I am a current client with Hopscotch. Although my adoption has not yet been completed, based on the service to date, I feel very comfortable that the process will continue to be smooth. Any questions or concerns are always addressed quickly and honestly. There have been no surprises. I am very happy with them and would recommend them highly!
Ask this agency why they work out of their home in one state and is licensed in another?
With the new Hague regulations they will have to have an office where they interview and actually meet face to face with clients. Not some phantom office in the middle of NC or Georgia. and a license in another state.
Hi Vanessa, thanks for the opportunity to share that Hopscotch is an authorized New York child placing agency in good standing, having met all requirements set forth to maintain the agency to the high standards set by the NYOCFS. This can be verified by contacting NYOCFS directly at: Susan.Gilman@ocfs.state.ny.us To address your other question, Hopscotch maintains an office in Islip, NY. The address is: 267 Carleton Ave., Suite 222 Central Islip, NY 11722 and in High Point, North Carolina. The address for our NC office is: 2640 Willard Dairy Road Suite 102 High Point NC 27265. Hopscotch is pending NC license and is permitted under both NY and NC state laws to have a business office located here in NC. Hopscotch provides only placement and home study service to NY residents as permitted by NYOCFS, but may only provide placement services (no home study) to those applicants residing in other states or place of residence out side of the US at this time or until Hopscotch seeks a license to conduct home studies in any other state. Upon approval for Hopscotch NC license we will be able to offer placement and home study services to NC and NY residents. Until that time we maintain a business office in North Carolina and welcome a visit from any client or prospective client in either office. Hopscotch Adoptions is in the final stages of Hague Accreditation and has met all compliance requirements set forth by the Council on Accreditation. I hope this clarifies your frequent on going questions posed publicly and we welcome you or others to confirm our status personally. Thanks, Robin Sizemore
Robin E. Sizemore, Executive Director
Hopscotch Adoptions, Inc.
Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine www.hopscotchadoptions.org
Limova
Robin you tried too hard to market yourself. Why did you add the Ukraine? Another country where you can fly under the regulations.
Don't think that the Social Ministry office of Armenia has a warm relationship with you.
You can try to create a relationship with Robin Busse like you did with Mary Stickles
with gifts, etc.,
These 9 to 12 adoptions you do a year in each country are majority of the Special Needs kids. as you know the rules and regulations/requirements are less stringent.
Anyone that is truly Georgian descent or Armenian Descent and connected to these countries wouldn't use your services. The ones that do are Armenian Americans with little or no Armenian blood and very little or no ties to Armenia. Address the truth with what happened at CAS and why your contract was dissolved and you were fired
Love Garik
You are keeping me busy today, but the positive result is an opportunity to allow the public to personally scrutinize Hopscotch and verify any concern directly with the entities associated with your concerns.
Why the Ukraine? All agencies add or remove programs as their client base needs changes. Many families come to Hopscotch to adopt toddlers and Ukraine is a great option. Ukraine is also favored with the option of a family personally meeting a referral prior to determining if the family feels they can successfully parent the child. Ukraine is a popular program for families seeking to adopt older children and we are honored to have the opportunity to assist these children too.
A question of the relationship with the Ministry of Social Services in Armenia? Maybe I am just tired but I don’t understand the relevance of this question.
A question regarding a future positive relationship with US Consular Chief Robin Busse? Well, Robin Busse is a highly respected Consular and previously served in the US embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia for a period of 4 years as Consular Chief. The US Embassy in Yerevan is very fortunate to have Robin Busse there, as are the families served by his office. He is thorough and knowledgeable and most of all a strong advocate for children. We all miss Mary Stickles and wish her well with her new post in DC. No gifts are allowed to be exchanged and to my knowledge, nor social relationships. Gift giving is prohibited.
Number of adoptions per year. As required by Hague, when an Accredited adoption agency is requested to provide placement history and statistics, they must do so. These reports are also kept by the State Department through the Adoption Tracking Service. You can learn more about the ATS at: http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/implementation/implementation_28...
In 2007 the State Department issued a total of 44 visas to children adopted by US citizens and Hopscotch placed 19 of these children. In 2007 the State Department issues a total of 4 visas to children adopted by US citizens and Hopscotch placed 3 of these children. It is true that Hopscotch places many special need children and we are so very honored to assist the most vulnerable of children. We serve all children and seek families for children, not children for families. Hopscotch does not discriminate in which client families we serve, rather we advise the prospective client family of their potential for success or not based on our experience and the sending country's biases or laws. To encourage a client that most likely will not be successful in an adoption from any of the countries we work with would be unethical.
Again with the Carolina Adoption Service question: We invite you or others to personally verify this repeated response to the same question. My full response can be found within this registry review of Hopscotch. Reference (Mon, 02/04/2008 - 1:46pm).
Finally, I would also like to share (again) that Vanessa has never been an applicant or client family of Hopscotch or Carolina Adoption Services during my tenure. I hope this response will again finally clarify the questions and concerns. Thanks - Robin
Robin E. Sizemore, Executive Director
Hopscotch Adoptions, Inc.
Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine www.hopscotchadoptions.org
This agency had some issues with her previous employer CAS and was asked to leave in January 2006. There is too much money being thrown around in these countries and the birth mothers are pushed out of the picture because they are poor. Ask yourself why you must pay more than others that have adopted from Armenia.
Robin herself has stated "I gave the birth mother of Georgia empowerment to make decisions"
Don't get fooled by a censored website by Hopscotch were information is controlled.
Reserve your comments until you have actually adopted from one of these countries.
Remember many countries don't recognize agencies for a reason. make sure your paperwork is not doctored up. The warm and fuzzy relationship this agency claims to have with the US embassy is not the same with the Armenian Social Ministry offices and the Armenian Embassy.
Most of these people have not completed an adoption and suspiously appear on the same days posting.
Just want to respond to your comment on those who have posted here. I am a real client who has logged a favorable review for Hopscotch. I can be contacted at svigilante@verizon.net if anyone has any questions.
Hi again Vanessa, After providing Carolina Adoption Services, with two very successful program through a 10 year period, we no longer shared the same vision and direction. My resignation letter was tendered in January 2006. You may confirm this with Thomas Jackson of CAS at: tom@carolinadoptionservices.org It was a great sense of loss for both parties after having worked together for a decade. To address the question of why so many posts have occurred in a short period, is because Hopscotch only learned of this agency review a few days ago and voluntarily registered ourselves and invited our client families to post anonymously if they wished. We value feed back and have implemented some great changes along the way because of it. I would also like to share that Vanessa has never been an applicant or client family of Hopscotch. I hope this response will finally clarify the questions and concerns. Thanks - Robin
Robin E. Sizemore, Executive Director
Hopscotch Adoptions, Inc.
Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine www.hopscotchadoptions.org
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Reviews
So Far So Good!!
I am a current client with Hopscotch. Although my adoption has not yet been completed, based on the service to date, I feel very comfortable that the process will continue to be smooth. Any questions or concerns are always addressed quickly and honestly. There have been no surprises. I am very happy with them and would recommend them highly!
Works out of home in Georgia, but licensed in another state
Ask this agency why they work out of their home in one state and is licensed in another?
With the new Hague regulations they will have to have an office where they interview and actually meet face to face with clients. Not some phantom office in the middle of NC or Georgia. and a license in another state.
Response from Hopscotch
Hi Vanessa, thanks for the opportunity to share that Hopscotch is an authorized New York child placing agency in good standing, having met all requirements set forth to maintain the agency to the high standards set by the NYOCFS. This can be verified by contacting NYOCFS directly at: Susan.Gilman@ocfs.state.ny.us To address your other question, Hopscotch maintains an office in Islip, NY. The address is: 267 Carleton Ave., Suite 222 Central Islip, NY 11722 and in High Point, North Carolina. The address for our NC office is: 2640 Willard Dairy Road Suite 102 High Point NC 27265. Hopscotch is pending NC license and is permitted under both NY and NC state laws to have a business office located here in NC. Hopscotch provides only placement and home study service to NY residents as permitted by NYOCFS, but may only provide placement services (no home study) to those applicants residing in other states or place of residence out side of the US at this time or until Hopscotch seeks a license to conduct home studies in any other state. Upon approval for Hopscotch NC license we will be able to offer placement and home study services to NC and NY residents. Until that time we maintain a business office in North Carolina and welcome a visit from any client or prospective client in either office. Hopscotch Adoptions is in the final stages of Hague Accreditation and has met all compliance requirements set forth by the Council on Accreditation. I hope this clarifies your frequent on going questions posed publicly and we welcome you or others to confirm our status personally. Thanks, Robin Sizemore
Robin E. Sizemore, Executive Director
Hopscotch Adoptions, Inc.
Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine
www.hopscotchadoptions.org
Robin keep trying
Limova
Robin you tried too hard to market yourself. Why did you add the Ukraine? Another country where you can fly under the regulations.
Don't think that the Social Ministry office of Armenia has a warm relationship with you.
You can try to create a relationship with Robin Busse like you did with Mary Stickles
with gifts, etc.,
These 9 to 12 adoptions you do a year in each country are majority of the Special Needs kids. as you know the rules and regulations/requirements are less stringent.
Anyone that is truly Georgian descent or Armenian Descent and connected to these countries wouldn't use your services. The ones that do are Armenian Americans with little or no Armenian blood and very little or no ties to Armenia. Address the truth with what happened at CAS and why your contract was dissolved and you were fired
Love Garik
For the record, Vanessa
Ukraine is not referred to as "The Ukraine" just "Ukraine :-)
Hopscotch Response to Vanessa
Hi Vanessa,
You are keeping me busy today, but the positive result is an opportunity to allow the public to personally scrutinize Hopscotch and verify any concern directly with the entities associated with your concerns.
Why the Ukraine? All agencies add or remove programs as their client base needs changes. Many families come to Hopscotch to adopt toddlers and Ukraine is a great option. Ukraine is also favored with the option of a family personally meeting a referral prior to determining if the family feels they can successfully parent the child. Ukraine is a popular program for families seeking to adopt older children and we are honored to have the opportunity to assist these children too.
A question of the relationship with the Ministry of Social Services in Armenia? Maybe I am just tired but I don’t understand the relevance of this question.
A question regarding a future positive relationship with US Consular Chief Robin Busse? Well, Robin Busse is a highly respected Consular and previously served in the US embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia for a period of 4 years as Consular Chief. The US Embassy in Yerevan is very fortunate to have Robin Busse there, as are the families served by his office. He is thorough and knowledgeable and most of all a strong advocate for children. We all miss Mary Stickles and wish her well with her new post in DC. No gifts are allowed to be exchanged and to my knowledge, nor social relationships. Gift giving is prohibited.
Number of adoptions per year. As required by Hague, when an Accredited adoption agency is requested to provide placement history and statistics, they must do so. These reports are also kept by the State Department through the Adoption Tracking Service. You can learn more about the ATS at: http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/implementation/implementation_28...
In 2007 the State Department issued a total of 44 visas to children adopted by US citizens and Hopscotch placed 19 of these children. In 2007 the State Department issues a total of 4 visas to children adopted by US citizens and Hopscotch placed 3 of these children. It is true that Hopscotch places many special need children and we are so very honored to assist the most vulnerable of children. We serve all children and seek families for children, not children for families. Hopscotch does not discriminate in which client families we serve, rather we advise the prospective client family of their potential for success or not based on our experience and the sending country's biases or laws. To encourage a client that most likely will not be successful in an adoption from any of the countries we work with would be unethical.
Again with the Carolina Adoption Service question: We invite you or others to personally verify this repeated response to the same question. My full response can be found within this registry review of Hopscotch. Reference (Mon, 02/04/2008 - 1:46pm).
Finally, I would also like to share (again) that Vanessa has never been an applicant or client family of Hopscotch or Carolina Adoption Services during my tenure. I hope this response will again finally clarify the questions and concerns. Thanks - Robin
Robin E. Sizemore, Executive Director
Hopscotch Adoptions, Inc.
Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine
www.hopscotchadoptions.org
Not a reputable agency
This agency had some issues with her previous employer CAS and was asked to leave in January 2006. There is too much money being thrown around in these countries and the birth mothers are pushed out of the picture because they are poor. Ask yourself why you must pay more than others that have adopted from Armenia.
Robin herself has stated "I gave the birth mother of Georgia empowerment to make decisions"
Don't get fooled by a censored website by Hopscotch were information is controlled.
Reserve your comments until you have actually adopted from one of these countries.
Remember many countries don't recognize agencies for a reason. make sure your paperwork is not doctored up. The warm and fuzzy relationship this agency claims to have with the US embassy is not the same with the Armenian Social Ministry offices and the Armenian Embassy.
Most of these people have not completed an adoption and suspiously appear on the same days posting.
I am a real person and client
Vanessa,
Just want to respond to your comment on those who have posted here. I am a real client who has logged a favorable review for Hopscotch. I can be contacted at svigilante@verizon.net if anyone has any questions.
You are a very sad individual Vanessa.
Sonia Vigilante
Response from Hopscotch
Hi again Vanessa, After providing Carolina Adoption Services, with two very successful program through a 10 year period, we no longer shared the same vision and direction. My resignation letter was tendered in January 2006. You may confirm this with Thomas Jackson of CAS at: tom@carolinadoptionservices.org It was a great sense of loss for both parties after having worked together for a decade. To address the question of why so many posts have occurred in a short period, is because Hopscotch only learned of this agency review a few days ago and voluntarily registered ourselves and invited our client families to post anonymously if they wished. We value feed back and have implemented some great changes along the way because of it. I would also like to share that Vanessa has never been an applicant or client family of Hopscotch. I hope this response will finally clarify the questions and concerns. Thanks - Robin
Robin E. Sizemore, Executive Director
Hopscotch Adoptions, Inc.
Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine
www.hopscotchadoptions.org