By William Thacker

There is a strange and sad adoption program taking place in our American culture among International Adoption Agencies.  Four American Adoption agencies are offering adoption services from Morocco and part of the expensive price tag includes a requirement of the Government of Morocco to convert to Islam.  Yes you did read this correctly – it is a 2 for the price of 1, you get a new child and new religion for one low price of somewhere in the neighborhood of ,000 (not including travel expenses). 

Searching the Internet I found several American Adoption agencies offering adoptions in Morocco under the Kefala law of Islam.   Adopt Abroad Adoption Agency was the first to claim they offered Moroccan Adoptions.  A quick call to this agency and the information was vague, I was unable to find out just how many adoptions they have finalized under this bizarre adoption law.   However with further research I found that on the US State Department’s website, I found that Moroccan Adoptions were growing to the USA: 2008 (12)  2009 (20) and 2010 (32) total of 64 adoptions to the USA from Morocco in 3 years: http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=morocco  A list of sworn translators located throughout Morocco can be obtained by contacting the Immigrant Visa Unit at the U.S. Consulate in Casablanca, Morocco at The following is a list of basic documents required for the Kefala procedure:

·         Islam Conversion Document for the prospective adoptive parents

·         Birth Certificate for each prospective parent

·         Marriage certificate for the prospective parents (if applicable)

·         Health statement from a doctor practicing in Morocco

·         Work and salary statements for each prospective adoptive parent (if applicable)

·         Home study completed by a licensed U.S. home study provider

·         Photographs (the exact number and size required varies)

·         copy of passports of each prospective adoptive parent

The other thing of Interest on the US State Department website, it indicates that Morocco has not signed a Hague Convention agreement with the USA.  Which being a party to the Hague Convention a country is stating they have precautions in place to safeguard against human trafficking or selling of children/babies for referrals.  But then some people only want a child they care less about conversion to Islam or being ethical.  It’s hard to imagine that any self respecting American would stoop to this level just to have a child and submit to Islam.  Harder yet the US State Department 2010 report on page 4 indicates http://adoption.state.gov/content/pdf/fy2010_annual_report.pdf that 43 American Children from foster care were adopted OVERSEAS with Canada (19) and the Netherlands (18) being the countries very willing and able to adopt American children.  How is it that we as Americans have not provided for our children, yet we have couples willing to spend over ,000 travel over 6,000 miles and convert to Islam to adopt?   Yet couples in Canada and Netherlands are adopting American children.

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Moroccan children deserve the right to stay in their country with members of their fellow ethnicity and religion, the same is true for American children retaining their American culture and roots.

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The is open to married couples and single women. It is possible to adopt more than one child in a single adoption process. Morocco is flexible regarding the age of the adoption parents. Families must respect the child’s religious heritage.

Our that we’re very pleased to announce. In 2009, 20 U.S. Visas were issued to children of all ages—many of these issued to infants. While this is a new program to Hopscotch, we have partnered with a very experienced team in Morocco and expect that this program will be very popular. For our Morocco children and infant adopting, families must be comfortable in the knowledge that we are responding daily to the changes in process as they occur.  Additionally, Married couples and single women may adopt from Morocco. The country does not permit same sex marriage, partners or single men to adopt children from Morocco.  There is no age restriction on the prospective parents.  The prospective parents .  All prospective applicants to this program will be required by the in the presence of a court notary while in the country prior to the court proceedings.  The conversion appointment is completed on your first day of arrival.  We expect all applicants to take this very seriously and honor the legal codes and culture.  Conversion taking place in a manner, time or place other than in Morocco in the presence of a court notary or Imam will not meet the requirements for the purposes of obtaining guardianship, also known as ‘Kafalas’. http://www.hopscotchadoptions.org/pages/morocco.html

The culture of Morocco cherishes children. Due to conditions of poverty, some children are abandoned at a young age. Your time spent in Morocco will be culturally rich and will enable you to understand better the country and background of your child’s heritage. The prospective adoptive parent/s will begin the process by taking the following steps. They will file an I 600A with the embassy in their country of residence since Morocco has not signed the Hague as of this time. You will also begin a homestudy with an approved social worker. Please contact our agency before you begin this process to be sure that your social worker is qualified. Prospective adoptive parents of Moroccan children must be Muslim. Those who are not already Muslim can . Conversion does require that you reflect on your decision and make a knowledgeable, certain, sincere and truthful declaration of faith and intent with love, affection, . 

Salam and Peace be upon you!  Across the World Adoptions (ATWA) is excited to announce its pilot program for adoptions from Morocco.  Morocco, located in North Africa, is a short ferry ride from the tip of Spain.  It may be best known to many Americans for the romantic invitation to “Come with me to the Casbah.” The Casbah is a walled citadel or fortress woven with alleys and souks (markets).  The markets of Morocco are renowned for their splendor, variety and frequent invitations to join the proprietors in a glass of hot mint tea.

Our coordinator for Morocco is very experienced with the adoption process but families should be prepared for unexpected changes or delays in the program as it unfolds.  Although we use the term adoption in this description, families should think of the process in Morocco more as a guardianship or legal custody (“Kefala”) in preparation for adoption in the United States.

After reading and researching about this new adoption trend, I was disgusted with the marketing of children and the adoption process.  What has become of Americans that we adopt our children to Europeans and Canadians but would travel across the world, convert to Islam for the chance to adopt a child in a country that is not even a party to the Hague Convention?   Have we just become victims of some fancy marketing or notion of exotic adventure of adopting a child from an Islamic country?  Only time will tell if this latest trend in International Adoptions will pan out or just be another passing fancy done on a whim.

 
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According to attorney and proprietor of Adoption Network Law Center, Kristin A.F. Yellin, “As a group, our greatest satisfaction arrives from aiding create loving families – 1 miracle at a time. To all of us right here, there is absolutely nothing more gratifying than understanding that we have taken a roll in assisting complete a household by way of adoption.”

Adoption Network Law Center delivers possible Adoptive Moms and dads with the following services:

* Birthmother Outreach: Aggressive grassroots as effectively as net promoting to get to birthmothers nationwide.

* Expert Adoption Employees: Knowledgeable, nurturing pros who strive to provide potential Adoptive Dad and mom with successful adoption opportunities.

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* Licensed and Proven Adoption Legal Providers: An intensive network of adoption specialists and attorneys for legal safety and peace of mind.

Adoption Network Law Center also offers Birthmothers who are dealing with unplanned pregnancies with a protected choice to abortion – adoption. Adoption is a preferred substitute to abortion and gives a little one with a loving loved ones so he or she can stay a healthful and delighted lifestyle.

Adoption Network Law Center helps guide Birthmothers by way of their adoption journey with integrity and full help:

* Obtaining Answers: Adoption Network Law Center is aware what Birthmothers are going by way of. With decades of knowledge, Adoption Network Law Center assists Birthmothers locate the solutions they are seeking.

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* Totally free Housing: Safe and sound and secure housing as a “safe haven,” supplying Birthmothers with privacy and a place to stay away from conflict for the duration of their pregnancy.

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Get enable with adopting a wonderful newborn little one or with an unplanned pregnancy. Request a no cost Adoption Information Kit by calling Adoption Network Law Center at 1-800-FOR-ADOPT (1-800-367-2367), or by going to www.AdoptionNetwork.com.

About Adoption Network Law Center

Adoption Network Law Center is a domestic adoption law center, initially founded by adoptive mothers and fathers. Adoption Network Law Center delivers adoption solutions to possible Adoptive Moms and dads and unplanned pregnancy aid to Birthmothers all the way through the United States. Our expert adoption workers will guidebook you through the adoption process. Simply call us these days at 1-800-FOR-ADOPT (1-800-367-2367), or visit us on the net at www.AdoptionNetwork.com.

Although this new law came into effect on April 17, 2009, I hope it is not too late for adopting parents to express their views. Also read Complex Citizenship Laws Anger Adopting Parents). The provisions of the new law are complex, so I have set out a series of questions and answers at the end of this article, which I hope will clarify the finer points of the new rules.

A good way to begin understanding the issues is to read the newspaper articles “Critics Fear Two-Tier Citizenship” and “Citizenship Changes Could Create Inferior Citizens”. For the perspective of Robin Hilborn of see “Canadian law denies citizenship to children of foreign adoptees” http://www.familyhelper.net/news/090129citizenship.html

Essentially the legislation provides that the children of some internationally adopted children will not have a right to Canadian citizenship. In practice, this is likely to affect only a small proportion of all adopted children. What upsets adopting parents, however, is the notion that their children will have a lesser class of citizenship. In effect, the children are being discriminated against. Adopting parents do not want to feel that their children are second-class citizens.

Adopting parents in Canada are losing their tolerance for being discriminated against. Resentment at the inherent discrimination against adopting families built into the EI legislation has been simmering for the past decade (for a detailed description of the discrimination which adopting parents feel about this subject, see our earlier Spotlight, “Adoption in the Workplace”). Now a new law that discriminates against their children is going to have a galvanizing effect on the adoption community.

The Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, 2008, begins with the following words:

“The Citizenship Act, under which CIC grants citizenship to eligible newcomers, affirms that all Canadians have the same rights, privileges and responsibilities whether they are citizens by birth or naturalization.”

That changed April 17, 2009. In an attempt to solve the problem of Canadian citizenship being handed down generationally to people who don’t actually live in Canada, the government has reduced the citizenship rights of some internationally adopted children, and effectively created a lesser class of citizenship for them. Was this really necessary? It feels like a sledgehammer was used to kill a flea. Could not a more elegant solution have been found to actually deal with the perceived problem?

The Report of the Senate Standing Committee, which reviewed Bill C-37, states:

“Such a distinction would grant citizenship to a first generation born outside Canada while denying it to their children and subsequent generations were they to be born abroad. Such a provision strikes your Committee as .”

The Committee also added: “Rather, the Committee urges the government to ensure that all aspects of new citizenship legislation are Charter-compliant and consistent with Canadian values”.

As a result of concerns by the Immigration Department about the confusion surrounding the new law, it recently issued a clarification.

In a published response to the concerns of adopting parents, the Minister states:

“Critics have entirely missed the point of how changes to our citizenship law, which come into effect on April 17, 2009, will protect the value of citizenship.”

I don’t think that is true. Adopting parents probably do understand the concerns that the government has about protecting the integrity of Canadian citizenship. It is the specific solution, which the government has come up with that they are protesting.

It is an insult to adopting parents to say that their children now have a lesser class of Canadian citizenship. The government needs to rethink these provisions and find a solution that does not put limitations on the rights of citizenship for internationally adopted children. The government should find a solution which fits the actual problem. This article is a call to action for adopting parents. Adopting parents who wish to make their views known to the government should do so immediately. Prior to doing so, however, please read the questions and answers set out below. The law is quite technical and there is already confusion about who the law would apply to. This is not helped by the government’s own website, which is not clear. If, after reading the article and the new rules, additional questions arise that should be asked in the list below, please send them to me and I will add them to the article.

For the purposes of this article, I will use the terms Class A citizenship to refer to full-rights citizenship and Class B to refer to the new, lesser-rights citizenship.

Who does the new law apply to?
The new law applies to adopted children who receive their citizenship abroad, pursuant to the new direct citizenship provisions enacted in Canada on December 23, 2007. [See also Q10 below]

Who is not subject to the new rules?The new rules do not apply to the following:

(a) adopted children born in Canada;

(b) Internationally adopted children who come to Canada on a permanent resident visa and subsequently obtained Canadian citizenship after their arrival in Canada. Up until now this has been the situation of most (but not all) children adopted overseas and brought to Canada. They will not be affected by the new rule, despite what it says on the Canada Immigration website.
The web posting “New Citizenship Rules” states:
“This limitation will also apply to foreign-born individuals adopted by a Canadian parent. The adopted children of Canadian citizens will be considered to be the first generation born abroad. This means that:
If a person born outside Canada and adopted by a Canadian parent has a child outside Canada, that child will not be a citizen by birth;……..”

This information is misleading. In a clarifying email from the Ministry of Citizenship & Immigration (which doesn’t seem to be posted anywhere at the moment), an official makes it clear that the restriction on obtaining Canadian citizenship only applies to situations described in the above quote where the parent of the child born outside of Canada originally was granted Canadian citizenship overseas pursuant to the new 2007 direct to citizenship route. This misstatement on the government website has caused some parents to believe that the new law will apply to their children, when in fact it will not.

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(c) The new law will not apply to children who would normally fall into the Class B citizenship definition, but whose parent is working overseas with the Canadian government (Federal or Provincial) or serving overseas in the armed forces. Instead, these children will have Class A citizenship. However, children whose parents are working for Canadian corporations, the United Nations, who are on vacation, or who are otherwise travelling outside of Canada do not get this exemption and will have Class B citizenship. This is a distinction which is hard to justify. If you work for one kind of employer your children are Class A citizens, and if you work for a different kind of employer your children are Class B citizens. Surely there is a better way to sort this out.

What is the most serious consequence of this new law? The most serious consequence that is evident at this time is that a child born overseas to an adopted person has a reasonable chance of being a “stateless individual” (this would be the adopting parents’ grandchild). This leads to a number of questions:

(a) Why would this happen? – Only some countries grant citizenship to a child born in their country (Canada and the USA being examples of countries that do that). Many countries rely on the citizenship of the child’s parents or some other criteria. The child would be born stateless if they did not derive a citizenship through either parent and they are also born in a country where birth on soil does not give access to citizenship. As a stateless person, the child would have no obvious way to come to Canada.

(b) Is there a remedy? – A child of a Canadian who was born stateless abroad would have the option of applying for a grant of citizenship on the basis of statelessness. The amended Citizenship Act has provisions for granting citizenship to stateless children of Canadian citizens, but the child must first live in Canada for three years. This stateless child would have neither a passport nor a right to enter Canada, so it is not even clear how the child could travel to Canada to establish residence. One can only hope that there will be a benevolent immigration officer overseas who has empathy for the predicament that the Class B Canadian citizen finds himself in, and will grant the stateless child some sort of visa to come to Canada. This event will be 20, 30 or 40 years into the future. It is hard to predict what the world will look like then in terms of population and pressures on the Canadian immigration system. What will immigration officers say to a Class B Canadian citizen in 30 years who wants to bring their stateless child back to Canada? Adopting parents today will be the grandparents of that child. We can all hope it’s a sympathetic response.

(c) Any born-abroad Canadian adopting parents could immediately face the problem outlined in (b) above. Again, this is because the provisions of the new law apply to children born outside of Canada as well as to those adopted.

What happens if my adopted child has Class B Canadian citizenship and gives birth to a child overseas? That child, your grandchild, will not acquire Canadian citizenship. He or she be eligible to be sponsored as a permanent resident, and then apply for citizenship as soon as he or she becomes a permanent resident.

How does it work for subsequent generations? Do they have Class A or Class B Canadian citizenship? Generational Chart Showing Whether Descendants have Class A or B Canadian Citizenship Rights:

(Adopting Parents)

N/A

(your adopted child)

If this child receives Canadian Citizenship overseas under the 2007 law, he/she will have Class B Canadian Citizenship

(your grandchild)

If the child of the adopted child above is born outside of Canada, he/she will not be entitled to automatic Canadian Citizenship. The child may apply to enter Canada on a Permanent Resident Visa. If he/she subsequently obtains Canadian Citizenship, then it will be a Class A Citizenship.

(your great-grandchild)

The child of this Class A citizen parent, if born inside Canada, (the Adoptive Parents’ great-grandchild) will have Class A Citizenship.

Can I do anything to avoid this new law if I am going to adopt a child in the future? Yes you can. Do not use the new direct citizenship route for children adopted overseas. Only use the old route of applying for a permanent resident visa for the child, and after the child is landed in Canada apply for Canadian citizenship. This child will have a Class A Canadian citizenship.

Adopting parents report that they are consistently advised by Canada Immigration officials to use the new direct citizenship route. Anyone considering which route to follow should read our previous Spotlight – Citizenship for Adopted Children: Canada’s New Law for 2008. In addition, adopting parents should obviously think about whether they wish their children to have Class B Canadian citizenship, and what effect that might have on their grandchildren.

Does the new law contravene the Charter of Rights?I don’t know. The government has not invoked the “Notwithstanding Clause” under the Constitution of Canada, so the Charter apply to this legislation. In the 1998 McKenna case, the Canadian Human Rights Code was used to say that it was discriminatory to adopted children not to be able to obtain citizenship overseas. It was this case that 10 years later finally led to the new citizenship law of 2007 permitting just that. On the other hand, adopting parents were not successful in invoking the Charter of Rights to overturn the inherent discrimination in the EI legislation in the 1997 Schafer case. It does seem likely that eventually someone will challenge this notion of Class B citizenship for adopted children under the Charter of Rights. A Charter challenge could also come based on discrimination against persons born abroad to Canadian citizen parents.

Are the new rules retroactive? Section 3 (4) of the Citizenship Act states:

“Subsection (3) does not apply to a person who, on the coming into force of that subsection, is a citizen.”

What does this clause mean? It means that if you are a citizen on the day the new law comes into force, then you will not lose your citizenship. Unfortunately, the Immigration Department is interpreting this to mean that a person will not lose their Canadian citizenship, but the new provisions will change the quality of your citizenship.

So, for the adoption world, the law will be retroactive and will have the following three results:

(a) Children who have been adopted and obtained their Canadian citizenship overseas since December 23, 2007 will have their Canadian citizenship downgraded from Class A to Class B on April 17, 2009. This will come as an unhappy surprise to Canadian adopting parents, who have pursued the direct citizenship route as a result of non-stop directions from Canada Immigration officials to adopting parents to take the new route; and

(b) Adopting Parents who were born to Canadian parents overseas and acquired Canadian citizenship as a result. Any adopting parents in this category will have their citizenship changed from Class A to Class B on April 17, 2009. As a result, when they adopt overseas, their children are not entitled to direct Canadian citizenship. Their only route will be to sponsor the child as a landed immigrant, obtain a permanent resident visa, and subsequently apply for Canadian citizenship.

(c) Adopting Parents who were adopted overseas themselves as a child, and then became Canadian citizens through the Permanent Resident Visa process. The new law will NOT affect these adopting parents as they have Class A citizenship. Their adopted children will be eligible for direct citizenship (albeit Class B). If these adopting parents use the Permanent Resident Visa process, however, their adopted child will have Class A Canadian citizenship.

A CIC official has verbally confirmed that these provisions are retroactive. We have requested that the government confirm to us, in writing, that the law is retroactive. We will update this section when we receive the government’s written answer.

Does this new law only apply to adopted children?No, in addition to adopted children, the new rules apply to children born outside of Canada, unless their parent(s) fit within a specific definition. In addition, Bill C-37 (the new law) also deals with many other citizenship issues unrelated to adoption.

If I am adopting parent who was born abroad to Canadian parents, can I adopt overseas?
You can adopt, but if you are single you will not be able to use the direct citizenship route. Your child will have to be admitted to Canada with a PR Visa. The reason for this is that the new law applies to children of Canadians born to Canadians overseas, as well as to those adopted overseas. However, if you are married to a Class A Canadian citizen, then you will be able to use the direct citizenship route.

Is there any “patch” that the government could use to repair this law?The application of the new law should be suspended until the adoption community has a real chance to have input, and perhaps a better solution is found. One suggestion being proposed would provide an exception to the new law if the adopted child lived in Canada for a certain unspecified period of time. In other words, the child would start with Class B Canadian citizenship, and if the child eventually qualified by living in Canada for a certain period of time, they would graduate to Class A Canadian citizenship. Whether this would be a satisfactory solution for Canadian adopting parents remains to be seen.
These concerns are not limited to children adopted abroad, but also apply to children born abroad. The implications of this law are likely to be seen more immediately for born-abroad Class B citizens than adopted-abroad Class B citizens.

Why was the adoption community in Canada not consulted before this law was brought into force?The adoption community in Canada was unaware of these new rules until articles appeared in the press in mid-January, 2009. How did this happen? – Bill C-37 received royal assent on April 17, 2008. It came into force on the first anniversary of that date, April 17, 2009. For over a year preceding the passing of the new law, the government consulted with various interest groups who could be affected by changes to the Citizenship Act. It does not appear to have been made clear, however, that a Class B citizenship would be created for children adopted overseas. On December 13, 2008, the regulations under this new Act were published in the Canada Gazette, and provided for a 30-day comment period. Unfortunately, this comment period extended over the Christmas and New Year’s vacation and expired in early January. Buried in the comment attached to the Canada Gazette was the statement , “The aforementioned limitation will also apply to foreign-born persons adopted by a Canadian parent”. It was only when these proposed regulations were published that one person noticed this and has been raising an alarm for the past few weeks.

Surely, if the Government of Canada was going to do something as dramatic as create Class B citizenship rules for adopted children in this country, it is incumbent on them to really bring this to the attention of adopting parents, the Adoptive Families Association, the Provincial Adoption Bureaus, Adoption Agencies across Canada, and the Adoption Council of Canada. It is incredibly dismissive of the adoption community to have been treated in this manner by the government.

What can I do to stop this new law?Perhaps nothing. The new law (Bill C-37) has been passed, given Royal assent, and the regulations under it are in force. Some parents are currently considering filing a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission. And, of course, someone with deep pockets could take a Charter of Rights challenge to try to have the law declared unconstitutional. On the other hand, perhaps adopting parents in Canada can speak out with one voice and object to what has happened. Adopting parents in Canada represent a potent political force. To date, this has been largely untapped. It is time that the Canadian adoption community make its influence felt. There is no reason why we cannot have an Adoption Caucus of MPs and Senators who listen to what’s important to the adoption community in Canada. The natural focus of these efforts could be the Adoption Council of Canada, which can harness some of the tremendous energy and opinions of adopting parents in this country. Hopefully, this issue of Class B Canadian citizenship for some internationally adopted children will provide a focus for adopting parents to work together.

In the meantime, parents who wish to comment on what has happened should contact their Member of Parliament and the Adoption Council of Canada.

There are two new kinds of sites in particular that seem useful to the adoption community. They are interesting because both kinds are the first of a new genre of websites. The first are DNA social networking sites; the second are primarily gene-decoding sites.

1. DNA Adoption Networking

DNA Adoption Networking is a part of a new internet service the New York Times has called Zygotic Social Networking. These networking services permit users to build a social network around shared genetic material. Similar to Facebook, users are able to post photos, update their profiles, blog, and send messages to each other. More importantly, for adoptive families they facilitate searches for relatives and allow members to compare genetic makeup.

Basically, you sign up with the service, do a cheek swab, send it in, and a portion of your genetic makeup gets compared to others on the databank. You or someone else (somewhere in the world) can then click on a map that shows a marker for every other member around the world who shares genetic markers found in your DNA profile.

Perhaps even more amazing is that the creators of these sites believe that we are only at the beginning of their abilities and usefulness. Experts believe that every new discovery in the field of genetics will provide the users with new information about their identities.

A broad spectrum of the adoption community will be able to make use of these sites:

(i) who placed a child for adoption (or perhaps abandoned a child) can search for their child worldwide with one registration.
(ii) When a become teenagers or young adults, they often want to find out more about their roots. While they may not find their birth parents immediately, they may locate other relatives. In order to identify siblings, half-siblings, cousins or grandparents, it will be necessary for one of their biological parents to register on the site (At this time you need a parent to also register in order to say definitively that two relatives are siblings). Those relatives may turn up immediately or a decade or two later as new relatives register on the site.
(iii) . Life is long, and at some point when adopted children have become adults, they frequently want to look for their roots. While adoptive parents today usually explain to their children that they were adopted, that has not always been the case, nor is it universally true. As a result, individuals registering on these sites, who had no idea that they were adopted, may be in for a surprise.
(iv) who want to find siblings, birth parents, or other relatives of their adopted child can register their child. Parents registering children over 13 require the child’s agreement to do this. In fact, it appears that inquisitive adopted teenagers could likely register themselves if they have access to 9.
(v) may want to include information about DNA Adoption Networking in their adoption education programs. It’s a reality check for parents who state they want to adopt, but never want anything to do with the birth family and that’s why they want to adopt overseas. At some point their child may register and find relatives in other countries.

Not everyone involved in adoption will want to participate in this worldwide experiment in genealogical research. While most adopted children want to know who their biological parents are, this is not always true. However, for those who do want to know where their child is, or who their biological parent is, these websites are already producing results and matches. An ABC News video clip, which is accessed by a link on the GeneTree.com home page, includes an interview with an adopted adult who only knew his birth date and place, and subsequently found relatives in several parts of the world.

Since DNA Adoption Networking will essentially provide a worldwide adoption reunion registry, people should think carefully before registering. While anyone can use one of these sites, special precautions need to be taken when they are used by the adoption community. Some individuals may wish to obtain counselling before registering. Adoption Reunion Registries are located in most jurisdictions in North America and they frequently provide counselling to the parties both before and after a reunion.

What makes these sites so different from the sites described next is that no genetic information is given back to you (the participant).

2. DNA Gene Decoding Sites

The second type of service now on the web that will impact adoptions is the ability to decode your child’s DNA. Adoptive families will find this site useful for many reasons. Your child’s DNA is decoded, providing you with much valuable information. The experience is simultaneously unsettling, illuminating and empowering.

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While these decoding sites provide the opportunity for DNA Adoption Networking, that seems to be a by-product of their main function, which is to decode your DNA. For the adoption world, services like this have extraordinary implications, including:

(i) In the majority of adoptions in the world, there is little or no information about the birth father. This includes domestic adoptions, as well as adoptions from other parts of the world. Decoding your child’s DNA will provide you with significant information about the birth father and the birth mother. The websites claim they allow you to look 20 or 40 years into the future at significant DNA markers that will affect your child’s health (such as pre-disposition to certain diseases).
(ii) Once registered with some sites, you will be automatically advised over the next 10, 20 or 30 years, as medical science makes new discoveries and advances.
(iii) In some situations DNA decoding may become available as part of pre-adoption medical and social information about the child. Currently, parents receive limited medical information, photographs, and sometimes a video. Perhaps in the future a DNA swab will become part of this pre-adoption information package.
(iv) As countries become more selective about whom may adopt their children (such as China) will they want DNA tests of the adopting parents? Adopting Parents already have to supply medical and lab reports as part of a dossier for international adoption. Are DNA reports next?

These websites will bring great opportunities, but also great quandaries. We will no longer have the problem of not knowing, but instead have the burden of whether we want to know in the first place. We will know whether our children are predisposed to certain traits or talents, athletics, music or languages, and we’ll encourage them to pursue certain paths. I have recently described these websites to clients, friends and relatives. It is interesting how many people have said, “But do you really want to know this information?”. Clearly, some people would rather not know and just let the future unfold.

Cautions

Be careful what you wish for. By going down this road, you may be opening a Pandora’s Box. In short, we are on the brink of scientific and technological breakthroughs that are going to change adoption in a way that has never happened before. Please consider the following:

What is more personal than your DNA? Each of these websites has a privacy statement. Please read these before registering. It is important to understand what privacy protection is offered and whether you can set your own level of privacy on the site. Also keep in mind that the world doesn’t always work perfectly. If you put information on the internet, there is a chance of it getting loose by accident or otherwise. There are social, moral and ethical issues involved in registering your or your child’s DNA on a website. Before registering on any site prospective applicants should read the China Adoption DNA Project website where the site creators have considered the implications of parents taking the step of trying to find biological relatives in this way. Please read and think about these issues before registering on a DNA Adoption Networking site. If you join one of these websites and find a match that is important to you, please confirm it with a second and more formal DNA test. An article in the October Journal of Science warned that popular do-it-yourself DNA tests could produce incomplete results. These websites have just started up. It will take time for enough families to register worldwide for there to be many matches of close relatives. Keep your expectations low for now and check in from time to time Men can get a lot more out of DNA testing than women because they inherit both an x and y chromosome. For women to get the same results, they need to supply a sample from a close male relative like a brother or father. The scientific words and terminology used on these websites can be challenging. Some sites have a glossary or definition section. That’s a good place to start in understanding this field of research.

A recent survey of adopting parents (by the China Adoptions DNA Project) found that while the adoption community is keenly interested in learning more about how a DNA database could benefit their children and families, the overwhelming majority of parents currently do not know enough about it or are not comfortable enough with what they do know to take the next step and join a database. I encourage adoptive families to spend time on the DNA websites listed at the end of this article. Review their DNA science lessons, read the FAQ’s and watch the videos. You will learn a lot.

Of course, if you’re only registered on one site, it reduces the possibility of matches. Perhaps all the members of the adoption triad in the world who want to share this information should register on only one of these sites , or on a site yet to be created specifically for the adoption community. In the future there will undoubtedly be more of these kinds of websites, and their usefulness will advance as science advances. If you do register with one of the websites listed below, let us know about your experience with it.

Websites to Visit A. DNA ADOPTION NETWORKING SITES

1. www.GeneTree.com

This service:

operates world-wide; is easy to understand and easy to use; is free (except for the DNA swab collection kit – 9); matches relatives (such as cousins), which greatly increases the chances of finding out more information about the child’s family of origin.

The site is part of a worldwide genealogical and genetic research project. Anyone who joins is a participant in this project. (Unfortunately, this information is not made clear on the website until a registrant orders a DNA swab kit and is presented with a 6-page contract to sign.) Parents who don’t like the trade-off of being part of a research project may want to pass on registering. Others will be happy to be part of a DNA research project that also provides the opportunity for free DNA Adoption Networking. This site is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, which is already known as the largest center of genealogical research in the world. Clearly, they want to make it bigger.

When you order your DNA swab kit (9) you will be asked to sign a 6-page contract. Read it carefully. It has some interesting terms, including:

you are a participant in a research study; no genetic information is provided back to you; you can withdraw from the study at any time and have your information deleted; while this site will match two voluntary users of the site together if they want, the site will not get involved in providing adoption or paternity information (that it may learn of) to anyone.

The website has a “Facebook” aspect to it, except you are networking with people you share similar DNA with around the world instead of your chosen friends. Participants set their own level of privacy on this site. In other words, you can register your DNA and then set privacy parameters as to the disclosure of information and whether you want contact with other members of your extended family. Of course, in addition to privacy concerns, the idea of adoptive families around the world registering their DNA on a master database certainly has a “Big Brother” feel to it. As a result, this service may not appeal to everyone.

2. www.dnaancestry.com

This site is part of www.ancestry.com and allows you to use DNA to search for ancestors, clans and by surname groups. www.ancestry.com is an established genealogical research site also headquartered in Utah. It already has a user base of 15 million, of which 3 million have posted their searchable family trees. It is the internet’s largest family-history archive. The test kit costs 9 to 9, depending on how sophisticated you want the results to be.

3. www.familytreedna.com

This website claims to have the largest DNA databases in the field of Genetic Genealogy (178,000 records). Their website includes tutorials on the use of your DNA. It also has a DNA user’s forum which has posts from adoptees who have had varying degrees of success at finding relatives. The tests cost 9 to 9.

4. www.a-chinadnaproject.org

Although this site is not yet operational as a registry, it does have interesting things to say. It is a site worth reading and thinking about the points raised there. In addition to searching for relatives, a second, equally important mission of the website, is to create a voluntary, anonymous DNA database that will provide information that could benefit all Asians of Chinese descent. The China Adoptions DNA project states numerous times on this website that it is not yet underway since it has no funding. It worries about the costs to parents and the cost of providing the service. Some adopting parents will want to wait and see if this adoption-oriented website becomes operational because of the additional safeguards that have been created for the adoption community.

5. www.tracegenetics.com

This site has an extensive FAQ section that will teach the reader a lot about this area of science in understandable language. It offers testing for both the child’s maternal and paternal lineage. It then issues a report based on the percentage of ancestry from each of the world’s biogeographical areas. This site claims to have the largest Native American DNA database in the world. This website will also provide you with custom DNA projects. You can tailor your genomic requests to what you want. B. DNA GENE DECODING SITES

6. www.23andme.com

This is a web-based service that helps you understand your DNA. Send in a sample of your child’s saliva and see how the decoded genes indicate your child’s future. This site is partly funded by Google. The cost for a DNA analysis is 9, and you will receive a report analyzing almost 600,000 DNA checkpoints.

At this time their service is only available in the USA, Europe and Canada, although it will expand in the future to other countries. In response to my question to this site as to whether adopting parents could use it to have the DNA decoded for a child proposed to them for adoption, the response was “Our service is not intended to be used for genetic screening purposes.”

Adoption in England and Wales is governed completely by statute. On 30 December 2005, the principle statute governing adoption, the was fully implemented. It represents the most radical overhaul of adoption law for 26 years, replacing the outdated thereby making the child’s welfare paramount and modernising the entire legal framework for domestic and inter-country adoption. The law on adoption is now in a much better position then it used to be, thanks to the ten years worth of reform proposals.

“In December 2000 the Government published a White Paper on adoption (Adoption – a new approach; Cm 5017, Department of Health, December 2000). This set out the Government’s plans to promote greater use of adoption, improve the performance of the adoption service, and put children at the centre of the adoption process. The White Paper built on the proposals of the Prime Minister’s Adoption Review, which were published for consultation in July 2000 (Prime Minister’s Review: Adoption; Performance and Innovation Unit, July 2000). The White Paper included a commitment to introduce new adoption legislation in 2001.

The Government believes that the interests and welfare of a child (throughout his/her life) should be the focus of the adoption since it has lifelong implications. For this purpose the Act makes the welfare of the child the paramount consideration for courts and adoption agencies in decision-making relating to adoption. The has updated the law to align adoption law with the . The Act has improved performance of adoption services and promotes greater use of adoption for looked after children. The Act also introduces some amendments to the . A feature of these amendments, contained in is the range of alternatives to adoption that might nevertheless provide varying degrees of permanence and legal certainty. ‘[1]

Foremost, the Act aims to encourage more people to apply to adopt and build confidence in the adopter assessment process. The Government is now committed to provide an independent review where an adoption agency intends to turn down a prospective adopter’s application. The Act also includes powers enabling the appropriate Minister to establish a mechanism, which may be run by an independent body, to review qualifying adoption agency’s determinations. The intention is that the independent review mechanism will review, at a prospective adopter’s request, applications that adoption agencies have indicated they are not in favour. It is also intended to use the independent review mechanism to review qualifying adoption agency determinations about the disclosure of information concerning a person’s adoption. The mechanism could be used to review other determinations made by adoption agencies. This places a duty on local authorities to make arrangements for the provision of adoption support services, as specified in regulations. This duty will be used to deliver the new framework for adoption support services (including financial support) It also provides a new right to request and receive an assessment of needs for adoption support services. The assessment will link with other local authority functions and local education authorities and health services, where such needs are identified, with the aim of identifying a coordinated package of support to help adoptions succeed.[2]  Adoption is defined like so by Wikipedia as:

‘A process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another who is not their child and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents’.

Under the new act, the effect of an adoption order is still to irrevocably transfer the child from one family to another by severing the ties between the biological family and the child. I feel the new Act is to a large extent fair as one of its main aims are to enable more children to be adopted, mainly by relaxing the pre-requirements of potential adopters. It therefore becomes a more child centered system. It looks at ensuring birth parents understand the impact of consenting to an adoption. In takes into account the length of time disputes take to be settled and looks to resolving them early so that adoption itself does not become a fait accompli. Previously children had next to no say on adoption proceedings. Today the voice of the child can be heard through reports to the court. Now there is also an effective case management system to reduce delay in the decision making process.

They propose to achieve these aims through proceedings under the Act which are subject to the overriding objectiveset out in of enabling the court to deal with cases justly, and is expressed to include that: [3]

·         Parties are on an equal footing           
·         Cases are dealt with in ways which are proportionate to the importance and complexity of issues
·         Cases are dealt with expeditiously and fairly
·         Cases are allotted an appropriate share of court resources

This is also in line with the no delay principle under the . . It is also emphasized by the ‘paramountcy principle’

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which obliges the court and agency to make decisions on whether to dispense with the consent of the birth parent if deemed incapable on grounds such as mental illness. It also obliges the court or adoption agency to consider that in general any delay is likely to prejudice the child. of the Act provides a welfare checklist tailored to the particular circumstances of adoption that must be adhered to by the court and adoption agencies. In doing so, the Act aligns adoption legislation with the relevant provisions of the .

obliges the Court to consider that delay in decision-making is likely to prejudice the welfare of the child. This provision is further supported by which imposes a duty on the court to manage cases by drawing up a timetable and giving directions for the purpose of ensuring that the timetable is adhered to. Avoidance of delay is further ensured by the which provide a procedural code for the operation of the Adoption and Children Act in all three tiers of court in England and Wales. [4]

The role played by judges can be seen in placement orders, which involve the child living with his or her prospective adopters for a specific period that acts as a trial run. The judges are expected to communicate closely with adoption agencies and local authorities and ensure that the child is placed with suitable and capable parents, taking into account special needs like learning or physical disabilities. If the child has physical disabilities, is the home the child is being placed in conducive for his or her growth? Does the family the child is being placed with have sufficient financial resources to cater to the child’s learning needs?

The children will only be placed (more permanent nature) if the criteria are met. For instance what impact would a ten year Chinese speaking Asian child have if he or she was placed in the home of say an English speaking American family, as opposed to a situation where an infant of Chinese origin is placed with that same English speaking American family? In terms of language and communication the infant would definitely be able to adjust better as opposed to the older ten year old child.

The discretion of the judges arises where parental consent is a concern before placement and or adoption orders are made. Judges can order the removal of a child from the custody of his or her biological parents even if they disagree. An example of this would be when the parent(s) is or are incapacitated. Another example would be if a parent is unfit to be the care giver of his or her child, especially so for drug dependents or other deviants. Judges also have the discretion to determine post adoption visiting rights in spite of whether adopters agree or disagree. Most adopters prefer the child to have a clean break, and prefer not having any form much less regular interferences from the biological or birth parents. After all isn’t adoption the severance of biological ties? But then again this may not be in the best interest of the child, since the well being of the child is of paramount importance in the .

An illustration of the discretionary role the judges possess can be found in the following case, Re S (Adoption Order or Special Guardianship Order)[5], where a post adoption contract with the birth parents is desirable if both parties have agreed to maintain the right to visitation. The Court of Appeal pointed out that special guardianship orders fall within the and the well known provisions of act apply to them. The child’s welfare shall be the court’s paramount consideration. The court must show due regard to his ascertainable wishes and feelings, his physical, emotional and educational needs, the likely effect on him of any change in his circumstances, his age, sex, background and relevant characteristics. if not also caused by any harm which he has suffered, and how capable each of his parents, and any other relevant person, is of meeting his needs. There is a halfway house position when the court considers that an adoption order should not be granted against the welfare of the child, and where a guardianship order or a residents order will better protect the child’s welfare. Judgment was given in this case alongside the case of 6] and the case of  Re MJ where both were dealing with the same point of law. Where in was an appeal by a mother against an order placing her child for adoption with her half-sister. She argued that the half-sister should be appointed as special guardian instead. The appeal was dismissed. Whereas in it was an appeal by parents against an order dispensing with the need for their. consent to adoption on the grounds that it was being unreasonably withheld. The appeal was dismissed.

There is also the case of (adoption leave provision) where the responsibility of the birth parents is not extinguished until the final adoption order is makes it impossible to get back custody of the child.

Now there is a new question of whether an adoption has withstood the challenge posed by the European convention of human rights and fundamental freedoms? Will adoption stand in the face of the brave new world of human rights or will it solemnly retreat?

of the European Convention on Human Rights provides:[8]

1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life …

2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society … for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

enshrines the right to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal.[9]

The human rights issues arise due to the fact that adoption in itself is the severing of all ties between adopted children and their biological parents. What then happens to the right to one’s family life? The biological parents may not want their ties to be severed. Occasions like these usually entail a situation where a child is removed from the custody of his/her parents due to the fact that they are pronounced incompetent to be parents. It’s not just the parents whose rights are in question because even the child does not have an absolute say in adoption proceedings. The final decision making power still lies with the judiciary. Example .[10] where the father was not informed of the proceeding because the mothers request for confidentiality carried more weight.

On the surface there appears to be a breach of human rights, but these breaches have been justified by the spirit and intendment of the Act, hitting the ball right back home to the doorstep of the child’s welfare. At the point in time when the adoption proceedings are taking place, the child may not be mature enough to make a decision of such magnitude. Therefore, the courts take this heavy burden upon themselves with advice from adoption agencies and local authorities.

To make up for this apparent breach in human rights, the has made provisions to enable adopted children from closed adoptions a way to get in touch with biological family members. Once eighteen years of age, adopted children may obtain an original copy of their birth certificate from the adoption agencies that placed them and the local authorities that oversaw it. Also the Registrar General is required to maintain an ‘adopted children’s register where relatives of the adopted child can leave messages for him or her This has been encouraged for the following reasons:

allowing them to do so gives them a sense of self. Knowing their past helps them settle into the future
Knowledge of genetic history has proven useful especially where there are any health concern.
Knowing about their birth parents helps obtain a sense of cultural identity.

Despite the fact that there is such an overwhelming need for a loving and supportive family unit, the need for this piece of legislation would seem like a no-brainer. However, there still are concerns about the erosion of family values with regards to the potential parents’ sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status. There is a small section of society that doesn’t think and or feel its morally or religiously justified for homosexual couples to adopt as it sends out the wrong message, and appears to be promoting a sinful way of life. There are others still who feel single parents shouldn’t be allowed to adopt because the ‘family unit picture becomes flawed’ since in their minds its not a family if it doesn’t consist of a ‘mummy and a daddy’. I, on the other hand am of the view that having people to love you and care for you, people to call family and a place to call home is far greater then who these people are and what their sexual orientation or gender is, or how many of them there are. Better one parent then none.

In a nutshell, the is to a large extent fair. However, the implementation of the law does raise some human rights issues which on the whole is fairly justified from a family values perspective. I believe every child deserves a family.

CASES:

Re S (Adoption Order or Special Guardianship Order) [2007] 1 FLR

Re AJ [2007] EWCA Civ 55

Re MJ [2007] EWCA Civ 56

PC and S v UK (2002)

TREATIES:

SECONDARY SOURCES:

Family Law, University of London Subject Guide, R. Jago, 2008

Palgrave & McMillian Core Statutes Family Law

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/safeguardingandsocialcare/childrenincare/adoption/childrenact2002/act2002/

Her Majesty Courts Service : A Quick Guide to the Adoption and Children Act (2002)

Deborah Cullen, Secretary to the Legal Group, British Agencies for Adoption & Fostering (http://www.familylawweek.co.uk/site.aspx?i=ed340)

http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic_violence_topic.asp?section=0001000100220002§ionTitle=Children

[1] www.booksites.net/download/brammer/student_files/…/adoption.doc

[2] http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2002/en/

[3] Her Majesty Courts Service: A quick guide to Adoption and Children Act (2002)

[4] www.ag.gov.au/agd/…Paramountcy…/13+Jan+Paramountcy.pdf

[5] [2007] 1 FLR                                                                                                                  

[6] [2007] EWCA Civ 55

[7] [2007] EWCA Civ 56

[8] http://www.murraystable.com/news-articles/articles/adoption-human-rights-seminar-paper

[9] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Convention_on_Human_Rights

[10] (2002)

Definition.  There are many definitions of what an open adoption is and is not.  Generally however, an open adoption is an adoption where the biological mother and/or father giving up a child for adoption is able to pick the Nevada adoption family.  In Nevada adoptions, this is a very common type of adoption.  The biological parents may want to receive pictures, letters of what the adopted child is doing and how she is growing, or they may not.  In Nevada adoptions sometimes the biological mother and/or father want to stay in an adopted child’s life by sending birthday or holiday presents, or even having an outing every so often with the adopted child.  However, this is still quite uncommon.  Sometimes this type of adoption provides the biological parents with less pain and guilt about the adoption decision, but it can cause other stressors if they disagree with the adoptive parent’s child raising efforts.
Sharing of information.  In a Nevada open adoption, both sides agree to share information, like medical information pictures, letters or extended family information.  In the Nevada open adoption, both families know some information about the other.  This is in direct contrast to adoptions in the past where there was never contact or any information shared including some important genetic medical information.  Some adopted children of past closed Nevada adoptions often longed to at least know who their birth parents were or just see a picture of what their birth parents looked like to see if they looked like their biological parents.  However, it is important to note that some biological parents as well as adoptive parents don’t want to continue with any kind of relationship.
Legal agreements.  Not all legal Nevada open adoption agreements are created equal.  It is not uncommon that once the Nevada adoption is finalized there are no guarantees between either party.  Even if you signed a document specifying what the adopting parents or biological parents will or won’t do, the document is not a legally binding contract enforced by the courts.  The adopting parents are now the sole “legal parents” and the adopted child is considered to be theirs legally “as if born” to them, they have every right to stop adoption contact if they want.  However, many Nevada adoption parents will honor their agreements, but all contact and/or agreements on the open adoption sharing should be written down.  Only honest people need Nevada adoption sharing agreements written down to help them remember it, dishonest people will ignore everything said or written that will not be backed up by a court.
Letter of agreement.  If the Nevada adoption parents agree to one picture a month, often that is all adoption parents will send.  They don’t have to send you a studio portrait, just one picture.  If they agree that the Nevada adoption agreement specifies contact and pictures will stop after one year, be prepared for Nevada adoption contact with the adopted child to stop.
In the best interests of the adopted child.  Both the adopting parents and the biological parents need to focus on what is best for the child.  This is not always easy for either parent.  If the child is a baby, the child will have specific adoption needs like love, concern, attention, encouragement and understanding.  It is easy to give a baby this type of care.  However, if the child is older when he or she is adopted, and the biological parent is not a threat physically or emotionally to the adopted child, some type of contact after the Nevada adoption may have positive results.  Nevada adoption parents may want to put aside their concerns that the biological parent will want the child back and be willing to share, not hide the adopted child from contact.  Nevada adoption biological parents may find that limited or no contact is best for the child’s self esteem and growth and be willing to step aside and move on with their own lives and wait to see if the adopted child has any desire to contact them.  Biological and adoptive parents should talk things over again when the adopted child grows older and can understand the basic differences between adoptive and biological parents.  It would be a good idea to send a later date to discuss the child and find out if more contact is desired by “the child” and perhaps reach out or change the open adoption policies at that time.

I hope this adoption advice proves useful to you and your family. Whether you are considering an international adoption agency or a domestic adoption, these open adoptionl tips will help.

Why do you want an international adoption?  Before you embark on the road to an international adoption, you might want to take a close and honest look at yourself.  Why are you choosing an international adoption vs. a U.S. adoption?  Are you financially and emotionally prepared to meet the unique and challenging needs of this new internationally adoption child?  Are you willing to give up much of your freedom and some of your work to ensure your international adoption is a positive and good experience for both you and the child?  Are you ready to meet the challenges of racial comments, unkind children, and their unkind parents?  How are your present children and extended family going to react to a new international adoption?
Your international adoption agency should provide training both before the adoption and after the international adoption.  Adoptions from other countries are specialized according to country and while in the U.S. there is only one set of rules to know, it is vital that the international adoption agency works with you to by training you before the adoption about the culture, mores and challenges you will have by adopting a child from a different country.  It’s not just the food, but a whole cluster of changes and ideas you will have to deal with.  Once, you have been to the country, finalized your international adoption and returned home, you will still have significant challenges and struggles and a caring adoption agency will help you deal with these differences.
What’s the time frame for an international adoption?  Don’t let anyone fool you.  You can’t have an international adoption finalized overnight, or even in a month.  There are legal documents to file, passports to get, visas, the legal adoption process in the country and a variety of other items to consider and solve before the international adoption can be finalized.  An ethical adoption agency will help you understand all of these challenges and help you through the process.
What countries allow international adoptions?  International adoptions can occur from many countries, from China to Russia to Guatemala, to India, Colombia and Haiti.  There are concerns and challenges with each of these countries, some allow adoptions for a short time, and then close them.  Some have strict rules while others are difficult to work with.  A good international adoption agency will help you swim in these specialized waters.
Should I use an international adoption agency?  Yes.  A Hague Certified adoption agency will know the international adoption rules and help keep you out of trouble.  Sometimes adoption lawyers are not aware of concerns or an individual trying to go through the adoption process without help may find they’ve been taken for a ride.  It is also important to ask if your international adoption agency has visited the country where the international adoption is taking place.  It is very important that someone in the agency know first hand the challenges you will run into in another country.
When is the international adoption finalized?  International adoptions are finalized in the country where the child is being picked up.  Because adoptions are finalized in the country from which the child is being adopted, it is vital that your adoption agency help you ensure that child is approved for emigration status with the U.S.  You don’t want to end up with a child that can not come into the U.S.
Will the information I get from the country of origin in an international adoption be accurate and complete?  Not usually.  Internationally adopted children are often from an orphanage and there is very little medical or family information available.  Sometimes the parents have died or the child has just been dropped off with no medical record at all.
Are adopted children at par mentally and physically with children adopted in the U.S.?  There is a good possibility the internationally adopted child will have some types of development or physical growth concerns.  Many of these children will need some good quality “catch up” opportunities to achieve par with children from the U.S. who have not spent part of their life in an orphanage.  According to studies many of internationally adopted children had weights less than 97% of their peers.  The good news is that these same children seem to catch up quickly given loving care.
Will my internationally adopted child have health concerns?  Possibly.  If there is some medical information, that information will be written in the language from the country where the adoption is taking place and most U.S. pediatricians may not know the terms or be able to translate the records.  Some of the orphanage children might have undisclosed infections or illnesses.
How do I choose an international adoption agency?  Carefully.  Get a list of the Hague Certified adoption agencies and choose those in your area.  Call around and ask questions:  Has anyone on staff been to the Country where the international adoption will take place?  What type of before adoption training and after adoption training does the adoption agency offer?  How long have adoption agency been handling international adoptions?  Is the adoption agency a non-profit or not-for-profit agency or are they a corporation?  Why should you choose them?  After you’ve talked to three or four adoption agencies, see if you need to talk with more, or if you want to interview one or two of the international adoption agencies further.  Then set up a personal meeting.  If you don’t feel comfortable, choose another international adoption agency.

International adoptions can be a better experience if you’ve followed the above 10 ideas.  Hopefully this article will provide you with important information to help you in your adoption process.

All international adoption agencies are not principled.  Unfortunately there are less than honest individuals and groups who play on the emotions of potential adoption parents in an effort to encourage people to adopt through them.  Some of these groups show photo listings on the Internet which are designed to lure the adopting parent into an impulsive decision and cloud the judgment.  Don’t be fooled by these types of adoption advertising.  As one blogger said in her blog, don’t spend more time researching a car than they do researching an Ethiopian adoption.
How can I be assured of an ethical Ethiopian adoption agency?  There are two important ways to tell if your Ethiopian adoption agency is ethical.  Find out if the adoption agency is a member of the Joint Council on International Children’s Services (JCICS) and/or is Hague Accredited.  These two adoption agency recommendations can help you be assured of the adoption agency’s ethics during the adoption process and that the international adoption fees and expenses are set by the U.S. State Department.  Don’t just take the international adoption agency’s word; check out your agency on the JCICS and state adoption sites.
What is the time wait for an Ethiopian adoption?  Don’t let anyone fool you, the wait time for Ethiopian adoptions is increasing as more and more restrictions and care is placed on placing these unique international adoptions.  It now takes 12 to 18 months to finalize an Ethiopian adoption.  The Ethiopian adoption courts are becoming stricter, and the government workers who are processing the international adoption paperwork on the children are becoming more vigilant.  Will I have to worry about the international adoption political climate as I work toward an Ethiopian adoption?  Yes.  While Ethiopia is a democratic nation, the government is very fragile.  However, a well educated and involved international adoption agency will be aware of all of these concerns and any potential changes or alerts from the U.S. government and be able to address any Ethiopian adoption problems that occur.  Do I have to travel to Ethiopia to finalize my international adoption?  Yes.  In the past, those finalizing Ethiopian adoptions could hire a guardian to bring the child to the U.S.  This saved money for airfare, hotels, travel, and other necessities.  However, since Ethiopian adoptions have become stricter, adopting parents are required to make two trips to Ethiopia.  Both of the adopting parents/parent are required to make the first trip to appear in person to “confirm” that they want to adopt the child.  This trip lasts about five to 10 days.  Beginning in May of 2010, the Ethiopian adoption courts change policy and now only require one parent to appear at the second adoption court hearing for the Ethiopian adoption finalization.    The second trip can be anywhere from six to 12 weeks later, and is another five to 10 days to finalize the Ethiopian adoption.
Is a home study necessary with an Ethiopian adoption?  Absolutely.  Every international adoption agency will tell you the same thing–a strict home study by an approved home study social worker is essential.  Most Ethiopian adoption agencies will work in partnership with an adoption agency working with U.S. adoptions.  Adoption agencies are licensed to work in the U.S. in particular states.  These adoption agencies should also be licensed and accredited and have an ethical background.  The home study is designed to help you be placed with the child for whom you are best suited.  You will be asked all kinds of questions by the adoption agency’s home study social worker who will translate the adoption information into answers for the tons of paperwork required for the Ethiopian adoption.  Ethiopian adoptions are becoming more restrictive as the courts and government offices become more involved.  This is both helpful, but will cause even more paperwork or disqualify someone for adoption from Ethiopian adoption.  The Ethiopian adoption agency will help the adopting couple through the layers of paperwork and help you understand if you are eligible for an Ethiopian adoption.  The minimum age for adopting couples is 25, with the couple having to have been married at least one year.  In addition the maximum age of the mother is 45 years older than the adopted child.  There are important health restrictions on the adopting parent’s use of prescriptions medications and there will be a criminal background check.
What are the health concerns I should know before an Ethiopian adoption?  International adoptions often have health concerns:  diseases, illnesses and handicaps.  Ethiopian adoptions are no different.  Many of the Ethiopian adoption children will be underweight since 65% of rural households live on .00/day and in poverty. Many families share the house with livestock and sanitation is often non-existent.  Ethiopian adoption children may have communicable diseases, HIV, or Hepatitis.  There are few doctors, hospitals or health centers and the average life expectance is 45 years old.  Other children may have been severely traumatized or have what is called an attachment disorder.  An ethical, JCICS and Hague Accredited Ethiopian adoption agency will work hard to provide the health records of the children they work with.  The adoption courts will only allow adoptions of those children who can meet strict U.S. and Ethiopian adoption requirements.

Hopefully you will be able to find an exceptional adoption agency who will work with you in your adoption process.  Best wishes in you adoption.