International Family Services, Inc.'s Accreditation Suspended

July 3, 2014

On July 3, 2014, the Council on Accreditation (COA), the Department of State’s designated Accrediting Entity for adoption service providers under the Hague Adoption Convention (Convention) and Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000, suspended the accreditation of International Family Services, Inc. to provide adoption services in Convention adoption cases for failing to maintain substantial compliance with the accreditation standards at 22 Code of Federal Regulations Part 96 Subpart F. For more information regarding this suspension please refer to information on substantiated complaints and adverse actions on the Council on Accreditation’s website.

As a result of this suspension, International Family Services, Inc. must cease to provide all adoption services in connection with cases covered under the Convention. Please note that beginning July14, 2014, this suspension will also affect International Family Services, Inc.’s ability to provide adoption services in non-Convention countries in cases subject to the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act (UAA). This adoption service provider has provided adoption services in Bulgaria, China, Ethiopia, India, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine. Persons with an open case with International Family Services, Inc. should contact the adoption service provider directly to find out how the suspension will affect their adoption services.

The suspension will begin on July 3, 2014, and will last for at least 30 days. In order for the suspension to be lifted at the end of the 30 days, International Family Services, Inc. must complete corrective action required by the accrediting entity. Updated information will be provided on the adoption.state.gov website.

Italians continue to lead in the number of Russian adoptions

© RIA Novosti, Aleksei Naumov

10:01 03/07/2014

MOSCOW, July 3 (RAPSI) – Italians adopted 560 Russian children in 2013, the largest number among foreign countries, Russia’s Supreme Court said in a survey of adoptions by foreign parents or Russians living abroad.

Last year, Russian courts approved the adoption of 1,232 of the 1,247 applications for the adoption of Russian children by foreign parents. This is 50% less than in 2012.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper

Saturday, Jul 30, 2005

Tamil Nadu - Thanjavur Printer Friendly Page Send this Article to a Friend

Adopting a new found joy Coupled with a joy forever

G. Srinivasan

Adoption agency yet to shift babies

R Gokul,TNN | Jul 3, 2014, 06.33 AM IST

TRICHY: More than two weeks after the Madurai bench of the Madras high court ruled that babies at the Sisters of Cross Society for Education Development (SOCSEAD) in Trichy should be shifted to other registered adoption agencies, the process is yet to begin at the centre.

The high court ruling came as the renewal of recognition for SOCSEAD is not yet complete. The centre is now waiting for the state adoption resource agency (SARA) to shift the babies soon.

In its order dated June 17, the high court bench comprising justices V Ramasubramanian and V M Velumani said, "SOCSEAD does not hold any valid recognition as on date either for keeping the children or for giving them in adoption. So long as they do not have a valid recognition, custody of the children and their attempt to give the children in adoption are only illegal."

Published on Nov 11, 2013Heavy protests in Bangalore after children put up for adoption without the knowledge of their guardians. The guradians claim that the kids were taken away from them under the pretext of providing them with a good education.

Ending child institutionalisation in Europe

inShare

Published: 01/07/2014 - 08:29

The EU has spent hundreds of millions of euros aimed at improving the lives of children in programmes that ended up locking them up in dysfunctional state institutions, writes Georgette Mulheir.

Georgette Mulheir is the Chief Executive Officer of Lumos, a foundation which helps prevent abandonment of children and babies.

Analysis: Denmark should adopt children from fewer countries

By Lisbeth Quass, Berlingske News

27 June 2014 01:12

Need to cut down on the number of countries that adopt children from Denmark, is the recommendation of an analysis by the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Denmark will in future adopt children from fewer countries. This is the recommendation of an analysis of the adoption system from the Ministry of Social Affairs, writes Politiken.

America’s Unseen Export: Children, Most of Them Black

BY REBECCA BUCKWALTER-POZA • June 24, 2014 • 4:00 AM

Sister Irene of New York Foundling Hospital with children. Sister Irene is among the pioneers of modern adoption, establishing a system to board out children rather than institutionalize them. (Photo: Jacob Riis/Public Domain)

The theories and policies that govern American adoptions are out of date. At least until they’re changed—to keep state and private agencies from applying the law in such a way as to prioritize heterosexual couples—you can expect the outgoing adoption industry to continue growing, raising important questions about race and rights.

“Just as the U.S. looks to China and other countries, Canadians look to the United States,” says Jane Turner of Adopt Illinois, a private adoption agency. Adopt Illinois is one of 26 agencies in the U.S. accredited by the State Department to handle adoptions involving an American-born child and foreign parents. This practice, known as outgoing adoption, is raising important questions not only about entrenched attitudes toward race and adoption, but the rights of our youngest citizens.

Failed adoption agency had little oversight, jurors told

By Brian Caldwell

KITCHENER — There was almost no financial oversight of an international adoption agency that collapsed amid scandal five years ago, jurors at a fraud trial heard Monday.

Chris Hughes, a founding board member at Imagine Adoption, testified directors had a largely "visionary" role as the Christian organization rapidly grew to include hundreds of clients.

That meant the board of directors, a legal requirement for a non-profit, had no involvement in hiring or firing, setting salaries or approving day-to-day expenditures.

Nepal Children's Organization -- former head of NCO/Bal Mandir adoptions arrested for child rape.

Kathmandu Post:

Two held on rape charge

KATHMANDU: Two suspects have been arrested behind alleged rape of three young girls living in a public orphanage, Nepal Children’s Organisation, popularly known as Balmandir. Police arrested Rabin Shrestha, a former employee of Balmandir, and Rabin Chalise, the current president of Balmandir Club, following the complaints of rape and sexual abuse at the orphanage lodged by Action for Child Rights International-Nepal. (PR)

Posted on: 2014-06-21 08:54