U.S. Leaders in International Adoption Merge, Expand Resources

Holt International and World Association for Children and Parents Consolidate Efforts, Strengthen Impact for Families and Children Worldwide

Email Print Friendly Share

February 07, 2019 13:00 ET | Source: Holt International Children Services

Eugene, Oregon, Feb. 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Holt International and World Association for Children and Parents (WACAP), two of the nation’s leading international nonprofit adoption and child welfare agencies, today announced a strategic merger under the name Holt International Children’s Services, effective April 1, 2019. This merger brings together more than 100 years of collective experience and expertise in child welfare and adoption, strengthening global impact by broadening support for vulnerable children and families in the U.S. and abroad.

Article Panorama on file 'Panorama'

The trade in adoptions. Panorama's "scandal" cover triggers reactions from families, organizations and associations

Published the February 7, 2019

Related articles in Other News:

International adoption. "Money in underwear": the complaint to the CAI can also be anonymous

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the transfer of the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual assault case from Bihar to a court in New Delhi and slammed the state government for its management of shelter homes. A bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said the cases should be transferred from the Bihar CBI court to a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Saket trial court within two weeks. It ordered the Saket trial court to conclude the trial within six months. The apex court also rapped the CBI for transferring its officer probing the sexual assault case and said it amounted to a violation of its order. A bench asked the investigating agency to file an affidavit giving an explanation. "Enough is enough. Children cannot be treated like this. You cannot let your officers treat children this way. Spare the children," the top court told the Bihar government. It said the court will summon the chief secretary if the state fails to give all information. Several girls were allegedly raped and sexually abused at an NGO-run shelter home in Muzaffarpur. The issue came to light in May last year following a report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). PTI SJK

https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/enough-is-enough-sc-transfers-muzaffarpur-shelter-home-case-from-bihar-to-delhi-142710

Finally Home: The journey back to your home country

11 FEB 2019 at 21:15

In the second season of the program Eindelijk Thuis, presenter Daan Nieber will travel through the country of birth with adopted children and one of their adoptive parents. During a week they dive together in the totally different culture and visit places from the past of the adopted child. Hoping that this exciting and emotional adventure will bring them closer and closer to themselves.

In six episodes we travel throughout the world to Romania, Mexico, Brazil and South Korea. In each episode the adventure of one parent-child couple in one country is central.

In episode 1 we travel to Romania. Mihaela was adopted from Romania when she was 18 months old. The care in the Romanian children's home that was put down in the Ceausescu period was not optimal. Mihaela had never been outside and only got porridge in a bottle that she had to get herself inside. Because she received little attention in the children's home, she developed a very strong survival mechanism. Mother Jacqueline has surrounded her with all care and love, but she can not get through to Mihaela. Mihaela is very much looking for her identity and collects everything that has to do with Romania at home. During the trip Mihaela sees for the first time the country where she comes from and she visits the clinic where she was born and the children's home where she stayed. When she dances with a fellow in traditional costume and looks in the mirror, she says: "This is true, this is me."

State of affairs lawsuits filed by donor children

Category: DNA, Donor conception, Legislation

In one of the three ongoing lawsuits filed by donor children, a decision will be issued shortly. All lawsuits revolve around the right to descent information from donor children. In the case against former physician Karbaat, the judge decided on 13 February 2019 whether a DNA sample may be used to establish kinship with 22 donor children. The underlying question here is whether donor children have the same rights as all other children. The two other lawsuits deal with the question of whether donor children are entitled to personal data from a donor who originally registered as a known donor, but later switched to anonymous donorship.

Lawsuit against the doctor Karbaat

In 2017, 22 donor children and their parents filed a lawsuit against the doctor Jan Karbaat, former director of Medisch Centrum Bijdorp. This is because of serious suspicions that he used his own sperm for artificial insemination. The donor children want clarity whether or not they are descended from Karbaat. That wish remains, even after the death of Karbaat in April 2017. The aim was to secure his DNA profile for doing kinship tests. The group of claimants is assisted by lawyer Tim Bueters, Defense for Children and Stichting Donorkind.

Four new names for 'Bargoens'

Earlier we knew that Eric Goens ex-professional Stig Broeckx and Annelies Frans (the partner of actor Eric Kerremans) would follow in the new season of 'Bargoens'. Now he also adds the remaining names.

The story of Coline and Sophie speaks to the imagination. "They were born in Guatemala, but grew up after their adoption in Belgium," says Goens. "When they went looking for their biological parents, they discovered that they had been kidnapped as a baby and then sold. This degrading story will cause a stir, because it brings out the biggest adoption scandal of the past decades. "

Goens also visits Jef Dupain. "The fascinating biologist fought in Cameroon and Congo for the survival chances of bonobos." He brought a lot to the light, but as often with whistleblowers, he was put on the street by his employer.

Furthermore, 'Bargoens' brings the story of Stefaan, a divorced father whose ex with the children fled to Poland. "He is desperate, because he has not seen his children for four years, despite a dozen court rulings in his favor. The Polish government shields the mother. And the Belgian government is looking the other way. "

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p06zzk84

The background

Intercountry adoption is often seen as a "two-fly-in-one-blow" solution: it is a possibility for prospective parents to fulfill the desire to have children, and at the same time an opportunity to give children without parents a family. The latter often refers to adoption as a form of child protection, but adoption permanently breaks the relationship between the child and the original family. In case of intercountry adoption a child is also brought to another country. It is therefore a very drastic measure. Therefore, according to Defense for Children, it is extremely cautious to deal with intercountry adoption. However, in practice children are given up for adoption while they could have stayed in their original family or community.

In addition, the right to identity and descent information for internationally adopted children is insufficiently guaranteed. It happens that data is falsified or paper is tampered with, so that children on paper are eligible for intercountry adoption. Furthermore, adoptees do not always have access to their files or information about their origin is missing. It is very complicated for internationally adored children to restore their identity and to find biological family again. Defense for Children wants to work on solutions together with adoptees.

Dutch:

De achtergrond

MORADABAD: Two days after a minor rape survivor gave birth to a baby boy in Meerut Medical College, adoption requests have poured in for the

child. While couples from across the region and Delhi have approached the Moradabad police with adoption requests, the family was not much happy with

the proposal. Senior sub-inspector Jyoti Singh said that couples from Bijnor, Moradabad and Delhi have called her with adoption requests. “A woman from Bijnor called me saying that they don’t have any children and wants to adopt. A businessman from Delhi also rang me up and said that they have three

daughters and now want to adopt a boy.”

Recommended By Colombia

Belgische ouders getuigen over de pijnlijke realiteit van hun adoptiekinderen: “Moeten leven met die gedachte is ondraaglijk”

De nachtmerrie van de Congolese weesjes

04/02/2019 om 02:00

door

pieter huyberechts