This week, to everyone's great surprise, Dick Schoof was suddenly presented as intended prime minister, which means that Mark Rutte's successor seems to be known in one fell swoop. But while the VVD veteran kept his private life strictly under wraps , a little more is known about Dick Schoof. Let me introduce myself!
Dick Schoof
Would the premiership rest on the shoulders of Geert Wilders ? Or would the role go to Ronald Plasterk ? Suddenly there was a name (unknown to many): Dick Schoof was put forward by the parties involved as intended prime minister.
Forced adoptions in Switzerland have so far received little research. According to historian Rahel Bühler of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and Arts (ZHAW), the procedures were mostly legally correct, but unmarried mothers were under enormous social and official pressure.
Young women were "put under severe psychological pressure and forced to consent to an abortion, sterilization, or adoption of one or more of their children." The Federal Office of Justice records this under the heading "Victims of Coercive Welfare Measures and Out-of-Home Care."
Unlike, for example, indentured children, forced adoptions have received little public attention. From a scientific perspective, the events have also been little studied. "There are many unanswered questions," says Rahel Bühler (44) of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). The historian has co-authored recent studies on adoptions in forced situations in Switzerland since the 1960s.
On July 21, 2022, the Intercountry Adoption Accreditation and Maintenance Entity (IAAME) suspended the intercountry adoption accreditation of Promise Kids A Future, Inc. for failing to maintain substantial compliance with accreditation standards.
During this suspension, Promise Kids A Future, Inc. must cease to provide all adoption services in connection with intercountry adoption cases. Promise Kids A Future, Inc. is not required to transfer their cases to another accredited or approved adoption service provider. If you have an open case with Promise Kids A Future, Inc., please contact them directly to find out how the suspension will affect your case. We also encourage families to review the information published by IAAME about selecting a primary provider/adoption service provider and the accreditation/approval requirements.
The Department of State does not review or approve case or record transfer plans and has a limited role in their execution. The Department does, however, communicate with competent adoption authorities about the accreditation status of agencies and persons and case transfer plans, as needed.
We also encourage families with outstanding post-adoption reports to contact their adoption service provider for guidance on how to proceed. Information about post-adoption reporting requirements is available on the country-specific information pages on the Department of State’s website. Requirements vary by country with respect to frequency of submission, information to be included, and methods of submission.
The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Alappuzha has rescued a newborn boy after uncovering an illegal adoption arrangement involving a woman who allegedly handed over her baby to a childless couple in Muhamma.
According to Alappuzha CWC chairperson G. Vasanthakumari, the woman, a native of Alappuzha and married with three children, gave birth to the baby on February 25 at the Medical College Hospital in Kottayam. Conceived through an extramarital affair, she had kept the pregnancy secret from her family. "The woman, reportedly working in the UAE, returned to Kerala solely for the delivery. She was accompanied at the hospital by another person, believed to be the woman from Muhamma who later took custody of the baby," said Vasanthakumari.
After the birth, she briefly returned to her home in Alappuzha while the couple took the newborn to their residence in Muhamma. The case came to light on March 7 when an Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) supervisor from Muhamma reported the suspected illegal adoption to the authorities. The District Child Protection Unit launched an inquiry, and the CWC summoned both parties. Officials explained the legal consequences, urging the mother to either raise the child herself or allow the CWC to take custody.
She initially agreed to take the child back. "However, a follow-up revealed that the child had been handed over to the couple again. After a second round of counselling, the mother once more promised to care for the child. Yet, the pattern repeated, and the child was transferred to the couple a third time," Vasanthakumari added.
In India, adoption has witnessed a significant transformation, driven by government initiatives like those of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). In the financial year 2024-25, a record 4,515 legal adoptions were recorded, showcasing the growing societal shift towards open-hearted, legal adoptions and offering hope to many children in need of a loving home......
Sometimes, love comes looking for you, even when you least expect it.
Little Moksh, left at a Child Care Institution just one day after he was born, had no way of knowing that his life was about to become a beautiful story of hope and belonging.
Moksh was born with a condition called knock knees, where his legs bent inward. For four long years, he watched families walk past him. Some paused, some smiled, but most moved on once they saw the mention of his condition on the papers. For Moksh, every passing face was a silent goodbye.
But in 2021, everything changed. Amidst the fear and distance brought by COVID-19, a couple saw him not his diagnosis, not his “defects,” but simply, their son.
Even though the pandemic delayed the adoption process, they refused to give up. From afar, they told him bedtime stories over video calls, made him laugh through screens, and promised they would be together soon.
Moksh's mother had tears in her eyes when she read this simple, loving, and heartwarming note written by her son in uneven letters and wobbly handwriting. Though it seems like just ten simple words written by a kid to his mother. But behind those words lies a powerful story of love, waiting, and hope.
Moksh was born with a condition called "knock knees," which made his legs bend inward. He was left at a Child Care Institution when he was just a day old unaware of anything in this new world. He was put up for adoption. For four years, families walked in and out of his life—pausing, hesitating, moving on. His condition was listed on the form. And that was often the end of the conversation.
Until one day, it wasn't.
In 2021, a couple saw him, not the label, not the diagnosis, but 'Their child.' To them, he wasn't a problem to solve, he was their son, waiting for them from the day he was born. The second wave of COVID-19 made the wait even longer. But they didn't let him go, they stayed—through video calls, telling him bedtime stories through screens, making him smile from far away and patiently waiting to hold him in their arms.
At the address indicated or via videoconference: EFA and Fnepe are pleased to invite you to participate in the presentation of the action research report conducted by sociologist Laura Biteaud. The author's presentation will be followed by two roundtable discussions.
Between "trust" and "betrayal": the impact of illicit practices in international adoption on families' experiences
A complex reality with multiple repercussions
Based on testimonies, this report is a deep dive into the journey and experiences of families, parents, and adoptees, uncovering the illicit practices of international adoption, often revealed during the search for origins. In addition to the repercussions that, like a shock wave, reach well beyond the family itself, the study sheds light on the "adoption system" as a "sociological object" and its consequences, leading to proposals for improvement in the fields of adoption and the search for origins.
ISS (International Social Service) is a worldwide organization that works for the protection and well-being of children. In the context of its work, the organization is well placed to give an impression of the positive and negative feelings, but also the challenges that adoptees can face when searching for their roots. They made a brochure about this in English, French, Spanish and Dutch .
A process that varies from person to person
The search for roots is a process that takes place at different times in life and for different reasons. What this process looks like varies from person to person. For one adoptee, questions about roots never arise, while for another, solving these questions is of vital importance. The answers can look very different: from gaining access to the file, to traveling to the country of origin, to meeting the birth family.
Challenges along the way
Searching for roots presents challenges such as gaining access to information and files. Language barriers, cultural and financial differences also play a role in an intercountry adoption. A search can have a very positive result. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and the search itself does not always go smoothly.
Agartala: A few-days-old infant was rescued from Khowai hours after she was handed over to a childless couple by her biological parents in lieu of alleged pecuniary benefits, sources in the police department said.
The shocking incident occurred at Katlamara hospital where the baby girl was born. However, due to the timely intervention of the police, the baby was rescued.
The biological parents of the baby hail from the Katacherra area of Simna Assembly constituency.
According to police sources, the child's parents had been struggling to make two square meals.
They took the decision to ensure that the baby gets a good life. Admitting the fact that they had allowed a family to adopt their baby, the biological mother of the child, Laxmi Rani Sarkar (Das), said,
Truth and Reconciliation Commission confirms human rights violations, including false records of missing children as orphans by omission of parental consent by brokerage agencies , and first acknowledges the issue of state responsibility Insufficient data to find roots Even if an adoptee with a rare ankle disease needs genetic information from their family history, it cannot be disclosed without the consent of their biological parents The government must first issue a sincere apology and correct errors in adoption records to restore family reunions
May 11th is 'Adoption Day'. According to the Special Act on the Promotion and Procedure of Adoption revised in 2005, it became a legal commemorative day the following year to establish adoption culture and promote domestic adoption. The day before, the 10th, is also a legal commemorative day, 'Single-parent Family Day', which was established in accordance with the Single-parent Family Support Act revised in 2018 to increase public understanding and interest in single-parent families and to break down prejudice. Although it is not widely known, civic groups that opposed the establishment of Adoption Day played a major role until the government commemorated Single-parent Family Day.
The non-profit organization Root House, which has been advocating for the rights of overseas adoptees for 22 years, has been at the forefront. The organization's co-representative, Kim Do-hyun, pointed out, "(At the time of the establishment of Adoption Day), the Roh Moo-hyun administration was immersed in the romantic idea that if they increased domestic adoptions through campaigns, overseas adoptions, which were criticized domestically and internationally, would disappear," and "In reality, overseas adoptions have never decreased because of domestic adoptions." He criticized, “The purpose of establishing Adoption Day is flawed and its policy goals have never been achieved, but the government does not accept this reality. Every year, the Prime Minister comes out and gives awards to adoptive parents and adoption agencies at a large hotel attended by 2,000 to 3,000 people, saying, ‘Domestic adoption is a beautiful thing, so please participate.’”
Kim Do-hyun, co-representative of the non-profit organization Roots House, is proposing, “Let’s change ‘Adoption Day’ on May 11th to ‘Adoption Truth Day’” at the office in Changui-mun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 28th of last month. Representative Kim said that related organizations have been commemorating ‘Adoption Truth Day’ since 2020, and that social awareness is changing as the ‘truth’ about human rights violations against overseas adoptees and biological parents is being revealed. Reporter Lee Jae-moon
Since 2011, Roots House, together with overseas adoption organizations, birth family groups, and the Unwed Mothers' Family Association, has independently declared May 11th as "Single Moms' Day" and has held international conferences in the National Assembly for nine years, ending in 2019, to raise our voices in minimizing child adoption. Ultimately, Representative Kim said that the government also designated Single-Parent Family Day right before Adoption Day, meaning that it should first focus on social reconstruction so that birth mothers and children are not separated.
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This week, to everyone's great surprise, Dick Schoof was suddenly presented as intended prime minister, which means that 