Adoption Agency Members : Membership Requirements

Requirements For Adoption Agency Membership In The National Council For Adoption

1. The agency operates as a not-for-profit voluntary agency under the control of a board of directors.
2. The agency supports the general goals and shares the concerns of NCFA to be an advocate for children and families (***).
3. The agency is non-discriminatory on the basis of race or ethnicity in each and every aspect of its operations.
4. The agency complies with state licensing or approval requirements for all of its services and strives to meet such other requirements as may be determined by NCFA to be pertinent, including accreditation.
5. The agency provides, on request, on a periodic basis, self-evaluation information to enable its peers in the membership to determine whether the quality of services is acceptable.
6. The agency is staffed by persons qualified, according to the requirements of their respective professions or disciplines, to provide the services offered.
7. The agency pledges itself to play a role in the community, offering leadership and cooperation on behalf of children and families.
8. The agency agrees to allow reasonable access to agency info and staff for NCFA-approved or conducted research and technical assistance.
9. The agency lists in writing, for the confidential information of NCFA, all past lawsuits or court actions in which it has been involved, including any current litigation.
10. The agency agrees in advance that withholding or falsifying information in the application process is grounds for suspension of membership.
11. The agency provides references verifying its qualifications in the following ways:
    1. a copy of the letter from the state licensing authority verifying the agency’s current licensed status; and, either,
    2. a letter from the Council on Accreditation indicating that the agency is currently accredited, and a letter of recommendation from an appropriate adoption professional, who in the judgment of NCFA may include NCFA member agency directors, other adoption service providers, and experts in adoption policy and practice; or,
    3. two letters of recommendation from appropriate adoption professionals as described in (b).

*** NCFA has a diverse membership that shares in our commitment to providing loving, permanent families for children in need. NCFA does not require members to agree with NCFA on every policy issue, and membership does not mean that an agency supports every position of NCFA.