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Haitian Adoptions
I’ve been trying to write this post for some time now. In the wake of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti, however, I have been rendered speechless. My heart is positively aching for the Haitian people who have suffered devastating losses I can’t even begin to fathom. Truly, I cannot even adequately put it into words.
Since adoption flies high on my radar, I soon started thinking about the families in process who were (and those who still are) waiting to find out if their Haitian child is alive. I can’t imagine how those parents and families are feeling right now, especially those who are still anxiously awaiting information regarding their child’s welfare. Hundreds of French parents lie in wait for any breath of information, and countless other adoptive families across the globe are in a similar position: “We know that some nurseries were spared and that the children have taken refuge in a church,” said Yves Nicolin, president of the French Adoption Agency (AFA). “Unfortunately, we have also received information that some creches (nurseries) were destroyed and that the children are dead,” said Nicolin.
The thought is beyond gut-wrenching; it is absolutely, horrifically unfathomable.
So many other adoptive parents wait in hope, each moment ticking by more slowly than the last. Adoptive parents across the United States have kept their phones on speed dial for hours and hours in an attempt to reach anyone who can verify the well-being of their child or children. While the parents who have received the information securing their child’s safety may breathe easier, there is still desperation at the inconclusiveness of what will come of the in-process adoptions:
About 800 to 900 U.S. families are in the process of adopting children from Haiti, said Tom DiFilipo, president of the Joint Council on International Children’s Services, an advocacy group for children in need of families. . . . Because documentation in Haiti may be buried beneath rubble, the organization Friday morning launched a database to collect information on where the adoption process of each family stands.
Another CNN article, Orphanage: Adoption plan needed for Haitian children, further elaborates:
Paperwork for adoptions that were under way when the earthquake hit Tuesday night may now be buried in the rubble of collapsed buildings and lost, said Bickel, whose orphanage cares for 152 children, including 84 babies.
The government officials who deal with adoption cases may be missing, hurt, or otherwise focused on the disaster, which means the adoptions won’t go through, she said.
That being said, many families across the U.S. have expressed an earnest interest at being a part of a somewhat immediate Haitian adoption plan but the situation is far more complex:
While concerned Americans may offer to open their homes to suffering kids (beyond those already in orphanages), the department said determining who is truly orphaned — and not just separated from family members — can be a huge challenge. Likewise gathering the documentation needed to legally fulfill adoption requirements can be next to impossible.
BRESMA, which is home to about 150 children, is one of the country’s 67 crèches, orphanages that are licensed to perform adoptions, said Diana Boni, the Haiti and Liberia programs coordinator for Kentucky Adoption Services, who’s worked with BRESMA for seven years.
“We’ve been incredibly blessed. We have no fatalities and no serious injuries as of yesterday afternoon,” Boni said Thursday. “Almost all of them have [adoptive] families. A lot of these kids under Haitian law are not Haitian. They’re legally children of U.S. citizens … and children are going to die because of bureaucratic paper delays.”
Again, this thought is virtually unthinkable. But the truth is that international adoption is an incredibly complex process; the paperwork in both countries takes many months to verify and correctly (and thoroughly) complete. There is no easy way to create a shortcut, at least not one that would completely assure the children deemed eligible for adoption are true orphans and not just separated from their families as a result of this immense natural disaster. My heart and thoughts are with the people of Haiti, and also the adoptive families who either anxiously await information about their child or those who are left wondering what steps will be taken to bring their son or daughter home–and when.
Recent adoptionblogs.com entries regarding Haiti for further reading:
Earthquake in Haiti – Response to a Tragedy
A Note Regarding the Children of Haiti
Just heard on CNN that at least one orphanage with 150 children has been granted permission to fly to Pittsburg. Evidently all of these children were being adopted by United States families. Hopefully others will follow.
Please inform me where is the first step to see if I am able to adopt an children from Haiti I know I can help.
Best Regards.
@Auttis: I hadn’t heard that–thanks much for passing along the info.
@danilonato: Unless you’re already working toward an adoption in Haiti, my understanding is that the program is not accepting new prospective adoptive families. More can be found here: http://haiti.adoption.com/