National Adoption Conference at least every three years.
• The agency shall provide within 60 days, in writing, a description and fact summary of: (1) any criminal charges brought against the agency, its directors, officers, or management personnel; (2) any contested litigation matters (excluding contested termination of parental rights) and (3) any pending lawsuits to which it has been a party within the last two years. The agency shall also provide details of any judgments or settlements paid or levied within the last two years that resulted from litigation or the threat of litigation.
• For agencies providing intercountry adoption services, the agency agrees in advance that witholding or falsifying information or failing to attain good standing with the accrediting entity is grounds for suspension of membership with no refund of dues.

Adoption Attorney membership is $300 annually and membership benefits include:

• Access for two staff to NCFA members-only listservs
• NCFA website listing
• Phone referrals
• National Adoption Conference discounts

Apply now to join!

Resource Organization membership is $300 annually and membership benefits include:

• Access for two staff to NCFA members-only listservs
• NCFA website listing
• Phone referrals
• National Adoption Conference discounts

To apply for membership with NCFA as a Resource Organization, please contact us.

"Partnering, through membership, with the National Council for Adoption for almost eight years has provided numerous advantages for New Beginnings International Children's & Family Services. These including involvement in the "Infant Adoption Awareness Training" program, superb annual conferences, frequent e-mail updates about current issues, and consultation opportunities with colleagues and members of the NCFA team. New Beginnings is proud to be an active member of the National Council for Adoption under the exemplary leadership of Mr. Chuck Johnson."

Tom Velie, LMSW
President
New Beginnings International Children's & Family Services, Tupelo, Mississippi

"NCFA provides the most up-to-date information on adoption issues in the U.S. From Tax Credit issues to alerts from the Department of State, NCFA is constantly asked for input on the most important issues as well as being asked to disseminate information to the public. NCFA is also an excellent source for the media, government officials and private individuals who have questions about adoption, both in the U.S. and abroad. NCFA truly is the voice for adoption, and our agency benefits by being an active part of this strong adoption advocate."

Heidi Bruegel Cox
Executive Vice President, General Counsel
The Gladney Center for Adoption, Fort Worth, Texas