Hello Everyone,

So last Friday we decided and made the final choice to choose Hungary as the country of adoption.

This means that we indicated during the intake interview that we would go for Hungary. Our documents are now being translated into Hungarian and then sent to Budapest. (capital Hungary)

This is an important choice within the adoption process, because you can only go for 1 country (at a time). If your entire file has been sent to the chosen country, it is very complicated to switch to another country due to all kinds of issues (bureaucracy and costs).

Our choice for Hungary has partly come about because we prefer to adopt 3 or 4 children at the same time and this is a (slightly) more complicated process (in the Netherlands) than adopting 1 child. If you want to adopt more than 1 child, the number of countries you can choose from becomes more limited. In addition, you must complete a separate procedure with the Child Protection Board. So we did this.

Yes, you read that right. Billy and I have become fathers to a beautiful little boy. I will tell you more in this article.

But wouldn't it take a long time?

Exactly – we thought so too. In fact, I totally saw it. After all the hustle and bustle of all the adoption paperwork, writing book 2, the huge renovation and our wedding , I had it in front of me: we're going to rest, sweeten the house and prepare the baby room, book launch in between and hand out a lot of FREE HUGS, and then – who knows – we will get some good news sometime in the autumn.

Well – the good news came. And it came FAST . The last documents had just been sent out when we woke up three days before our wedding with a bizarre email: URGENT – a birthmother selected you as parents for her baby boy .

She was already walking at 38 weeks and could give birth at any time. As you can imagine, we were very happy and yes – we had to take a breather.

World Children Foundation

The quality of the mediation process

an intercountry adoption permit holder

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Participating in The Colour of Difference: Long Term Outcomes

This piece was written for the Benevolent Society: Post Adoption Resource Centre newsletter. Their centre provides post adoption support to adoptees in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

In the late 1990s, I was in my mid 20s and searching for support as an adoptee born overseas, outside of Australia. At that time, I didn’t even have the language to understand how adoption had affected me, I only knew that I had struggled and was reaching out to try and find support somewhere. I came across the Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC) in my search but I had initially tried the AA type programs, thinking there must be an “Adoptees Anonymous” somewhere to join into. There wasn’t, so when I found PARC led by Sarah Armstrong, I went and joined in with one of their adoptee days where you meet face to face and talk. PARC took us through guided sessions. I found it really useful but the biggest thing I noticed was there was nothing discussing looking different to one’s family/community, nothing on searching and returning to an overseas country, and certainly nothing on racism or the issues I lived as a person of colour adopted into a white society. So I spoke to the PARC team afterwards and asked if there was anything available more specific to my experience. I didn’t even know the term “intercountry adoption” then. All I knew was that I enjoyed meeting the adoptees but they were all born in Australia except me. So I still felt different and quite alone. I enquired about whether there were other adoptees like me reaching out to PARC. They told me yes, occasionally. I said, “Well if you ever run something for us, I’d love to know about it and if you have those adoptees wanting to connect to someone like them, pleas share them my name and contacts.”

And so some time later, PARC did followup and contact me. They asked me if I wanted to be involved in their new book project where we as transracial adoptees could share our stories to help people better understand our lived experience. I said of course and I jumped at the opportunity. I remember trying to figure out what I’d write about, but once I started, it all flowed.

It was quite a lengthy process to get our book project published, finished, and launched. I think it was around 3 years from start to end? But during that process I ended up being honoured to meet the fellow adoptees who also shared in our book, The Colour of Difference. Participating in the book changed my life and PARC had been sharing my name/contacts to adoptees just like me, so over time, once the project finished, I made up my mind that I would volunteer and continue on from the connections we had made, to form a network to support each other.

THE HAGUE

Following the news that a number of participants in the Spoorloos program in Colombia are not linked to the correct biological family, there are signs of unrest among adoption organizations. Stichting Wereldkinderen, the only Dutch organization with a permit that mediates in adoptions in Colombia, has received three questions, says director Jeroen Jansen when asked. According to Inez Teurlings of the Interland Adopted Foundation, some adoptees are concerned after the revelations about the mismatches.

"It causes unrest. For example, there are questions about whether some DNA tests have been performed correctly. Cheap tests only test on four points, others on twenty. We find the latter tests more reliable, but they are a lot more expensive, around 400 euros," said Teurlings. "There must also be a hearing about Edwin Vela's actions." Furthermore, according to Teurlings, the way in which Spoorloos presenter Derk Bolt reacted was poorly received in the community. Bolt said on talk show Khalid & Sophie on Wednesday evening that he continues to believe in the discredited fixer.

According to the World Children's Foundation, the broadcast of the Scammers Addressed program, in which the mismatches come to light, can "lead to emotions and questions among people who feel connected to adoption in general or adoptions from Colombia in particular, from whatever role." , according to a message on the website. Jansen does not want to comment further "on the nature of the reactions we receive, since they are of a personal nature".

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Improving the adoption process and long-term outcomes for everyone impacted by adoption will require legislative action by Congress to address key issues. In the January 2022 issue of the Adoption Advocate, we break down NCFA’s legislative priorities for the year to explain four pending and future bills that can make adoption better and how advocates can take action to understand the issues and engage with their members of Congress.

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In any given session of Congress, thousands of bills are proposed, and of those, hundreds are reviewed, marked up, and voted on. While these bills address a variety of critical issues, we believe that Congress should prioritize the expedient passage of laws that cultivate a society that affirms the human right of every child to thrive in a permanent, loving family and removes unnecessary barriers to adoption. For hundreds of thousands of children in the U.S. and around the world, adoption is the only pathway to the family they deserve. As a longstanding national adoption advocacy organization, the National Council For Adoption (NCFA) has identified four critical pieces of legislation that we believe Congress should pass in 2022 to effect positive changes in the adoption system and move more children to permanency in a timely manner.

None of these bills on their own will create the type of reforms and policy changes that are needed to address the full scope of the problem. But taken together, with bold Congressional leadership, engaged grassroots advocates, and actionable commitment from policymakers and regulators to removing the barriers to adoption, we can make significant progress for the children and youth who are counting on us.

Restore Integrity to America’s Promise of a Permanent Home

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Fiom offers information, preparation and aftercare in the field of adoption. We provide the mandatory information meetings for prospective adoptive parents that are part of the adoption procedure. We also offer (parenting) support to adoptive parents and adoptees. Caregivers and other professionals can also contact Fiom for consultation and professional development.

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Up-to-date information about adopting

Volume 2, 2022 edition 7

This newsletter is for everyone who is involved in or wants to be informed about the expertise center for intercountry adoption. In the newsletter, the project team of the Ministry of Justice and Security (JenV) shares the progress in the development of the center. To this end, the team collaborates with organizations that already support adoptees in their searches for biological parents and/or family.

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Explanation of the letter to the House of Representatives and assignment to Fiom

Proceeds from second expert table

Trish Maskew Leaves Office of Children's Issues

Trish Maskew Out from Office of Children’s Issues.

Today, October 9, 2019 we just received an email from the Department of State which said the following:

Shortly after the Symposium, I informed the Department that I have accepted a new position with another federal agency, and this week will be my last in the Office of Children’s Issues. LaTina Marsh has assumed acting as Adoption Division Chief. Being able to hold a Symposium that brought all voices from the adoption community together was a perfect way to mark the end of my tenure here. I have enjoyed working with all of you and wish you the very best as you continue your efforts on behalf of children and families.

Sincerely,