The chairman of the Danish Parliament's Legal Committee, Lissa Mathiassen (S), wants to tighten up the rules for the adoption of foreign children.

The chairman of the Danish Parliament's legal committee, Lissa Mathiassen (S), now instructs the counties to review adoption declarations for foreign children, so that there is certainty that they are not falsified. The reaction comes after the TV program "Önskebarnet" on DR1 last night revealed that a private adoption organization had not translated medical statements correctly. A Danish couple who had adopted a Romanian child came forward in the broadcast and told how -contrary to the health declaration- it turned out that their adopted child was understimulated, malnourished and retarded. The Civil Rights Directorate pointed out that the mediator of the child, the organization "Terres des Hommes", which had the adoption was not allowed to use the consultant who had signed the erroneous declaration - but several cases appeared. A situation that is clearly unsustainable, believes the chairman of the Danish Parliament's legal committee, Lissa Mathiassen. The Christian People's Party also wants to have the conditions surrounding adoption investigated more closely. At the same time, the organization "Terre des Hommes" has asked for a meeting with the Ministry of Justice. According to the head of the organization "Terre des Hommes", Jessie Rosenmeier, there are a number of misunderstandings that the organization would very much like to correct. "Terre des Hommes" maintains, however, that the consultant in question has not falsified medical reports, as appeared on the TV broadcast. Jessie Rosenmeier also states that since the case came to light in 1995, the organization has tightened up the case processing to avoid similar situations, and all Romanian medical reports are now sent to the counties for approval.

REPORT ON THE IN-HOUSE CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP ON INTERCOUNTRY

ADOPTION, ICDC, FLORENCE, ITALY, 14-17. SEPTEMBER, 1998

1.0 Background and Participants:
This was the first UNICEF in-house capacity building workshop on the subject of adoption. The
workshop was organized by the International Child Development Center. It was necessitated by the
situation in UNICEF offices in all regions where abusive and illegal practices on adoption of
children internationally have been alleged or proven. In the such circumstances UNICEF offices
are faced with a continuous challenge of stating and/or defending UNICEF position on intercountry
adoption.
Participants in this workshop were comprised of mainly UNICEF officers, from ICDC, New York
and the following countries: Armenia, Barbados, Bangladesh, Colombia, Ecuador , Guatemala,
Romania, Rwanda, and Uganda. Other participants were from: Save the Children (UK) Rwanda, a
national NGO on adoption in Paraguay, the International Social Services, Hague Convention on
Private International Law, the Netherlands Committee for UNICEF and the Government of
Romania.
2.0 Workshop Objective:
 To analyze the purpose of intercountry adoption among other welfare measures;
 To identify international principles and standards on intercountry adoption and mechanisms to
safeguard them;
 To review acceptable and unacceptable conditions for intercountry adoption;
 To identify high risk situations; early warning signs of abuse and how to prevent abuse.

3.0 Workshop Methods:
Participants made presentations on country situation and experiences. Presentations were made on
relevant themes on international provisions such as, the Hague Convention on Intercountry
Adoption and situation regarding ratification. County presentations gave insight in varying
situations leading to adoption of children internationally, related principles and standards; as well
measures to safeguard them .
Regarding Africa , the main factors behind adoption are mainly conflict situation and HIV/AIDS,
leading to an increase in the number of unaccompanied children and of orphans(orphans in Uganda
refer to a child who has lost one or both parents). These have overwhelmed the capacity of the
extended family system. Not loosing sight of the situation in Rwanda, intercountry adoption in
Africa is not as massive as the case is in some Latin American and Eastern Europe countries.
Nevertheless, the situation poses a challenge of developing and/or strengthening in country foster
care and adoption systems and structures.
4.0 Lessons Learnt and Programming Implications:
 Continuity is of paramount importance for children in need of alternative family care. Preference
should be given to children staying in their countries. Intercountry adoption should be a last resort;

2

Friday, July 10, 1998

Doctors aid couples in adoption of Russian children

Drs. Platonov and Kogan founded Small World Adoption Foundation in 1992

St. Louis Business Journal - by Lou Kalosc

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By Glenda Cooper

A FIFTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD man was charged last night with buggery, indecent assault and actual bodily harm following an inquiry into abuse at a Barnardo's home in Yorkshire.

The man, who will appear at Harrogate magistrates' court this morning, was a house-parent at Springhill residential school, in Ripon, North Yorkshire. He had been interviewed by police who were investigating a series of allegations of physical and sexual abuse at the school in the Sixties and Seventies.

The inquiry is the latest in a series of scandals where former residents of children's homes around the country have made extensive allegations of abuse, particularly in North Wales and Cheshire, where Britain's biggest investigation into the abuse of children in care was launched four years ago.

The Yorkshire investigation began last September after a former resident at the school, which looked after children with learning difficulties and challenging behaviour, made a complaint to the charity Barnardo's which was passed on to the police.

Police have now spoken to 60 former residents of the school, which was responsible for boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 16, and 10 complaints of abuse have been made against former members of staff. These allegations are being investigated.

"Since receiving the initial complaint we have spoken to a number of former residents, some of whom have made allegations of physical and sexual abuse," said Detective Inspector Phil Metcalfe, who is leading the inquiry. "We are continuing our inquiries and it is vital we hear from people who lived at the Springhill school in order to substantiate these allegations."

Twelve officers and two social workers from North Yorkshire County Council have been drafted in to help with the investigation, codenamed Operation Pudsey.

During the Sixties and Seventies, the Barnardo's Springhill School was based in an old Church Commission building called the Bishop's Palace. It included 82 acres of land, and had a chapel, a coach house and a gate lodge.

Between 1940, when the school was established, and 1949, it was an all- girls school, but in 1950 it became mixed and was known as a school for the "educationally subnormal". In 1989 pounds 2m was invested in constructing four new buildings for the school. There were on average 40 children cared for by the school each year, although this went up to 56 in 1979.

A spokeswoman for the police said that she was not aware of any previous investigation into Springhill. None of the current staff is under suspicion.

A spokesman for Barnardo's said: "We are saddened and distressed by any claims relating to the protection of children entrusted to our care. This matter was brought to our attention in 1997, we immediately investigated and passed the matter over to the police.

More than 100 homes and schools in Cheshire and Merseyside have been or are being investigated amid allegations that children in care have been abused. And for the past two years, police have been investigating claims of abuse in the North-west.

Despite this a national conference on child abuse, organised by social services in the North-west, had to be cancelled because not enough social workers wanted to attend.

Dear Mr Dohle,

On 13 May 2014, we registered your request of 12 May 2014 for access to the following:

"Council document from 1998 on the JHA acquis (JAI 7 ELARG 51) which listed the UN

Convention on the Rights of the Child as being inseparable from the attainment of the

objectives of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty of Amsterdam;

Justice Acquis point 14

14. Draft list of the "acquis" of the Union and of its Member

States in the field of Justice and Home Affairs (as at

30 March 1998)

6473/3/98 JAI 7 ELARG 51 REV 3

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From Presidency to COREPER

UNCRC in.

(b) Other conventions to be regarded as inseparable from the achievement of the objectives of the Union:

European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Rome, 4 November 1950) and its Protocol of 1952;

UN Convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination (New York, 7 March 1966);