If you are just starting out, you want to do some researching and thinking on the Ukrainian faciliator. You hire this individual directly (independent adoption) or indirectly (agency adoption).

This person can be a lawyer, translator, tour guide or Christian evangelical. Adoptions can be their main means of earning money. Or adoption could just be a sideline. Some facilitators only work with adoption agencies. Some only work with independent adoptors. They could live in the US, England, Ukraine or Russia.

If you were building a house, the faciliator would be the general contractor who subs out the work when needed. You need someone to translate your dossier into Ukrainian. You need a translator to travel with you and help book your travel. And the translator who travels with you needs to understand the adoption paperwork process. They have to chase the paper and get it all filed.

In a few areas of Ukraine, you need to hire a lawyer... just the standard practice for that city. Most places you don't need the lawyer.

Right Protection Fund (facilitates adoptions) mainly works with adoption agencies and has gotten rave reviews and not so good ones.

I believe that RPF also works with U.S.-Russia Global Exchange (URGEX). URGEX will do the translation of your dossier and hook you up with RPF.

I believe that The Stork also provides Ukrainian adoption facilitation services to agencies. But it looks like they work directly with parents too.

Two pieces of information to keep in mind:

1. Ukrainian government via the SDA department is the only organization that can provide a referral to a specific child.



2. If you are using an agency for your adoption, always use someone else for your home study. This gives you a measure of control over some of the paperwork.

Regardless of agency or independent adoption, you probably want to research facilitators. I know several families who selected an agency based on which facilitators they used.


How to Select a Ukrainian Adoption Facilitator
How to Select a Ukrainian Adoption Facilitator
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Take Your Time
David Bentley