News & NotesMay/June 2008
A USA Today survey of many of the largest adoption agencies in the United States revealed that the numbers of inquiries, homestudies, and placements for U.S. children have risen in the past year. Adoption professionals attribute the shift to growing waits and uncertainty in the adoption process in some sending countries.
Increasingly, prospective parents are considering not just domestic newborn adoptions, but transracial, foster, special-needs, and older-child adoptions, as well.
This will be the twentieth year that Seattle-based Casey Family Programs helps turn attention to the half a million children in foster care. Casey salutes the foster families, social workers, and advocates who care for these children, and underscores their need for greater support.
- 513,000 American children are in foster care.
- Their average age is 10 years old.
- The average stay in the foster system is over a year.
- Each year 20,000 18-year-olds "age out" of foster care.
Learn more about the kids in U.S. foster care and get your whole family involved at fostercaremonth.org.
Sean McAdam, of Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, is one teen who’s been making a difference. The 13-year-old, who was adopted from foster care at age three, has since helped his family nurture more than 100 foster children. McAdam’s efforts were recently recognized with a 2008 Prudential Spirit of Community Award.
Almost half of major companies in the U.S. offer some adoption assistance, up from 12 percent in 1990. The average reimbursement provided by employers is $4,700—nearly twice that offered five years ago— and the average leave time is five weeks, according to a 2007 survey from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Companies are finding that providing adoption benefits makes them more competitive, and that they gain a significant return on their investment overall.
For more on lobbying your employer for adoption benefits, go to adoptivefamilies.com/topcompanies.
Legislatures in Alaska and Nebraska recently passed "safe haven" laws, allowing a parent to anonymously relinquish an infant in a specified location. It has been estimated that nearly 1,000 infants have been legally abandoned since the first safe haven law was established (in Texas, in 1999).
Some experts in the adoption community have spoken out against the laws, arguing that they do not treat the causes of infant abandonment, and that they contradict many of the "best practices" in child welfare law, such as offering counseling to birthmothers.
The White House Conference on Children and Youth, established in 1909, hasn’t convened in nearly four decades. But congressmen Chaka Fattah, of Pennsylvania, and Jon Porter, of Nevada, have proposed legislation that would reconvene the conference in 2010. The conference would bring together delegates, parents, and professionals with the aim of improving child-welfare policy. Write to your representative in support of this bill at house.gov/writerep.
Intercountry adoption update
• GUATEMALA:
Now that the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption has entered into force in both the U.S. [read more] and Guatemala, new adoptions between the two countries will not be processed until Guatemala implements a Hague-compliant process. The Joint Council on International Children’s Services is working toward this goal with the Guatemalan government, but estimates that new cases will not be processed until 2009.
Until then, if the case was registered with the CNA in Guatemala before February 12, 2008 and an I600-A was filed before April 1, the adoption will continue to be processed.
For more news on Guatemala adoption, go to travel.state.gov and jcics.org.
• LIBERIA:
As this issue went to press, the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia was seeking confirmation for a change in the adoption process from Liberia. The new requirement would bar adopted children from leaving the country with escorts unless the travel had been approved by the Ministers of Justice and Gender.
• REPUBLIC OF CONGO:
The Republic of congo lifted its ban on intercountry adoption, which the government instituted last October. Going forward, the Congolese government hopes to maintain better oversight of the adoption process.
• KOREA:
Individuals who were adopted from SOUTH Korea and naturalized in the U.S. before age 18 must register the loss of their nationality through the Korean Consulate General to avoid being mistakenly drafted for military service, which is required for Korean men.
• VIETNAM:
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Ho Chi Minh City has announced a DNA testing requirement for intercountry adoptions from Vietnam. Adopting parents will be responsible for the cost of the mandatory test, which serves to verify that a child is eligible for adoption by establishing a biological relationship with the relinquishing parent. Similar tests have been required for years in the Guatemala adoption process.
March/April 2008
Children do best in families
Data from a Macarthur Foundation-sponsored study confirm a belief long held by adoption experts: Children raised in families have higher cognitive skills than those raised in orphanages.
The study was launched in the late 1990s, when U.S. researchers persuaded officials in Romania to randomly assign 136 children abandoned at birth to either continue to live in one of the country’s six large orphanages or to live with a foster family. The average IQ of children raised in biological families was 109, compared to 81 for those in foster care and 73 for those raised in orphanages. The earlier a child joined a foster family, the better he fared.
While the study has been criticized for researching a question to which the answer seemed obvious, previous attempts to compare orphanage and foster care were flawed. Experts hope that the findings will support streamlined adoption procedures, so that children may be placed with families as quickly as possible.
The study was published in the December 1, 2007, issue of Science. Read more at sciencemag.org.
U.S. ratifies the Hague Convention
As of December 12, 2007, the United States is a full member of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. This international adoption agreement is set to go into effect in the U.S. on April 1, 2008. After that date, all adoptions between the U.S. and other Hague countries, including China, Guatemala, India, and Thailand, must be completed in accordance with the treaty (for a full list of "Hague countries," go to hcch.e-vision.nl/index_en.php?act=conventions.status&cid=69).
Adoptions from countries that haven’t joined the Hague Convention, such as Ethiopia and South Korea, will continue as before. As this issue went to press, the State Department announced the imminent publication of the list of agencies accredited to process adoptions from Hague countries. Stay up to date at travel.state.gov/family/adoption/convention/convention_462.html.
Intercountry adoption update
• ETHIOPIA: Warning against pre-adoption birthparent contact.
In response to a letter from the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, circulated to adoption agencies in January, some agencies have announced they will no longer facilitate birth family contact. The letter emphasized the fact that, under U.S. immigration law, a child must meet stringent requirements in order to qualify as an “orphan” by virtue of abandonment. A child’s biological parents must have surrendered all rights and have no ongoing “parental interest” in that child. Relinquishment for the purpose of adoption, with expectation of ongoing contact or financial support, does not qualify as abandonment.
Ethiopian adoption authorities require that abandoned (as opposed to relinquished) children reside in an orphanage for three months without birth family contact before becoming eligible for adoption.
• GUATEMALA: Central adoption authority established.
New adoption legislation, passed by the Guatemalan Congress on December 11, 2007, establishes a central adoption authority, the National Adoption Council (CNA), which brings the country a step closer to becoming Hague-compliant. Adoptions from Guatemala that were in process before December 31, 2007, may be completed under the former notarial procedures, as long as the case is registered with the CNA. The procedures for and definition of registered cases are still evolving; adopting families are urged to stay in close contact with their adoption service providers. U.S. immigration authorities remind prospective parents who wish to adopt a Guatemalan child under existing regulations that they must file Form I-600A or Form I-600 before April 1, 2008, when the Hague Convention comes into force in the U.S. For more information, visit the Joint Council on International Children's Services-Guatemala page at www.jcics.org/Guatemala.htm. (Read up-to-date notices from the U.S. State Department at travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_369.html#g.)
• VIETNAM: Field investigation program launched.
Citing cases of fraudulent or altered documents, and the placement of children for adoption without birthparent consent, the U.S. State Department announced in December that it will verify the eligibility of children identified for placement before their adoptions are finalized in Vietnam. Adopting parents are advised not to travel before receiving notice from the U.S. Embassy that their case has been approved. The U.S. State Department is working with the government of Vietnam to establish a “more transparent adoption process, with the safeguards necessary to protect children, birth and adoptive parents.” Prospective adopters are cautioned that acceptable new procedures may not be in place by September 2008, when the existing Memorandum of Agreement authorizing adoptions between the two countries expires. Read this and other updates on Vietnam at travel.state.gov/family/adoption/intercountry/intercountry_3940.html. (Read new announcements at travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_369.html#v)
• UKRAINE: 2008 U.S. adoption quota announced.
The Ukrainian State Department for Adoption and Protection of the Rights of the Child (SDAPRC) will accept 1,453 adoption dossier applications from all foreign adopters in calendar year 2008. There is no limit on the number of applications that may be submitted for special-needs children. Stay informed on the latest about intercountry adoption from Ukraine at www.jcics.org/Ukraine.htm. (Read official notices at travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_369.html#u.)
• KOREA: New attention to post placement.
The case of a Hong Kong-based Dutch diplomat and his wife, who relinquished their Korean-born daughter seven years after her adoption, claiming that she was “emotionally remote,” has generated outrage in Korea. Korean adoption officials are considering instituting a requirement that post-placement reports be filed with the country’s government, as well as tighter controls on private adoptions.
January/February 2008
Fewer intercountry adoptions in 2007
Last year, 19,292 children were adopted abroad by U.S. parents, down from 20,679 in 2006, and signifying a 15 percent decline in overseas adoptions over the last two years. Russia and South Korea saw fewer adoptions, as did China, which remains the top sending country, with 5,453 adoptions. Ethiopia held strong on the top-five list, with 1,255 adoptions, a dramatic climb from its 732 adoptions in 2006.
Advocates attribute the drop largely to tighter restrictions and/or greater focus on domestic adoption in some sending countries. But there is a positive: More countries are participating in adoption, signifying a growing interest in intercountry adoption, particularly in lesser-known sending countries, such as Peru and Brazil.
U.S. ratifies Hague; major source countries on various tracks
On November 16, 2007, the U.S. ratified the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, and plans to begin processing Hague-compliant adoptions on April 1, 2008. Once the treaty is in force, the new requirements will take effect for all adoptions between the U.S. and the more than 70 Convention members.
Of the top five sending countries, only China is Hague-compliant. Guatemala has reaffirmed the Convention, with a plan (at press time) to put new procedures into effect in early January, although it’s not certain how the country plans to implement them. South Korea and Ethiopia have fairly straightforward and well-established systems governing international adoptions, and, thus, have taken no steps to ratify. Adoptions from these countries will continue as non-Hague adoptions.
Parents who finalized an adoption last year may claim a maximum credit of $11,390 for adoption expenses on their federal income tax returns. The tax credit phases out for taxpayers with high modified adjusted gross incomes. Although the tax credit is set to expire in 2010, proposals to make that benefit permanent have received much legislative support.
Qualifying expenses include necessary adoption fees, court costs, attorney fees, traveling expenses, and other expenses directly related to the adoption. Adoptive parents who plan to claim the credit should file Form 8839, titled Qualified Adoption Expenses, and attach it to Form 1040. For more information and other downloads to required forms, visit http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc607.html.
Study calls for open records nationwide
New research has found that denying adult adoptees the right to access their birth records not only raises civil rights liabilities, but also creates potential risk to adoptees’ physical and mental health. The report also quashes misconceptions held by open-records opponents that allowing access might decrease adoption rates or endanger birthmothers. Armed with these findings, the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute is calling for every state to amend its laws to grant unrestricted access to original birth certificates.
Commenting on the report, rapper Darryl McDaniels (of Run-DMC) said, “Knowledge is power, and the report gives power to all of us who believe in equality and fairness.” McDaniels, an adoptee, found his birthmother through an independent search after being denied his birth records. Since then, he’s been committed to removing that roadblock for other adoptees. Read “For the Records” at adoptioninstitute.org.
Adoptive families raising resilient kidsAdopted children are not at risk for low self-esteem—despite beliefs by some that there is a perceived stigma about adoption. A meta-analysis, of 88 studies that compared the self-esteem levels of 10,977 adopted children and 33,862 non-adopted children, found no differences in self-esteem among the two groups, a finding that held equally true for transracial, domestic, and international adoptees. The results of the study, published in Psychological Bulletin, may be explained by strong family support and by adoptees’ resilience in overcoming early hardships.
Alert issued to Vietnam adoptersParents considering adopting from Vietnam should use extreme care in selecting an adoption service provider, said a statement released recently by the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi. Irregularities in some pending cases have increasingly led the Embassy to deny orphan petitions and visa applications. The statement also urges the Vietnamese government to begin taking steps to join the Hague Convention. Vietnam ranked sixth among sending countries last year, with 626 adoptions, up from its 163 adoptions in 2006.
Obese man granted second adoption hearing
A Missouri man who lost 200 pounds after gastric bypass surgery has been granted a second hearing concerning the newborn he had planned to adopt. The child, Max, entered the home of Gary Stocklaufer, 35, and wife, Cynthia, at one week old, but, four months later, was placed into another home. The Stocklaufers claim the agency that handled their private adoption removed their son from their care because of Gary’s weight.
The case reflects a growing practice by some courts and adoption agencies to consider a parent’s physical health when placing children. At press time, a decision was pending, although the couple still hoped to regain custody of Max.
Florida may permit some gay adoptionsGay and lesbian parents in Florida could be eligible to adopt children if a bill under consideration by state legislators is passed. The bill would amend a law, the only one of its kind in the nation, that categorically prohibits adoptions by gays. The new law would allow adoptions in certain situations, such as when the child has resided with the parent, or when the parent is already the child’s guardian.
November/December 2007
U.S. foster care & adoption update
- On National Adoption Awareness Day—Saturday, November 17—U.S. courts and communities will finalize thousands of adoptions of children from foster care. In honor of the day, and throughout the month, advocates are offering updated resources on foster adoption, including a facts and figures sheet, at nationaladoptionday.org.
- Foster-care advocate Gordon Johnson, of Florida, has been awarded a $100,000 Purpose Prize by Civic Ventures, a national think tank honoring social innovators over age 60. Johnson, 74, spent much of his career protecting abused and neglected children, and, in 1998, formed Neighbor to Family (neighbortofamily.org), a nonprofit agency that keeps siblings together in foster care.
- Congress has passed an education bill under which older kids adopted from foster care would remain eligible for college loans and grants. The Fostering Adoption to Further Student Achievement Act, which was pending presidential approval at time of press, aims to encourage older-child adoption by lessening the burden of college costs for prospective parents. Read more at thomas.loc.gov (search bill number S-1488).
- A kinship bill has been proposed by members of Congress, including Senator Hillary Clinton, of New York, to give grandparents and relative caregivers better support services and financial assistance. It’s estimated that such caregivers are raising about six million kids, but that many are living in poverty. Under current law, caregivers lose aid they received as foster parents if they become legal guardians. For details, visit the Child Welfare League’s kinship care page (cwla.org/advocacy/kinshipcare.htm).
- New York residents considering foster adoption can find a new how-to booklet released by the state; others should peruse the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s national foster adoption guide.
TB up among international adopteesRates of tuberculosis (TB) infection are increasing among children adopted from abroad, says a study in September’s Pediatrics. Researchers looked at more than 850 children, from 33 countries, who had been screened for TB, and found that 12 percent of them tested positive, and that the odds of infection increased 15 percent each year for kids under age two. Based on the birth regions studied, researchers found that countries with high TB prevalence include Eastern Europe (14.8%), Russia (13.8%), Korea (13%), and India (12.4%). Learn about proper screening and treatment at cdc.gov/tb.
Paid leave law for working familiesA federal bill introduced by Senators Chris Dodd, of Connecticut, and Ted Stevens, of Arkansas, would give parents time off to care for a new child. The Family Leave Insurance Act of 2007 would provide workers with eight weeks paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, and would supplement the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which requires businesses to provide employees with up to 12 weeks unpaid leave.
Under the current provisions of FMLA, up to 40 percent of workers don’t qualify for the benefit—and three out of four workers who do qualify choose not to take unpaid leave because they’re unable to afford the time off.
International adoption update
- GUATEMALA has reaffirmed the Hague Convention, with an effective date of January 1, 2008, and announced that it will process only Hague-compliant adoptions after this year. Because the Convention is not expected to be in force in the U.S. until next spring, the implementation—combined with impending changes in Guatemala and U.S. adoption law—is causing uncertainty for more than 3,000 American families in the process of adopting from Guatemala.
Since the announcement, many international adoption advocates, including Joint Council on International Children’s Services (JCICS), have urged the Guatemalan Congress to amend Hague legislation to include a transitional plan for pending adoptions. JCICS led a massive call to action that, with assistance from Adoptive Families, generated thousands of inquiries into the offices of Congress members, and established direct communication with the office of the Guatemalan administration. A vote on the amendment to support transitional cases is expected in early November.
Meanwhile, the Department of State has advised prospective adopters just starting out to defer plans to begin adoption in Guatemala until further notice. Stay up to date at travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_389.html.
- Officials in KOREA say nearly 60 percent of adoptions in the first half of this year were domestic—up from about 41 percent over the last half-decade. However, the jump was most likely due to tax breaks that rewarded domestic adoption and to a change in regulations that effectively halted international adoptions for several months.
- Parents adopting from UKRAINE should expect delays of up to three days when submitting visa documents for their children. The lag adds to the ongoing minimum 20-day wait to process a passport application.
Canada opens records to adopteesThe Ontario government has implemented the last phase of legislation to grant open access to adoption records. The Adoption Information Disclosure Act allows adoptees to obtain copies of their original birth records and adoption orders, and grants birthparents access to information from the records. Learn more at ontario.ca/adoptioninfo.
Teens travel to ChinaA group of adoptees flew to Beijing this August as part of the first-ever camp designed for Chinese children adopted internationally. The 30 kids, adopted by North American families between 1991 and 2001, visited historical sites and Olympic venues, and studied history, culture, and art. Sign up for alerts about the 2008 camp at chinainitiative.org/camp-update.html.
September/October 2007
Training educators about adoptionA new report published by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute calls for training educators about adoption, foster care, and diverse families, along with improved access for parents to resources to help advocate for their children. Read “Adoption in the Schools: A Lot to Learn,” at adoptioninstitute.org/policy/papers.php.
Senator Boxer introduces a bill to fund ongoing foster servicesThe number of young people who exit the U.S. foster care system without a permanent family is at an all-time high, according to a report by Kids Are Waiting. While the total number of children in the system—more than 500,000—has dropped, the number of children who leave foster care at their state’s age limit, usually 18, without a family, a process known as “aging out,” has grown by 41 percent since 1998, to 24,000 children in 2005. Studies show that children who age out are often homeless and unemployed; fewer than three percent earn college degrees.
Senator Barbara Boxer, of California, has introduced legislation to provide federal funding for states to offer essential foster care services, such as food, housing, and legal services, to youth over the age of 18. (Some states, with local funding, allow older kids to remain in foster care.) Many child advocates believe that additional support to age 21 would smooth foster children’s transition to adulthood. Learn how you can help, and read “Time for Reform: Aging Out and On Their Own,” at kidsarewaiting.org.
Health bill to aid parents of disabled newbornsLegislators have reintroduced a bill to support parents of special-needs newborns—and it could mean more positive outcomes for these children and for the families who adopt them.
The Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act would help mothers who have newborns with genetic abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, that are diagnosed during pregnancy, or in the year following birth, according to Senators Sam Brownback, of Kansas, and Edward Kennedy, of Massachusetts. The bill, first proposed more than two years ago, would guarantee access to services that include medical information and care options.
The bill also proposes to establish registries of families willing to adopt special-needs children, and of suitable adoption agencies—and would connect mothers with them. Learn more at thomas.loc.gov (search Bill Number S-1810).
New social network site for adoptees A new social networking site for the worldwide adoptee community, now in beta, was launched in July by John and Peter Saddington, 24-year-old American adoptees from Korea. Members may create profiles, exchange messages, and take part in an online community. Learn more at adoptedonline.com.
Professor uncovers statistics on worldwide adoptionsDr. Peter Selman, at Newcastle University, studied intercountry adoption statistics over the last century and uncovered these interesting facts:
Of the 45,000 children adopted internationally in 2004, about 50 percent were adopted by Americans; 43 percent found homes in Europe.
In 2004, most kids adopted from Guatemala, Kazakhstan, and Korea were placed in the U.S., while most from Ethiopia, Ukraine, and Colombia went to Europe.
The countries with the highest adoption rates were Norway, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, the U.S., and the United Kingdom.
For more on Dr. Selman’s research, visit ncl.ac.uk.
NPR adoption series available onlineNational Public Radio recently broadcast a fascinating weeklong series of conversations, titled “Adoption in America.” The four-part special included interviews with adoptive families, adoptee and author A.M. Homes, as well as with Holt International’s vice president, Susan Cox, one of the first children adopted internationally, among others. Interviews, photos, transcripts, and more are available at npr.org.
International adoption update
Russia has issued accreditations for at least 12 agencies to continue intercountry adoption services. The decision, announced in July, means they may resume placing children with families immediately.
Russia launched an overhaul of its adoption process early last year, in part to establish tighter safeguards. In its reorganization, the country’s Ministry of Education and Science allowed more than 40 agencies’ annual licenses to expire. The new licenses have no expiration date, but the Ministry may review them at any time. Learn more about Russia adoption at moscow.usembassy.gov.
The newly licensed agencies are:
1. Adopt-A-Child, Inc.
2. Adoption Associates, Inc.
3. Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, Inc.
4. Children's Home Society and Family Services
5. Cradle of Hope Adoption Center
6. Cradle Society
7. European Adoption Consultants
8. Family and Children's Agency
9. Frank Adoption Center
10. Gift of Life Adoption Services
11. International Assistance Group
12. Wyoming Children’s Society
Stay tuned to this page for continuing updates.
The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala has announced requirements for a second DNA test to verify that the adopted child for whom a visa is requested is the same child matched with the birthparent at the beginning of the adoption process. The new requirement applies to all adoption cases finalized by the Guatemalan authorities and submitted to the U.S. Embassy on or after August 6. Learn more about Guatemala adoption and read a new FAQ on the requirement.
Anyone traveling to Ethiopia is advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to consider hepatitis A vaccinations, prior to travel. The CDC recently reported cases of hepatitis A in children and adults linked to adoption from Ethiopia. Stay up-to-date at cdc.gov/travel.
Parents adopting from Ukraine should expect substantial delays when applying for Ukrainian passports for their children. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv announced the delay on August 3, and now estimates a minimum 20-day wait to process an application—although families have already reported waits exceeding one month. Find more information at
kyiv.usembassy.gov/amcit_adoptions_eng.html.
New regulations (as of January) that required a five-month attempt to place a child within Korea before referral abroad had the expected effect of slowing referrals until May or June of this year. American agencies now report that the pace of referrals has quickened. Reports from Korea suggest that domestic adoption has not increased as country officials had hoped.
Intercountry adoptions from Nepal remain suspended until its government implements new procedures. In the meantime, U.S. adoption advocates are urging authorities to allow the adoptions of 400 children who had been referred to families at the time of the suspension. Read a new F.A.Q. on Nepal and learn more about Nepal adoption.
The U.S. Embassy in China has announced that, for a child to be issued an IR-3 visa granting automatic citizenship, both parents must be present during the adoption process in Guangzhou, as well as at the swearing-in ceremony.
July/August 2007
Nepal suspends intercountry adoption
The Nepali government has imposed a suspension on intercountry adoptions, pending reforms of the adoption process. Adoptions from Nepal have been under scrutiny for some time now due to the rapid pace at which abandonments and the number of orphanages have grown in the last two years, despite the country’s stringent relinquishment requirements.
Nepal’s Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Welfare informed the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu of the suspension in May, and gave no indication when it would be lifted. The U.S. Embassy is working with Nepali lawmakers to support the continuation of adoption cases already in progress.
Stay up-to-date on Nepal adoption at travel.state.gov/family/ adoption/intercountry/intercountry_482.html.
Hague Convention confirmed in Guatemala
In May, the Guatemalan congress passed legislation to confirm its membership in the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. The affirmation sets the stage for final Hague implementation in that country, and raises hopes that intercountry adoptions will continue after the Convention enters into force for the U.S., in early 2008. At the request of the Guatemalan government, the U.S. Department of State and several Hague countries will work together to provide Guatemala with technical assistance on the Convention, including evaluating draft legislation.
Guatemala has imposed a deadline of December 31st, and will begin to enforce new regulations after that time.
Stay up-to-date on Guatemala adoption at travel.state.gov/family/ adoption/country/country_389.html.
Open records granted to adoptees in CT, MA
The state senates of Connecticut and Massachusetts approved legislation in May to allow access to original birth certificates to adoptees born in or after 2008. In Massachusetts, adoptees may obtain a copy of their birth certificate, and enroll in a voluntary contact registry. In Connecticut, adoptees 21 or older can access birth certificates, and birthparents can complete a contact preference form. The measures have moved to each state’s house committee for approval.
For more information, go to mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/185/st00/st00063.htm or search for Bill #7388 at cga.ct.gov. Similar legislation is in progress in North Carolina and Maine.
Grandparent relationship same for adopted and biological kids
Grandparents relate to their grandchildren as integral family members, regardless of whether they were adopted or are biological. Researchers at University of Haifa in Israel found that relationships between grandparents and grandchildren go through five stages of development. For the grandparent, these include connecting emotionally to the child and recognizing him as a part of the family.
Researchers hope the findings will encourage adoptive parents-to-be who may be concerned about their parents’ reaction to the idea of adoption. Learn more at haifa.ac.il/index_eng.html.
Reunion plan for Russian siblings fails
An Arizona couple was unsuccessful in adopting the biological sister of their son, who was adopted from Russia in 2003. Joan Knipe and Steve Pettyjohn, of Scottsdale, sought permission to bring Olga to the U.S., but a final request for an emergency visa was denied days before she turned 22, making her ineligible for adoption under the laws of that state.
The family had been hoping to reunite the siblings since they were separated four years ago, when Joan and Steve adopted Ruslan, now 13. Joan and Steve say they would have adopted Olga at that time, had they known about her.
International adoptions often separate biological siblings. Tightened immigration laws and intercountry adoption reforms make it increasingly hard to reunite them. For more information on reuniting international siblings, go to saveorphanedsiblings.com.
China makes modest gains in controlling HIV epidemic
Although health officials acknowledge early efforts by China to stem the country’s growing HIV crisis, they warn that critical problems remain unaddressed. HIV has been reported in every Chinese province, and is highly concentrated in rural areas.
According to data from the Ministry of Health, three-quarters of the infected population reside in five provinces: Xinjiang, Yunnan, Henan, Guangdong, and Guangxi. Visit afcfoundation.org to learn how to help AIDS orphans in these hardest-hit areas of China.
Since 2003, China has increased access to treatment and has made efforts to reduce the stigma of AIDS. Yet it’s estimated that 70 percent of the country’s infected persons remain unidentified. Read “HIV and China—A Window of Opportunity,” in the May 2007 New England Journal of Medicine, at nejm.org.
Adoption-friendly workplaces in the U.S. were recognized by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption by a first-ever Top 100 list. The rankings, compiled from surveys of 762 employers about their companies’ benefits, are based on the amount of financial reimbursement and length of paid leave per adoption.
Companies that made the list offer, on average, $4,700 in adoption expense reimbursement, and five weeks of paid leave, although benefits vary considerably. Top-ranked Citizens Financial Group offers up to $20,960 in financial assistance and one week paid leave, while 35th-ranked Deutsche Bank offers $5,000 and 16 weeks.
To view the list, go to davethomasfoundation.org.
May/June 2007
Angelina Jolie followed protocol, agency says
Angelina Jolie’s March adoption of a three-year-old Vietnamese boy she named Pax Thien may have seemed speedy, but it began almost a year ago, says Jolie’s agency, Adoptions from the Heart. Heidi Gonzalez, the agency’s Vietnam program coordinator, tells AF that the Oscar-winning actress received no preferential treatment—just a stroke of good luck.
Last fall, Gonzalez received a referral for a toddler boy awaiting adoption in Ho Chi Minh City. “I didn’t have anyone waiting for a child [fitting this description],” she says, so she prepared to send the boy’s referral to listservs. That’s when Jolie called about adopting a child of this age. “I said, ‘OK! I have one,’” Gonzalez says. The waiting list for young Vietnamese children—mostly girls—is long, she explains. But Pax’s age and gender shortened Jolie’s wait time. “Angelina did not ask for anything to be expedited,” she says.
Guatemala process still in flux, but adoptions continue
Since late last year, concern has been growing about whether adoption from Guatemala will continue after the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption comes into effect in the United States in early 2008. Guatemala’s current adoption process, in which private notaries or attorneys work directly with birthmothers and adoption agencies without central government oversight, does not comply with the requirements of the Hague.
Like the United States, Guatemala is a signatory country, meaning adoptions between the two countries must meet Hague standards for oversight, transparency, and other protections for all involved.
Adoption advocates and the governments of both countries have been working to devise a new process that will satisfy all involved parties while meeting the standards of the Hague. Although observers hope that reform legislation recently introduced in the Guatemalan Congress will ultimately ensure the future of intercountry adoption, adoption agencies and the State Department are currently advising families considering adoption from Guatemala to be aware of the risk that the program may end in 2008. Stay up to date on Guatemala adoptions at travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_389.html.
In landmark search, Chinese adoptee finds her birthparents
In the first successful birthparent search in the China adoptive community, a couple in Holland has located their 10-year-old daughter’s biological parents. Prompted by their daughter Eline’s persistent interest in her birthparents, the couple, Jim and Wilma (who withheld their last names), told their story to the media in Chongqing, the city where Eline was abandoned. DNA tests confirmed Eline’s kinship with a couple who came forward.
Jim and Wilma learned that Eline was the third child born to her birthparents. The couple had been heavily fined for their second child, and they knew they couldn’t raise a third. In a January episode of a Dutch TV show, Spoorloos (watch it at spoorloos.kro.nl), Eline’s birthparents explained how they walked from their rural town to Chongqing, the nearest city, to ensure that no one they knew would see them. They also expressed a great amount of guilt. “They don’t have to,” says Wilma. “They could not have done anything else.”
Child abandonment is illegal in China, but the law’s five-year statute of limitations could mean that the groundbreaking reunion is the first of many others to come.
Ukraine rules out single adopters
After more than a year-long suspension, Ukraine has re-opened its doors to foreign adopters—but new restrictions are in place: Singles may no longer adopt, and prospective parents may not be more than 45 years older than the child they plan to adopt.
Ukraine’s central adoption authority, the State Department for Adoption and Protection of Children’s Rights, began accepting new dossiers from prospective parents last December. Before the suspension, Ukraine was the fifth-largest sending country to the United States, with Americans adopting 821 Ukrainian children in 2005. Stay updated on Ukraine at adoptivefamilies.com/ukraine_adoption.
Olympic skier Toby Dawson finds birthfatherU.S. Olympic skier Toby Dawson finally found his birthfather, a bus driver from Busan, South Korea, named Kim Jae-su. Dawson’s efforts to find his birthparents were slowed when scores of people came forward, claiming to be related to him. Jae-su was among them, and subsequent DNA testing proved that he is, in fact, Dawson’s biological father. Dawson, 28, traveled to South Korea in February to meet him and his 24-year-old biological brother, Kim Hyun-cheol. Information about Dawson’s birthmother has not been released.
Adoptive parents earn As in parenting
Adoptive parents spend more money on their children, and find more time for parent-child activities, than do biological parents, according to a study conducted jointly by sociologists at Indiana University and the University of Connecticut.
Compared to biological families, two-parent adoptive families were more likely to involve their child in extracurricular activities, eat meals as a family, and get involved with their children’s school. While the researchers concede that time and resource allocation tell only part of the story, “scholars have [long] used [such criteria] to measure quality of parenting,” explains coauthor Brian Powell, an IU sociologist.
In most categories, calibrating results to consider the comparatively higher income and education levels within the adoptive parent population reduced, but did not erase, the adoptive advantage. One explanation for adopters’ higher levels of parental investment is the determination to become a parent; another possibility is that adoptive families, battling perceptions of being less authentic than biological families, may be trying harder.
The study was based on data collected for the U.S. Department of Education Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, which looked at 13,000 U.S. households with young children. “Adoptive Parents, Adaptive Parents” was published in the February issue of American Sociological Review. Read the full study at asanet.org/galleries/default-file/Feb07ASRAdoption.pdf.
News briefs
• “Educational Achievement in Adopted Children from China,” a study conducted at the University of Oslo, reported no significant differences in educational performance between children adopted from China and a control group of Norwegian-born children being raised in biological families. The study was published in December in Adoption Quarterly. Read more at aq.haworthpress.com.
• Utah-based adoption agency Focus on Children was indicted in March for its adoption practices in Samoa. The U.S. State Department estimates that more than 80 children were illegally taken from their families in Samoa and placed with adoptive parents in the U.S. Authorities are working to put the adoptive and birth families in touch to discuss resolutions.
• The Center for Disease Control has reported cases of adults contracting measles after traveling to China for adoption. As a result, anyone traveling to China for adoption or heritage tours is advised to review measles immunization recommendations with their physicians. For more information, see cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/ mmwrhtml/mm5607a3.htm.
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