2009 Schedule
July 9 . . . . Arkadelphia, AR
July 14 . . . Tulsa, OK
July 14 . . . Little Rock, AR
July 16 . . . Dallas, TX
July 18 . . . Orange County, CA
Aug 3 . . . . Russellville, AR
Aug 4 . . . . St. Louis, MO
Aug 11. . . . Little Rock, AR
Aug 11 . . . Tulsa, OK
Aug 22. . . .Austin, TX   NEW!
Sept 5 . . .  .Orange County, CA
Sept 8 . . . . Tulsa, OK
Sept 8 . . . . Little Rock, AR
Sept 22. . . .Olathe, KS
Oct 6 . . . . .St. Louis, MO
Oct 13. . . . .Little Rock, AR
Oct 13 . . . . Tulsa, OK
Nov 10. . . .Little Rock, AR
Nov 10 . . . Tulsa, OK
Dec 1. . . . .St. Louis, MO
Dec 8 . . . . Tulsa, OK

No time to attend? 
View meeting online 24/7!

2009 Adoption Workshop Schedule
Aug 8 . . . . Tulsa, OK
Aug 22. . . . Wichita, KS
Sept 12 . . . St. Louis, MO
Oct 10 . . . .Tulsa, OK
Oct 24 . . . .Orange County, CA
Nov 7 . . . .Oklahoma City, OK
Dec 5 . . . . Tulsa, OK

To register, click here!

LOCATIONS:
In Oklahoma -- main office
3227 East 31st Street, #200
Tulsa, OK  74105
Voice: 918/749-4600
Fax:  918/749-7144
Email this office

In Arkansas --
4702 W. Commercial Dr., #B1
North Little Rock, AR 72116
and
1882 North Starr Road
Fayetteville, AR  72701
Voice:  501/791-9300
Fax:  501/791-9303
Email this office

In California -- 
18001 Irvine Blvd., Suite 101
Tustin, CA  92780
Voice: 714/734-8600
Fax:  714/734-8688
Email this office

In Colorado--
Voice: 720/733-7718
Email our Mountain Regional Coordinator

In Kansas --
2420 West 76th Street
Prairie Village, KS  66208
Voice:  913/544-2805
Email this office

In Missouri --
1 First Missouri Center, #115
St. Louis, MO  63141
Voice: 314/576-4100
Fax:  314/453-9975
Email this office

In Texas --
5200 South Buckner Blvd.
Dallas, TX  75227
Voice:  214/319-3426
Fax:  214/319-3470
Email this office

In Indiana --
Voice:  765/965-1195
Email our Midwest Regional Coordinator
 

Joint Council on International Children's Services

North American Association of Christians in Social Work

Dillon International, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is classified as a public charity under the U.S.  Internal Revenue Code.

Combined Federal Campaign

New CFC #11823!

Burns Data Control, Inc.
"Adoption Software Designed By And For Adoption Agencies"

 We're Listed On The Tulsa Business List

Since 1972, Dillon International's mission has been the commitment to providing the best lifetime of care for each homeless child we are privileged to serve.  We are glad that you are considering international adoption as a means to build your family because many children throughout the world are still in need of a permanent, loving family.

Dillon International has a long history in international adoption beginning with our South Korea program.  Through the years we have had the privilege of helping homeless children in various countries, including Guatemala and Vietnam until the adoption doors were recently closed.  Currently, we offer programs in China, Haiti, India, and Korea.  Through our new affiliation with Buckner International beginning in 2009, we now offer adoption opportunities from Ethiopia and Russia with new country programs on the horizon!

By surfing our site, we hope you will develop a better awareness about our concern and commitment not only to the children, but also to you and your needs as an adoptive parent.  The staff of Dillon International have "walked in your shoes."  We understand your needs and concerns.  You can trust that we will approach your adoption plan with sensitivity and compassion.  Our adoption education has been tailored to prepare you for successfully parenting a transracially adopted child.  And our post-adoption services will give you the tools to incorporate your child's birth heritage into your family's daily life. 

We hope that the information provided here will help you in making a wise decision on whether international adoption is right for your family and in selecting the best adoption agency for your family's needs.  We are confident you will find that our intercountry adoption expertise, professionalism, and personal service to adoptive families will more than meet your expectations.
 

China

Ethiopia
New Opportunity
in 2009!

 Haiti

Hong Kong

India
not accepting
new applications

Korea
 

Russia
New Opportunity
 in 2009!

Affording an adoption doesn't have to "break the bank."  More resources are available to families than ever before...

Talk to a Dillon Family who can share the benefits of adoption through Dillon International, local support services in your area ...

Dillon NOW Offers Individual & Family Counseling Services for
Adoption-related Issues.  Learn

Get the complete story
regarding your child's
citizenship

International Birth Mothers Workshop:
TULSA / July 25
DALLAS / July 26

From an Ocean of Tears to an Ocean of Love:  
Join us for a rare opportunity to hear
from two Korean birth mothers during
this year's Korea Heritage Camp
and again in Dallas, TX
Download registration form!

June 25-27
July 9-11
July 23-25

Serve the people in your child's birth country on a Sharing Heart Mission Trip! 

Get in touch with your child's heritage this year and make new friends in the process!

Dillon in the News

June 25, 2009...Dillon's annual India Heritage Camp featured on KTUL/Channel 8 news (Tulsa, OK)

November 21, 2008...Two Children's Services Groups Unite for Kingdom Building (Mission Network News)

November 21, 2008...Buckner Expands Adoption Services through Affiliation with Dillon International  (The Baptist Standard I The Texas Baptist Newsjournal)

November 21, 2008...Dallas-based Buckner Unites with Dillon International to Expand Christian Children's Services  (Wall Street Market Watch)

November 21, 2008...Tulsa-based child placement agency Dillon International Inc. is uniting with Dallas-based Buckner Children and Family Services  (Tulsa World)

-archives

How to Select the Right Agency for Your Family

Dottie Enrico, a Korean adoptee and adoptive mom, has graciously allowed us to reprint her thoughts for the benefit of prospective adoptive families who are considering international adoption to build their families. 
When we chose an agency for our first adoption, we chose the agency that I had been adopted from.  Now that I have been through one adoption from Korea and because I also have 40 years of experience as a Korean adoptee,  I will approach choosing an adoption agency for our family's future adoptions differently. 

I think many adoptive families choose an agency because it is local, has a good reputation and think "speed of the process" is the most important aspect to their adoption.  But I think we need to take a longer view of things and ask tougher questions at the beginning.  I know many adoptive families may feel as though the agency holds all of the cards, so to speak, but the reality is that most international adoption agencies are actively looking for parents because there are more children available for adoption than qualified parents.  Although it may feel like the agency has all of the power to "choose you," that isn't the case.  You also need to make sure you select the agency that is the best match for your family.

Here are some questions that my family will consider if we ever adopt again and that I believe are important for every adoptive family to ask themselves as they select an agency to work with:

• What is this agency's policy on meeting birthparents and foster parents if you travel?
  For example, U.S. adoption agencies who work with Eastern Social Welfare Society (ESWS) and Social Welfare Society (SWS) in South Korea will often allow adoptive parents, who have traveled to receive their child, to visit the foster mother's home so that they can see where their child lived during the first few months of his life.  Although it is rare, SWS will sometimes even try to arrange a face-to-face, non-identifying meeting with your child's birthparents when you travel to pick him up.  Many agencies, however, do not provide this service to traveling families.

• What kind of post-adoption services does the agency provide?  Does this agency view adoption as a lifelong journey?  Do they have quality post-adoption programs and services available for your adopted child when he is 5, 10, 20, 30 or 40 years old?  
  Just because your baby arrives home healthy, happy and adjusts well, doesn't mean that he'll never think about being adopted or having been born in a different country or both ever again.
   
• Does this agency allow you to travel to pick up your child?
  Although some parents don't feel strongly about this, I personally would not consider an agency that did not allow me to travel to receive my child.

• Is the agency too small or too big?
  Some adoptive parents think big agencies move more quickly while others think big agencies are too impersonal.
   
• How much of an "adoption community" can I form by working with this agency?
  The agency that we worked with provided us with a wonderful daughter, but I found the experience very lonely at times since we had to work with the agency from a long distance and never got to meet the agency personnel face-to-face.  We also did not get to meet other adoptive families during the process.  I think it's wonderful to have a "ready-made" commmunity of other adoptive families who live in your area who are going through the adoption process at the same time.  If this is important to you, then seek it out.

• Is the agency's religious philosophy important to me?  
  Some agencies were founded on Christian principles.  Some families are drawn to this and others are turned off by it.
   
• Will this agency recognize that my child has the right to search for his birthparents or NOT search for his birthparents - based on my child's individual desires?  Will they respect this right and give my child every possible assistance with locating his birthparents and being reunited with them?  If they do provide search assistance, how old does my child have to be to initiate his own birthparent search?  What is their policy on birthparent-initiated searches?  How will they protect my child's right to privacy if my child does not wish to be contacted by his birthparents?
  These questions are VERY important and few prospective adoptive parents think to ask them.
   
• What kind of "prep" classes does the agency offer?  Will they adequately prepare me for the unique challenges of raising an adopted child of another race and/or culture?  Do they value "parental preparation?"  
  Again, this is my personal viewpoint, but there is more to adoption than filling out INS papers.  Agencies should be offering you good pre-adopion preparation and parenting classes.

All of this may seem like a lot to think about if you are just beginning your adoption process, but the journey to get your child is a brief one compared to the lifetime you will spend together.  If you choose an agency that winds up being incompatible with your needs or values - or one that does not adequately prepare you for becoming the parent of an internationally adopted child - you usually won't know it until it's too late.

Every adoption agency has something to offer, but each one also has its own philosophy and "personality."  You deserve to be with an agency that will meet your needs AND THE NEEDS OF YOUR CHILD long after he comes home.