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New Report Shows International Adoption Edging Closer To Extinction

The industry's overregulation is making it increasingly difficult for willing families to take the plunge and attempt international adoption.

Rachel Garber always knew she wanted to adopt a child. Besides having grown up with five adopted siblings, in 2007 she made a memorable trip to the Chinese city of Xi’an, where she spent a month volunteering at a home for abandoned babies. “During this trip my feelings on adoption were solidified,” she says. “I met my husband Ryan in 2010, and he knew right away that if we got married, we would end up going to China for a child.”

While those plans were temporarily put on hold after their son Nixon was born with special needs, in 2017 the Garbers were finally matched with a little boy in China. After committing to his file, they learned that he was from the very city where Rachel had previously volunteered: Xi’an. “It was meant to be,” she says.

Rachel and Ryan brought their second son, Nolan, home from China to Wyoming last year. Today he is 3 1/2 years old and thriving. His mom describes him as “very loving and yet very strong-willed!” A nearby doctor happens to be the foremost authority in Nolan’s area of medical need. “From the moment we met our son, he has been a joy,” Rachel says. “We have had many hard days, or days where I question my ability, but I can’t imagine our life without him.”

In a nation where tens of thousands of families have adopted children from overseas, the Garbers’ story may sound familiar. But it is a story that is growing increasingly rare. International adoptions to America have been falling dramatically for the past 15 years, and a recent report shows that the decline hasn’t slowed.

12th European Forum on the Rights of the Child

First day, at

03:13:20 Nigel about adoptees/roots searches

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Congress stepping in as international adoptions plummet in U.S.

BOSTON - Millions of children are in need and there are thousands of willing families, but international adoptions fell again in 2018.

This is an issue we first uncovered with our reporting on State of Adoption, and the situation is only getting worse.

The number of children from other countries adopted by U.S. families dropped 13 percent to an historic low of 4,000 children.

Adoption advocates blame the U.S. State Department.

"They've put new, very restrictive policies in place that make it more difficult to advocate for children, more difficult for families, more expensive for families, and now the amount of time it takes to adopt and the children available for adoption is making it such that fewer and fewer children are finding families," Ryan Hanlon, a representative from the National Council for Adoption, said.

'Weeshuistoerisme debat is te eenzijdig' - Child Rights Focus

In: The Hague Central - April 2019

www.denhaagcentraal.net

It is good that abuses are now being denounced, but we must not break through by advocating just one type of care for children in developing countries. That does not work here either, says expert Philip Veerman.

In 2004, when the tsunami left children in Sri Lanka without family members, Marja van Leeuwen from The Hague committed to building an orphanage there. This project is supported by the Sri Lanka Orphanage Foundation in The Hague. The children's home is run by a local staff. Money from the foundation helps for salaries of teachers, tutoring and the dentist. According to a recent discussion, such a foundation could be better closed and such an orphanage should close. For the record: this is a discussion that was triggered by the Lower House Committee on Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. There, the initiative note from VVD MP Wybren of Haga was discussed in which he unfolds proposals against orphanage tourism. There was a note consultation with the minister on 8 April.


Abuses

For some orphanages in Uganda, recruiters set out to convince poor single mothers in the villages that children are better off in an orphanage. There are also orphanages that run on volunteers from abroad (hence the term "orphanage tourism"). If children attach themselves to volunteers, they return after a while and children have to face another disappointment. For some rogue "entrepreneurs", children are a source of income. Anthropologist Kristen Cheney of the Institute for Social Studies in The Hague called this the "orphan industrial complex". By sending volunteers you maintain everything. The road to wrongdoing is paved with good intentions.


Hearing

A family pedagogue, an anthropologist and an Australian lawyer were heard in the Lower House. Then representatives of four non-governmental organizations spoke. It was striking that nobody was invited to speak for organizations that work for orphanages. outgrowths clearly emerged in the hearing. The LUMOS Foundation, founded by Joanne Rowling (the author of the Harry potter books), has now joined the battle. a staff member from the foundation in London wrote to me that the fund "tries to bring about change everywhere in the entire child protection system. We want to show that forms of family care are preferable (but of course they are not perfect either). "


The orphanages in The Hague

In the Netherlands we have also been dependent on orphanages. For example, the Hague Orphanage was founded in 1564. A Reformed Orphanage, a Jewish Orphanage and an R.K. Orphanage (later known as Groenestein, notorious for abuse that surfaced). Other forms of "residential care (such as boarding schools) arose. At the time that orphanages started, children were also looked after in families. In 1779, a venerable company in Hamburg even issued a prize which preferred form: "outsourcing" of children (in foster homes) or places in orphanages. That was not a done deal. There were problems with families. Some children were used as cheap labor and children were abused. The question "boarding school or foster family" has dominated youth protection for a long time. After that a sample card of help to families at home, foster homes, half-way facilities, boarding schools and assisted room-dwelling came into being.

No monoculture

I found a correct starting point that the speakers in the Lower House agreed that children should be able to attach themselves. Family pedagogue Rien van IJzendoorn stated in the Chamber that growing up in orphanages "is by definition structural neglect." but not all orphanages run with varying services (the orphanage for which Marja van leeuwen collects money has "housemothers", single women with six to eight children). In the Netherlands we are also unable to place all children in families. What does not help is that we do not give foster parents a salary, only a modest allowance. Foster care is now often placed with neighborhood teams (for young and old), which means that expertise in guiding foster families is in danger of being lost. Our youth care is not a model example for export. As far as abroad is concerned: good to prevent volunteers from going to rogue institutions, but by combining all institutions, we continue to Dr. Philip Veerman is a mental health psychologist and child rights expert in The Hague. In 1981 Bernhard Kruithof, Tom Mous and Philip Veerman (editors) published "boarding school or foster family: 200 years of discussion".

Dutch:


Weeshuistoerisme debat is te eenzijdig’

In: Den Haag Centraal – april 2019

www.denhaagcentraal.net

Goed dat misstanden nu aan de kaak gesteld worden, maar we moeten niet doorslaan door maar één soort zorg voor kinderen in ontwikkelingslanden te bepleiten. Dat lukt hier ook niet, stelt deskundige Philip Veerman.

Toen in 2004 door de tsunami kinderen in Sri Lanka zonder familieleden kwamen te zitten, zette de Haagse Marja van Leeuwen zich in om daar een weeshuis te bouwen. Dit project wordt ondersteund door de Stichting Weeshuis Sri lanka te Den Haag. Het kindertehuis wordt gerund door een lokale staf. Geld van de stichting helpt voor salarissen van leraren, bijlessen en de tandarts. Volgens een recente discussie zou zo’n stichting maar beter opgedoekt kunnen worden en zou zo’n weeshuis moeten sluiten. Voor de goede orde: dit is een discussie die is aangezwengeld in de Tweede Kamercommissie Buitenlandse handel en Ontwikkelingssamenwerking. Daar werd de initiatiefnota van VVD-Kamerlid Wybren van Haga behandeld waarin hij voorstellen ontvouwt tegen weeshuistoerisme. Op 8 april was er nota-overleg met de minister.

Misstanden
Voor sommige weeshuizen in Uganda gaan ronselaars op pad om in de dorpen arme alleenstaande moeders te overtuigen dat kinderen beter af zijn in een weeshuis. Ook zijn er weeshuizen die draaien op vrijwilligers uit het buitenland (vandaar de term ‘weeshuistoerisme’). Als kinderen zich aan vrijwilligers hechten, gaan die na een tijd weer terug en moeten kinderen weer een teleurstelling incasseren. Voor sommige malafide ‘ondernemers’ zijn kinderen een bron van inkomsten. Antropologe Kristen Cheney van het Institute for Social Studies in Den haag noemde dit het ‘orphan industrial complex’. Door vrijwilligers te sturen hou je alles in stand. De weg naar misstanden is geplaveid met goede bedoelingen.

Hoorzitting
In de Tweede Kamer werden een gezinspedagoog, een antropoloog en een Australische juriste gehoord. Daarna spraken vertegenwoordigers van vier niet-gouvernementele organisaties. Opvallend was dat niemand was uitgenodigd om te spreken voor organisaties die werken ten behoeve van weeshuizen. in de hoorzitting kwamen uitwassen duidelijk uit de verf. De door Joanne Rowling (de schrijfster van de Harry potter-boeken) opgerichte LUMOS Foundation heeft zich nu ook in de strijd gegooid. een medewerker van de foundation in Londen schreef mij dat het fonds ‘overal verandering probeert te bewerkstelligen in het hele kinderbeschermingssysteem. Wij willen aantonen dat vormen van gezinszorg te verkiezen zijn (maar natuurlijk zijn die ook niet perfect)’.

Haagse weeshuizen
Ook in nederland zijn wij afhankelijk geweest van weeshuizen. In 1564 werd bijvoorbeeld het Haags Weeshuis opgericht. Er kwamen een Hervorm Weeshuis, een Joods Weeshuis een een R.K. Weeshuis (later bekend als Groenestein, berucht door misbruik dat boven water kwam). Andere vormen von “residentiële zorg (zoals internaten) ontstonden. In de tijd dat weeshuizen zijn gestart, werden er ook kinderen opgevangen in gezinnen. In 1779 heeft een eerbiedwaardig gezelschap in Hamburg zelfs een prijs uitgeschreven welke vorm de voorkeur verdiende: ‘uitbesteden’ van kinderen (in pleeggezinnen) of plaatsen in weeshuizen. Dat was geen uitgemaakte zaak. Er waren namelijk problemen met gezinnen. Sommige kinderen werden ingezet als goedkope arbeidskracht en er werden kinderen misbruikt. De vraag ‘internaat of pleeggezin’ heeft de jeugdbescherming lange tijd gedomineerd. Daarna ontstond een staalkaart van bijvoorbeeld hulp aan gezinnen thuis, pleeggezinnen, halfwegvoorzieningen, internaten en begeleide kamerbewoning.

Geen monocultuur
Een juist uitgangspunt vond ik dat de sprekers in de Tweede Kamer het eens waren dat kinderen zich moeten kunnen hechten. Gezinspedagoog Rien van IJzendoorn stelde in de Kamer dat opgroeien in weeshuizen ‘per definitie eigenlijk structurele verwaarlozing is’. maar , niet alle weeshuizen draaien met wisselende diensten (het weeshuis waarvoor Marja van leeuwen geld verzamelt, heeft ‘huismoeders’, alleenstaande vrouwen op zes tot acht kinderen). In Nederland lukt het ons ook niet om alle kinderen in gezinnen te plaatsen. Wat niet helpt, is dat wij pleegouders geen salaris geven, slechts een bescheiden vergoeding. Pleegzorg is nu vaak ondergebracht bij wijkteams (voor jong tot oud), waardoor deskundigheid van het begeleiden van pleeggezinnen verloren dreigt te gaan . Onze jeugdzorg is geen modelvoorbeeld voor de export. Wat het buitenland betreft: goed om te voorkomen dat vrijwilligers naar malafide instellingen gaan, maar door alle instellingen over één kam te scheren, schieten we door

Dr. Philip Veerman is gz-psycholoog en kinderrechtendeskundige te Den Haag. In 1981 verscheen van Bernhard Kruithof, Tom Mous en Philip Veerman (redactie) ‘internaat of pleeggezin: 200 jaar discussie’.

How fake child adoption syndicate steals babies from desperate mums

In Summary

The multi-million-shilling child trade industry has been thriving for years and poor households, especially in the slums and villages, have been the target of its scheming directors.

Babies are not only being snatched off the streets by strangers in passing cars, but also being stolen right after birth by nurses and midwives and passed on to social workers.

The distraught mother was kept waiting in a room for seven hours last Saturday, her stomach in knots as she waited to be reunited with her son.

But those seven hours were nothing to her, because the last time she had seen her son was almost five years ago.

Reactivation of the India-Australia intercountry adoption program

April 2019

Reactivation of the India-Australia intercountry adoption program

Australia is reactivating the India-Australia intercountry adoption program using a careful, staged approach.

During the initial stage of the reactivation, two jurisdictions – Queensland and Northern Territory (NT) – will be assessing a small number of people and forwarding files of suitable applicants to the Indian adoption authority for consideration and action.

The remaining state and territory governments will monitor processes and be guided by key learnings before determining their future involvement.

Holt International & WACAP Merge to Strengthen Resources, Impact for Families Worldwide

FEBRUARY 7, 2019 BY ROBIN MUNRO

Holt International & WACAP Merge to Strengthen Resources, Impact for Families Worldwide

Phil Littleton, president and CEO of Holt International, shares about the merger of Holt International and World Association for Parents and Children (WACAP).

Today, we are making an exciting announcement that will better position Holt International to do the mission-critical, child welfare work at the heart of our organization. Holt will merge with World Association for Parents and Children (WACAP) — a highly respected international adoption and child welfare agency — under the name Holt International Children’s Services on April 1, 2019.

Holt International first pioneered international adoption in 1956 and today remains the global leader in adoption. Founded in 1976, WACAP has united thousands of children with families in the U.S., and has also developed strong foster care and foster care adoption programs in the state of Washington. But while both Holt and WACAP have remained leaders in international adoption, the recent downward trend in adoption has called for a different strategy—one that creates a united front and a merging of efforts to ensure every child has a loving and secure home.

'My birth mother deserves an apology': Forced to give her up for adoption

'My birth mother deserves an apology': Forced to give her up for adoption, Liz Wilde's mum Valerie was told it would spell the end of her status as a 'fallen woman'

Forced to give her up for adoption, Liz Wilde’s mother Valerie was told it would spell the end of her troubles as a ‘fallen woman’. But decades later, Liz would discover it was just the beginning of a lifetime of heartbreak

My birth mother Valerie was never meant to see me cradled in my adoptive mother’s arms.

This was very much against protocol.

As agreed, at 2pm on Wednesday 26 February 1964, she had brought me to the London offices of the National Children Adoption Association to meet my new parents. I was dressed immaculately in one of the many outfits she had knitted for me. ‘We could tell that you were loved,’ a friend of my adoptive mother told me many years later.

Madras High Court 2(2) And 17(1) Of The Adoption ... vs Unknown on 31 March, 2019

Madras High Court

2(2) And 17(1) Of The Adoption ... vs Unknown on 31 March, 2019

O.P.No.657 of 2021

O.P.No.657 of 2021

ABDUL QUDDHOSE, J.

L'adoption en Roumanie dans le contexte international des années 1980-1990

Adoption in Romania in the international context of 1980-1990

Put adoption back in the international context of the time

Since the 1980s, the demand for children to adopt from rich countries is 10 times higher than the number of children given to adoption by poor countries.

Adoption represents a powerful lobbying, which in Western Europe as in the United States, Canada and Israel is able to exert regular pressure on the countries providing child through their governments.

- Between 1981 and 1987: Romania allocates to French families barely more than 500 children. [1]