Job Title: Assistant Program Manager (Social Worker) – Adoption Programme
Location Districts: Mumbai. (Traveling required within MMR region)
Employment Type: Renewable fixed-term contract
About:
Bal Asha Trust is a Mumbai-based charity working for child protection for the past 39 years. Our vision is where every
child is cared for, loved, healthy and in the family. It is an awarded organisation implementing seven programmes for
vulnerable children. Our primary programmes are Children’s Home, Adoption Centre, Child Development Centre,
Education Sponsorship, Poshan, Mumkin and Training & Awareness. For more information visit www.balashatrust.org
About the Program:
Bal Asha Trust is India’s best and awarded recognized Adoption Agency. Bal Asha Trust is a licensed organisation
authorised by the Government of Maharashtra to place children who are legally declared “free for Adoption” with
loving and caring families. As an Adoption agency, we have two important roles to look after: placing our children in
Adoption and supporting local families in the counselling and home study process, so they can adopt from anywhere
in India.
The Adoption Programme is a structured process that ensures every child finds a loving and caring family. Prospective
adoptive parents are referred to the Trust through an online system managed by the Central Adoption Resource
Authority (CARA), New Delhi. The Adoption Committee, comprising a government official, follows a rigorous
screening and evaluation process before placing a child with a family.
Purpose of the Role
The Assistant Program Manager is expected to ensure a smooth transition of children from Bal Asha’s care to
family-based care through adoption. Execute all Pre & Post Adoption-related activities at Bal Asha Trust. The role
includes interconnected responsibilities for children’s adoption processes and guiding prospective adoptive parents
(PAPs).

CAMBODIA ORPHANAGE SURVEY
September 2005

The tools and resources at our disposal are different–but the focus on the protection of vulnerable children is the same. 

The Peterson family first met 12-year-old Natasha when she came to their Florida home to participate in a summer hosting program for Ukrainian orphans. Soon after her six-week visit, they decided to adopt her and had just finalized the adoption in the Ukrainian courts and were preparing to bring her home when the Russian invasion began. Panicked about Natasha’s safety but unable to reach her, the Petersons coordinated with their adoption service provider, the Department of State, and humanitarian aid organizations on the ground to arrange Natasha’s safe passage across the border into Poland.  

There, the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw facilitated further coordination with the Ukrainian government to verify her identity, final adoption, and eligibility to immigrate to the United States. Natasha is safely home with her new family, who are ensuring she receives the love and care needed to overcome her traumatic experiences during her evacuation from Ukraine.   

While Natasha’s story may sound unique, it is the type of challenge my colleagues and I face every day. 

As the Special Advisor for Children’s Issues in the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, I have the privilege of focusing on two critical issues: International Parental Child Abduction, and Intercountry Adoption. I work closely with the Office of Children’s Issues (CA/OCS/CI), which serves as the U.S. Central Authority for the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of Child Abduction, as well as the 1993 Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.  Together, we develop strategies to encourage countries’ accession to both conventions and implement them fully and effectively. CA/OCS/CI also handles parental abductions and adoption policies in countries that have not yet joined the Conventions, or with which the U.S. has not yet partnered. The challenges inherent in each issue are different, the stakeholders are different, and the tools and resources at our disposal are different—but the focus on the protection of vulnerable children is the same. And for both issues, diplomacy is a critical aspect of promoting that protection.

Of Counsel to Rumbold & Seidelman, LLP Diane is a lawyer and historian. She practiced law with the firms of White & Case and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and now serves of counsel to the firm of Rumbold & Seidelman, LLP. Her field of specialization at Yale and Columbia Universities was economic and diplomatic history—she is the author of several books about international diplomacy, law and economics. Ms. Kunz is the mother of eight children, four of whom were adopted from China.

Diane now focuses her legal practice on international adoption law. She advises families who chose to form their families through international adoption. She also has long experience working with U.S. agencies that govern international adoption such as the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and the State Department. Diane has also worked extensively with families interested in waiting children (special needs) adoption.

Diane also serves as Executive Director of The Center for Adoption Policy (CAP) a New York based 501(c)3 organization. CAPS mission is to provide research, analysis, advice and education to practitioners and the public about current legislation and practices governing domestic and intercountry adoption. CAP is an independent entity, not affiliated with any agency or other entity. The Newscap column, written by Diane, which appears four days a week on adoptionpolicy.org has become a “must read” for members of the adoption community.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has granted 300,000 USD to UNICEF in Vietnam to support the programme “strengthening legislation and monitoring systems for child adoption” in the nation from now until 2013.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) hasgranted 300,000 USD to UNICEF in Vietnam to support the programme“strengthening legislation and monitoring systems for child adoption” inthe nation from now until 2013.

The USAID grant will contributeto the improvement of the current legal and regulatory framework toensure its compliance with international standards to better protectchildren without parental care through the development andimplementation of national legislation and policies on domestic andinter-country adoption, and the ratification of the Hague Convention.

Inaddition, the grant will support setting up a national monitoringsystem for child adoption and building the capacity of policy makers,welfare and enforcement personnel to better protect children.

Itwill also help improve protection and care for children deprived ofparental care through the promulgation of new policies, guidelines andstandards on alternative care, and pilot the implementation of newalternative care models, including foster care, and inter-countryadoption programmes for children with special needs.

UNICEFVietnam Representative Lotta Sylwander said, “We applaud the Governmentof Vietnam for its strong commitments in improving child adoption andhighly appreciate the timely financial support from USAID and otherinternational partners to UNICEF.”

She also said UNICEF wasstrongly committed to support the Government to establish comprehensivechild protection systems, including the development of efficientalternative care and child adoption systems for children in need ofspecial protection./.

THE JOB THAT REMAINS: AN OVERVIEW
OF USAID CHILD WELFARE REFORM
EFFORTS IN EUROPE & EURASIA

This report was produced for the Social Transition Team, Office of Democracy, Governance and Social Transition of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID/DGST/E&E) by Aguirre International, a division of JBS International, Inc. It was prepared under Task Order 12 of the Global Evaluation and Monitoring (GEM) IQC, Contract No. FAO-I-00-99-00010-00. The authors are Lucia Correll, Tim Correll, and Marius Predescu.

In 1956, Harry and Bertha Holt revolutionized the definition of family when they adopted eight children in the wake of the Korean War.

They pioneered international adoption, and founded Holt International. But long before that, they were child sponsors — driven by their faith, compassion, generosity and desire to do what they could to make the world a better place.

Explore each decade of Holt’s incredible history of helping children and families:

1950

Executive Order 14216 of February 18, 2025

Expanding Access to In Vitro Fertilization

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose and Policy. Today, many hopeful couples dream of starting a family, but as many as one in seven are unable to conceive a child. Despite their hopes and efforts, infertility struggles can make conception difficult, turning what should be a joyful experience into an emotional and financial struggle. My Administration recognizes the importance of family formation, and as a Nation, our public policy must make it easier for loving and longing mothers and fathers to have children.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) offers hope to men and women experiencing fertility challenges. Americans need reliable access to IVF and more afford able treatment options, as the cost per cycle can range from $12,000 to $25,000. Providing support, awareness, and access to affordable fertility treatments can help these families navigate their path to parenthood with hope and confidence.

Experts point out that because of the loopholes in the time-consuming CARA procedures, many childless couples prefer the illegal method and are willing to shell down the amounts that are demanded by the likes of Krishnaveni and Vandana.



Hyderabad: Chaitanyapuri police, probing child trafficking cases in the city, arrested and remanded three more persons under the Juvenile Act for their role in illegally selling abandoned or orphaned kids in the name of adoption. The three Umarani, Jayasree and Soni Keerthi are the mediators for the prime accused Kola Krishnaveni and Vandana, who sell infants to desperate childless couples. The mediators identify couples craving to adopt as they are easy targets. Vandana remains elusive.
 

It can be recalled that in a similar case in Medipally last May, 15 kids were rescued and the parents were sent notices, though they were not arrested. In this case, the parents, who adopted infants through illegal means, have been arrested and charged under the Juvenile Act. Meanwhile, a source said they will seek judicial intervention, which could be a setback to the children currently housed in CWC Shelter.
 

Most of the parents in the Medipally case approached the court for custody of the kids they had adopted. The case remains stuck in court and it may take quite a while for the adoption process to be legalised. Experts point out that because of the loopholes in the time-consuming CARA procedures, many childless couples prefer the illegal method and are willing to shell down the amounts that are demanded by the likes of Krishnaveni and Vandana.