New Hope for Children FAQ

1. Tell us a little about the founding and development of your organization?
   New Hope for Children was founded in 1993 by David and Mary Mexcur. The agency primarily focused on Eastern European adoptions until the ban on Russian adoptions came into effect. New Hope for Children was Hague accredited through COA in 2011. In June of 2013, I, Alisa Karwowski, was elected to the position of Executive Director. Under my leadership, the agency has begun a domestic adoption program and created a partnership for Nicaraguan adoptions.
2. How are your adoption home study and your organization unique?
   I think one of the things that is unique about what I offer is a complete understanding of what it is like to wear the shoes of the adoptive parent. I have adopted both of my children internationally. I also have firsthand personal experiences with my children that other adoptive parents may face at one point or another. I strive to be that person who can listen empathically and support the family throughout the home study and post-placement process while forging a relationship where they are comfortable to rely on me to be there long after they are home with their child/ren.
3. Why are you passionate about adoption and the home study process?
   Completing the home study process, to include the post-placement reports, are the best part of my job! I feel honored to play a small role in creating families through adoption. I especially enjoy the responsibility of supporting the adjustment of the child as well as of the overall growth of the family throughout the post-placement visiting period. I feel like I know a lot about the process and want to make the sometimes arduous procedure of becoming “paper ready” as seamless and stress free as is possible. When I returned from one of my trips to Russia, I felt compelled to share all that I had learned, so I wrote a book on the “how to” when adopting from Russia. You can find it online: A Guide to Russian Adoption: Professional Counseling and Personal Insights.
4. How long is an adoption home study valid?
   Home studies are valid for one year.
5. Approximately how much time is necessary to complete an adoption home study by your organization?
   The home study process from the initial inquiry can range in the amount of time it takes to be considered complete. The most influential factor on the time it takes to complete the report really is in the hands of the prospective adoptive parent. The most timely part of the process is the documentation completion and submission. A typical range of time a parent can expect to complete a home study is from 3 to 6 weeks.
6. Can adoptive parents use a home study completed by your organization to adopt a child born in another state?
   The prospective adoptive parent must be a resident of New Hampshire but the child can be from another state or any other country.
7. If you complete my home study, do you also have to complete my post-placement visits?
   The home study and all applicable post-placement reports are completed by the same social worker. It would not necessarily have to be that way, but that is most typical.
8. How many post-placement visits does your organization require?
   New Hope for Children completes post-placement reports in accordance with requirements set forth by state or country of origin. If there are no post-placement requirements, New Hope for Children will complete the following visits and reports: 1) Call from social worker within 1-2 weeks upon arrival home with child. 2) Home visit and report from social worker 3 months after arrival. 3) Call from social worker 6-8 months after arrival. 4) Home visit and report from social worker 1 year after arrival.
9. What is some advice you can give to potential adoptive families about the home study process? What should they be prepared for?
   Families should complete all necessary pre-adoptive training and documentation that they can before the initial home study visit. I ask that the training be completed before the first visit so that we can talk about the training as it relates to the kind of adoption a parent/s are applying for. The counseling I provide will be in line with issues that can sometimes present given the adoption one is being approved for.
10. What do your home study social workers look for in a home and a family when they visit potential adoptive families' homes?
    I am not there to check your dust bunnies! My primary goal is get a sense of the family, how the family interacts with one another and what the motivation to adopt is. I need to attest that the decision to adopt is a mutual, healthy and wise choice for the entire family.
11. Are you Hague accredited, and if not, does your international home study comply with Hague International Standards?
    New Hope for Children is Hague accredited and is a licensed adoption agency in the state of New Hampshire.
12. Do you have experience in completing the home study and working with international placement companies?
    I have experience completing home studies for both Hague accredited and non-Hague countries worldwide. I have traveled to Nicaragua this year where I began a partnership and have forged a relationship there for prospective adoptive families. New Hope for children has contacts in numerous countries for translation services, travel, rentals, drivers, medical doctors, etc. New Hope for Children has a network of adoptive families that serve as liaisons for prospective adoptive parents. People who have adopted from China, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and the United States are all available to speak with adopting parents.
13. Are there other services and benefits you would like to share about your company?
    I offer extended private counseling for both adoptive families and birthparents. We also host annual adoption reunions for all of our clients who have adopted both domestically as well as internationally. New Hope for Children also has a network of parents throughout the country who serve as regional representatives who can be called upon to talk with at any time throughout their adoption process.