My story is a family coming together through international adoption.

The story of my family is familiar to some of you. The context might be remembered by others, even if you don't know our story specifically.

It began 8,435 kilometers away, yet not really. The origin was right here, in the desire of my husband and I to have a family. Unknown by us, and yet running parallel to our discussion, were factors leading up to a political uprising in the country of Romania. The two would soon intersect.

What did I know of Romania? Not much. An eastern bloc country. Stellar performances from athletes at the Olympics. But then a dramatic revolution took center stage—and grabbed our attention.

For seven days before Christmas in 1989 protestors took to the streets to express outrage over the policies of dictator Nicolai Caecescu. Massive demonstrations took place in Bucharest, including in front of his palace, where white crosses would soon mark the places 1,104 people died in the uprising. As the international media shone a spotlight on the country the picture that emerged was desperate. Among the many stories was seeing that the country's orphanages were overrun with children whose families had no option but to place them in the care of the state.

World Adoption Day highlights the importance for people to try and understand the process of adoption in South Africa.

The adoption process in South Africa is at times viewed as difficult and Kravits explains that the process ensures that the children are handed to suitable parents. Children as well need to be prepared for adoption and the children also would be assessed to ensure that they are adaptable, she notes.

The reason why the process may seem difficult is to make sure that the applicant knows what they want and why they want to adopt.

Sue Kravitz, Director - Child Protection and Adoption Services

Kravitz further explained that as part of the adoption process, Adoption South Africa also encourages adoptive parents to open up to their adoptive children about adoption as that will build trust and strengthen their bond.

As of 15 January 2023, Justus Kox will be appointed Director of Sanctions and Victims Policy, part of the Directorate-General for Punishment and Protection of the Ministry of Justice and Security.

Justin KoxShow options

Preventing crime, protecting victims and vulnerable persons, punishing perpetrators and offering perspective, that is what the Directorate-General for Punishment and Protection (DGSenB) stands for. The Sanctions and Victims Policy Directorate (DSenS) of the DGSenB focuses on the timely and careful implementation of custodial, freedom-restricting and monetary sanctions. Within all components, the protection and support of victims of crime is central.

The major tasks facing the Director of SenS together with the employees within the Board in the coming period include reducing recidivism by improving the effectiveness of the sanctions system and looking for ways to improve the TBS system and to improve the approach of people with disturbed behaviour. The development of multi-year policy to safeguard the interests and rights of victims and offenders is also an important priority. This requires a strong connection with the entire playing field of DSenS and the search for a balance between responsible implementation of policy assignments versus social and political pressure.

Eric Bezem, Director General of Punishment and Protection: 'We are very pleased that Justus is using his energy and connecting skills to improve the sanctions system and safeguard victims' rights. A policy area with a broad implementation practice with which there is intensive collaboration to ensure that the Netherlands becomes safer. That is in good hands with Justus.'

1693

Governor Sir William Phips of Massachusetts adopts a son, marking the first recorded legal adoption in the colonies.

1729

Ursuline nuns found the first orphanage in North America in Natchez, Mississippi.

1769

The move came after Mysuru based-NGO filed a petition before the SCRPC alleging that the SJM mutt was illegally running the Akkamahadevi hostel for orphans .

The Karnataka child rights committee on Tuesday ordered an inquiry into the alleged irregularities at the Madilu adoption centre at the Sri Jagadguru Murugharajendra (SJM) mutt in Chitradurga, people familiar with the development said.

The state child rights protection commission (SCRPC) directed the state child protection directorate and Chitradurga superintendent of police (SP) to probe the alleged lapses of the district’s child welfare committee and district child protection unit (DCPU).

The move came after Mysuru based-NGO Odanadi filed a petition before the SCRPC alleging that the SJM mutt was illegally running the Akkamahadevi hostel for orphans under Madilu programme of the state government for decades.

The mutt registered the adoption centre with the state authorities only in 2018.

After celebrating World Adoption Day a week ago, we continue to cover important factors under this broad topic.

A WEEK ago, we celebrated World Adoption Day. Under this broad topic, we covered the adoption process in South Africa and the importance of this process. We highlighted what qualifies a minor to be adopted and who is eligible to adopt. In continuation of the topic, in this article, we highlight how to qualify for adoption and the remaining process of this legal action which includes the intervention of the Children’s Court, as well as clearing misconceptions.

According to the Department of Social Development, in order to qualify to be a prospective adoptive parent, you ‘must’ match the criteria as set out in Section 231 subsection 2. You need to be:

fit and proper to be entrusted with full parental responsibilities and rights in respect of the child;

willing and able to undertake, exercise and maintain those responsibilities and rights in respect of the child;

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Amy Klobuchar D-Minn., today introduced a bill to help save adoption agencies serving American families. The legislation, titled the “Voluntary Specialized Accreditation for Background Studies and Home Studies Act,” would help to remove barriers to intercountry adoption by increasing flexibility for adoption service providers and providing a new track for accreditation for agencies providing specialized services.

“There are countless children around the world with no parents or family to care for them, yet Americans who want to adopt these children are finding fewer adoption agencies available to help,” Wicker said. “This bipartisan bill would lower barriers for intercountry adoption, making it easier to welcome children into loving families.”

“Local adoption agencies help children around the world find the loving homes they deserve. But too often, families struggle to find accredited adoption service providers to assist them during the adoption process,” said Klobuchar. “By creating a specialized accreditation for small and medium-size providers that offer background and home studies, our bipartisan legislation ensures that families have trusted local agencies to help them navigate the adoption process and give children safe, stable homes.”

Current regulations require any organization wishing to provide adoption services to be accredited under a single standard. This rule means that specialized agencies that provide only a limited range of services have to pursue a costly accreditation that goes far beyond the scope of their work.

This bill would enable agencies that only offer “home studies” or “background studies” to be accredited in their area of expertise without having to be certified in other areas. This would allow specialized adoption agencies to continue operating and would lower the cost and time needed to stay accredited.

Newborn found abandoned in a bag in Lucknow, given to adoption centre

A newborn baby, found abandoned in a bag near the Apna Ghar shelter home in Lucknow’s Motinagar area, has been handed over to an adoption centre.

Lucknow: A newborn baby, found abandoned in a bag near the Apna Ghar shelter home in Lucknow’s Motinagar area, has been handed over to an adoption centre.

According to orders from the Child Welfare Committee, the baby has been handed over to the care of Lilawati Munshi Orphanage and Adoption Centre.

The baby was first discovered by a local women who then contacted Safalta Singh, in-charge of Apna Ghar Ashram, for help.

Bengaluru, Nov 15 (IANS): The State Children Protection Committee on Tuesday directed the Directorate of Child Protection to submit within seven days a report on the dereliction of duty by the officers concerned.

Based on committee's president Naganna Gowda's direction, the officers of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and Child Protection officers of Chitradurga will be inquired.

The order has been issued following the submission by Stanley and Parashu, founders of Odanadi NGO that exposed the scandal.

Several illegalities had come to light after the lodging of a POCSO case against Lingayat seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru. The allegation surfaced on children being nursed in the mutt illegally without adhering to the guidelines of adoption.

Meanwhile, in yet another important development, Parashurama Nayaka, from the royal heritage of Chitradurga rulers, has demanded reformation of the historical cash rich Mutt's administrative board. He also stressed that the royal family should also have representation.

A three-part series coming to Amazon Prime Video will unpack the extraordinary story of a former Flintshire couple who made headlines on both sides of the Atlantic when they paid more than $10,000 to adopt twin baby girls.

Three Mothers, Two Babies and A Scandal will launch exclusively on Prime Video on Friday, November 18.

It will hear from the three of the women at the heart of an internet baby adoption scandal: Judith, Vickie and Tranda, speaking together for the very first time.

Judith and Alan Kilshaw paid $12,000 to adopt twin baby girls from a young American mother, Tranda.

Global outrage ensued. The Kilshaws stood accused of buying the babies online and the new World Wide Web appeared to facilitate a global baby trade.