Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 1.djvu/862

 114 STAT. 826 PUBLIC LAW 106-279—OCT. 6, 2000 (1) the international character of the Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (done at The Hague on May 29, 1993); and (2) the need for uniform interpretation and implementation of the Convention in the United States and abroad, and therefore finds that enactment of a Federal law governing adoptions and prospective adoptions subject to the Convention involving United States residents is essential, (b) PURPOSES.— The purposes of this Act are— (1) to provide for implementation by the United States of the Convention; (2) to protect the rights of, and prevent abuses against, children, birth families, and adoptive parents involved in adoptions (or prospective adoptions) subject to the Convention, and to ensure that such adoptions are in the children's best interests; and (3) to improve the ability of the Federal Government to assist United States citizens seeking to adopt children from abroad and residents of other countries party to the Convention seeking to adopt children from the United States. 42 USC 14902. SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. As used in this Act: (1) ACCREDITED AGENCY.— The term "accredited agency" means an agency accredited under title II to provide adoption services in the United States in cases subject to the Convention. (2) ACCREDITING ENTITY.— The term "accrediting entity" means an entity designated under section 202(a) to accredit agencies and approve persons under title II. (3) ADOPTION SERVICE. — The term "adoption service" means— (A) identifying a child for adoption and arranging an adoption; (B) securing necessary consent to termination of parental rights and to adoption; (C) performing a background study on a child or a home study on a prospective adoptive parent, and reporting on such a study; (D) making determinations of the best interests of a child and the appropriateness of adoptive placement for the child; (E) post-placement monitoring of a case until final adoption; and (F) where made necessary by disruption before final adoption, assuming custody and providing child care or any other social service pending an alternative placement. The term "providing", with respect to an adoption service, includes facilitating the provision of the service. (4) AGENCY.— The term "agency" means any person other than an individual. (5) APPROVED PERSON. —The term "approved person" means a person approved under title II to provide adoption services in the United States in cases subject to the Convention. (6) ATTORNEY GENERAL.— Except as used in section 404, the term "Attorney General" means the Attorney General, acting through the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization.

�