"We have suffered deeply, both emotionally and financially," says Carol Springstead of her and her husband's experience of trying to adopt a Russian baby.
She lives with her husband in Orange County, California, and says that in 1995 Adoptions Unlimited arranged for her to adopt a baby. En route to Moscow, she was told the baby had died.
At her request the agency found another baby but told her she had a large birthmark covering half her face. Her brother, a doctor, believed from the description of the birthmark that the baby could have future health problems and she decided against proceeding.
Some months later Adoptions
Unlimited said it had found another, healthy baby for her. In January 1996 she and her sister went to Moscow to get the baby. "Our excitement was overwhelming. We were finally bringing this long journey to a happy ending."
At the hospital "my first impression was shock. The baby girl was extremely underweight for four months old and appeared to have an unhealthy colour for a baby. She weighed not even 10lb." She had several birthmarks and "her legs were pulled closely up to her body and she did not stretch them out naturally."
On her brother's advice she arranged independent medical examinations of the baby. The doctor "advised us that at a bestcase scenario she would be slightly retarded . . . or she could be as serious as severely retarded with an enlarged head and needing sedation".
They decided not to go ahead with the adoption and returned to the US. There they sought a refund of the money they had paid to the agency, but this was refused. In all, Carol Springstead said, she has lost about $20,000.
Brendan Maloney of Adoptions Unlimited flatly denies her story. "The child who was offered to her has been adopted by another couple and has been living in the US for two years," he says. "She is a beautiful, blond, healthy child."
Carol Springstead says she has made contact with another 20 couples who are unhappy about the experiences with Adoptions Unlimited. A recent programme on the agency, broadcast by KOB TV in Albuquerque, included interviews with three couples who reported similar experiences to those of Ms Springstead and with one couple who were happy with the service from Adoptions Unlimited.
People entering into an agreement with the agency are asked to sign a "hold harmless agreement" in which they accept that payments are not refunded.
In Ireland, Michael and Margaret Flynn from Clontarf had an entirely different experience from that of the Springsteads. They found Adoptions Unlimited helpful and said the agency "guided us all the way". In Russia "there was someone from the agency with us holding our hand . . . We felt very safe and very comfortable".
They were so impressed that when they came back with their baby they decided to help other people to adopt through the same agency. They held information meetings around the country and got an "incredible" response. Two other couples have since adopted through Adoptions Unlimited and another 10 are in process, Mr Flynn said.
He is critical of the delays of up to two years which can be involved in getting parents assessed by the health boards here: this assessment has to be complete before an adoption can proceed. Because of his criticisms, he said, "social workers don't like me too much".
He said he is not paid for what he does. "I do not know truthfully what happens to all the money," he said of payments made by prospective parents. But, he said, "everything in Russia is money". The orphanage gets about £1,000, but some of the other money paid by parents goes into the overall orphanage system, he said.
Mr Maloney said there is a higher charge for children under two because the adoptive parents are charged for their care from the time of birth.