DOS Adoption Alert: Equador & Joshua Tree Adoptions

Ecuador

August 29, 2011

Alert: Adverse Action taken by Council on Accreditation towards Joshua Tree Adoptions, Inc.

On August 26, 2011, the Council on Accreditation temporarily suspended the accreditation of Joshua Tree Adoptions, Inc. for failing to maintain substantial compliance with the Hague accreditation standards. This agency operates in Ecuador. During this suspension, Joshua Tree Adoptions, Inc. must cease to provide all adoption services in connection with cases covered under the Hague Convention. If you have an open case with this agency, please contact the adoption service provider directly to find out how this will affect your case. This suspension does not prohibit the adoption service provider from providing adoption services in connection with cases involving non-Hague countries.

The suspension will begin on August 27, 2011 and conclude when the accrediting entity has determined that the adoption service provider has completed the necessary corrective actions. Updated information will be provided on the adoption.state.gov website.

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=alerts&alert_notice_file=ecuador_1

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

DOS Adoption Notice: China - Concerns About Information on the Background of Children Adopted from China

China

August 15, 2011

Notice: Concerns About Information on the Background of Children Adopted from China

The press has reported allegations that in 2005 local family planning officials in China, in the name of enforcing the “One Child Policy,” seized children from their birth families and sold them to orphanages. Embassy Beijing has been in touch with China’s Centre for Children’s Welfare and Adoption (CCCWA) about the allegations mentioned in the articles and CCCWA has promised updates on their investigations when they have further information. We are not aware of any intercountry adoption by a U.S. family that has been confirmed to be linked to these alleged actions.

In response to these concerns, we would like to remind adopting parents that verification of a child’s eligibility for intercountry adoption is an integral part of the intercountry adoption process. If there is evidence that documents may have been falsified or are not accurate, then officials at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate conduct an investigation before the visa is approved. If you wish to get more information on your child’s background, we suggest that you contact the adoption service provider that assisted you with the adoption.

If you have any further questions about this notice please contact the Office of Children’s Issues at: 1-888-407-4747 within the United States or 202-501-4444 from outside the United States.

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=notices&alert_notice_file=china_2

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

DOS Adoption Notice: Update Orphanage Closures in Ethiopia

Ethiopia

August 3, 2011

Notice: Confirmation of Orphanage Closures in Ethiopia

Ethiopian government officials have confirmed that several orphanages in the Southern Nations state are closed due to revocation of their licenses to operate by Ethiopian authorities.

These orphanages are:

• SOS Infants Ethiopia (Arbaminch, Dilla, and Awassa branches)
• Gelgella Integrated Orphans (Tercha and Durame branches)
• Bethzatha Children’s Home Association (Sodo, Hosaena, Dilla, and Awassa branches)
• Ethio Vision Development and Charities (Dilla branch)
• Special Mission for Community Based Development (Hosaena branch)
• Enat Alem Orphanage (Awassa branch)
• Initiative Ethiopia Child and Family Support (Awassa branch)
• Resurrection Orphanage (Hosaena branch)

According to officials in the Charities and Societies Agency office, which oversees the licensing and regulation of orphanages in Ethiopia, the children in the care of those facilities have already been transferred to other orphanages.

Ethiopian officials indicate that cases involving orphaned children from these facilities that are already pending with the Federal First Instance court will continue to move forward. The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa is working closely with Ethiopian officials to determine if children from these facilities who were previously referred for adoption or matched with prospective adoptive parents will be allowed to continue in the adoption process. MOWCYA officials have confirmed that the affected children’s case files are currently being reviewed, a process that is expected to last at least one month.

We continue to ask prospective adoptive parents and agencies that hear news of specific closures to inform the Department. Please send any specific information regarding orphanage closures to AskCI@state.gov with the subject line “Ethiopia Orphanage Closures.”

Prospective and adoptive parents are encouraged to remain in contact with their adoption service provider to stay up-to-date on any information pertinent to their individual case. The Department will post confirmed information on www.adoption.state.gov as we receive it.

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=notices&alert_notice_file=ethiopia_10

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/

DOS Adoption Notice, Mexico: Mexican Central Authority granted national authorization to an additional U.S. based Hague Accredited adoption se

Mexico

August 2, 2011

Notice: Mexican Central Authority granted national authorization to an additional U.S. based Hague Accredited adoption service provider.

The Mexican Central Authority recently granted national authorization to provide adoption services in Mexico to an additional U.S. based Hague accredited adoption service provider, International Child Foundation. We remind U.S. citizens wishing to adopt in Mexico that Mexican states may choose whether or not to work with adoption service providers that have achieved national authorization. Please see our May 19, 2011 adoption notice regarding Mexico’s process for authorizing U.S. adoption service providers for more details. We advise prospective adoptive parents to check with the state child welfare office known as the Desarollo Integral de la Familia (DIF) in the Mexican state where they plan to adopt to determine if that state will work with a specific adoption service provider. We will publish additional updated guidance as we receive it.

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Ethics, Transparency, Support
~ What All Adoptions Deserve.
http://www.pear-now.org/