Forum: Children's Home Society & Family Services Forums - Ethiopia - New Newsletter is out!!

Children's Home Society & Family Services Forums - Ethiopia - New Newsletter is out!! Author Comment keithandshel Registered: 05/25/08 Posts: 932 01/07/09 at 07:21 PM There's a new newsletter out. It was emailed about an hour ago. According to the newsletter there are 88 children referred right now to 82 families. WOW!:eek: That is way more than I thought, but given that only about 1/3 of the waiters on on "The List" it does add up. Currently, there are 29-30 families on the list with referrals either waiting for court or to pick up their kids. There are 362 families waiting for referral. Anyway, look for the email. I know this was a topic of interest a few days ago. Keith jennicolucci Registered: 02/13/08 Posts: 105 01/07/09 at 07:45 PM Does that mean that those referrals were given out in just Dec./Jan? So, is that about 40 referrals a month? Shannoncl Registered: 07/06/08 Posts: 392 01/07/09 at 08:12 PM am i reading right that they placed only 280 something children in 2008? isn't that down from the last two years? I wonder if this is in effort to relieve pressure on system?? tralo Registered: 08/22/07 Posts: 100 01/07/09 at 08:27 PM Yes, I am also confused about the 88 referrals. Is that part of the 2008 count, or just 2009? Ok, I'll have to e-mail my specialist and get to the bottom of this! JB Registered: 01/09/08 Posts: 766 01/07/09 at 08:31 PM I believe the 88 referrals includes us with 08 referrals. It would be absolutely CRAZY if 88 kids were referred in the past 7 days. OZMom Registered: 12/07/06 Posts: 423 01/07/09 at 08:55 PM When do they stop sending this to a family? We just passed our one-year mark and this is the first one I haven't received... bummer!!!! (maybe I am impatient?) Angie red4raggle Registered: 04/21/08 Posts: 240 01/07/09 at 09:05 PM We're only in our fifth month of waiting, and we didn't get it either...I guess I'll email our specialist. LAllierFamily Registered: 03/31/08 Posts: 276 01/07/09 at 09:08 PM I'm wondering about the Mussie Orphanage in Addis. It says CHS-ET will not operate a foster care center in Addis anymore, but financially and logistically support Mussie. My question is... are they referring to the care centers that CHSET operates when they mention the foster care center, or is this some separate extension CHS that I didn't know about. Just curious what the implications would be if the care centers stopped operating like they do, wondering when (if at all) kids would come into CHS care before we travel), thinking of all the employees at CHS-ET care center that could be affected, I guess... just mulling it all over. Any input? Can someone enlighten me? Thanks. :) sebastianseven Registered: 05/03/07 Posts: 1,163 01/07/09 at 10:31 PM Sara, I was also surprised to see that CHS would no longer be operating their Care Center. It did say that their foster care staff would be integrated into the orphanage. But it is an orphanage, as it says that not all children will be matched for adoption. Does anyone know when this happened? Or if it has happened yet? Gabrielsmom Registered: 06/02/06 Posts: 826 01/07/09 at 10:41 PM I'm really confused by all this new care center v old care center - foster care vs orphanage stuff. I thought Mussie was going to be like a feeder orphanage to the CHSFS care center? And that one benefit of the Ethiopia program was that our children were cared for by CHS Ethiopia staff who were therefore more accountable to CHSFS. Is there anyone out there with a really firm grasp on this who'd mind summarizing? And what happens if a child comes from Hosanna vs coming from Addis Ababa? Will they always go through Mussie? parents2b Registered: 09/30/06 Posts: 795 01/07/09 at 11:19 PM I swear that Mussie is the name of the Care Center. I didn't get the newsletter, but that is very very strange that CHS-ET would no longer be running it. Who would??!? MLadopts Registered: 11/13/07 Posts: 811 01/07/09 at 11:48 PM That newsletter was written so very carefully that it didn't inspire a lot of confidence. Personally, I think these changes are just on paper and that "Mussie" and "CHSFS" and the now-defunct "Bethzatha" are just shell corporations/NGO for the same outfits. Obviously CHSFS has put a lot of effort recently into compartmentalizing different componenets of their identity, like really making distinctions between Minnesota and "CHSFS Ethiopia"--as opposed to "our staff in Ethiopia." My deep concerns are that I wanted a vertically integrated adoption agency, with accountability--accountability from Minnesota--and I think all these layers of corporate identities are a way of shielding that. I visited the Addis "Mussie" -- the building showed in the picture -- not even 3 weeks ago, and nobody even hinted that it was anything other than the CHSFS foster care center. (As I wrote in a previous post, the old care center no longer exists--everyone had moved to the new one, aka Mussie, in late November or early December). All the staff indicated just that the care center had moved. So I really can't see how this is much of a change on the ground. And despite waht they say, I don't have any reason to think they care for any kids other than those in the international adoption pipeline. I also was looking for Bethzatha orphanage in Hossana and nobody knew of an organization of that name. They all knew CHSFS, but not that. I stood right in front of the "Mussey" orphanage down there--and only today learned that is the name change for what was Bethzatha--same outfit--and I was standing in the place my daughter lived. pierniki Registered: 07/18/07 Posts: 767 01/08/09 at 12:01 AM Should I still be getting a newsletter even though Mihret's been home since summer?? MLadopts Registered: 11/13/07 Posts: 811 01/08/09 at 12:12 AM mary, i should think so--adoption doesn't end with placement, and a lot of the newsletter focuses on post-placement. write them and ask to be on the list. Ali Registered: 01/01/06 Posts: 2,021 01/08/09 at 12:16 AM I don't think a lack of accountability to CHSFS is going to be a problem. This is one of those times when I marvel at the complexity of adoptions across the lines of two sovereign nations. nogreaterjoy Registered: 07/04/08 Posts: 634 01/08/09 at 01:02 AM I didnt get the newsletter either, and our son has only been home for 4 weeks! hmmmm....... keithandshel Registered: 05/25/08 Posts: 932 01/08/09 at 01:04 AM The 88 children that are referred refers to children that have been referred, but have not yet been picked up. If you will recall, this includes every referral since court re-opened. Cindy and Roger (nogreaterjoy) are the only ones I know of that have picked up their child since courts re-opened. I think there have been some more, but all of those referrals came either right before or during court closure. The group that is traveling next week received referrals the first week in OCTOBER. So the 88 children that they are referring to includes every child referred in the past 3 months. Hope that helps clarify. Keith keithandshel Registered: 05/25/08 Posts: 932 01/08/09 at 01:06 AM P.S. The newsletter is distributed on behalf of the ET Team, but it actually comes from Kristina. If you want to get it and you don't, I'd advise either talking to your specialist or directly to Kristina Berg. Keith agildenzoph Registered: 03/22/07 Posts: 465 01/08/09 at 01:50 AM I have gotten every newsletter until this one - my girl has been home for 8 months and I love reading them. Hopefully, they are still sending this out to the rest of us! keithandshel Registered: 05/25/08 Posts: 932 01/08/09 at 01:54 AM Check your junk mail. I find stuff in my junk mail folder all the time that gets filtered when it is sent to a distribution list. Keith DaniWestRN Registered: 12/08/05 Posts: 3,659 01/08/09 at 02:06 AM I didn't get this one either and I usually do. ML thanks for you comments. I find all of this very interesting! I also do not understand why CHSFS can not be more forthcoming with how things actually work like some other agencies. keithandshel Registered: 05/25/08 Posts: 932 01/08/09 at 02:31 AM Does everyone know that you can get these updates on CHSFS's website? The new one is not there yet, but all the others are. To access them follow these steps... 1. Login to CHSFS's website using the login you received when you applied. 2. Click on International Adoption 3. Click on Country Specific Forms & Updates 4. Click on Ethiopia Monthly Updates They are all there. Keith nogreaterjoy Registered: 07/04/08 Posts: 634 01/08/09 at 08:41 AM I have no idea if this helps any of you - but, when my husband traveled on Dec. 4th - there were 2 othe families that traveled then to. And, he said there were, at that time, 72 children - and all but one of them had been "matched" with their new families. Since that time, I dont know how many families have traveled, but certainly not enough to bring home 72 children. Just wanted to share what I knew. Gabrielsmom Registered: 06/02/06 Posts: 826 01/08/09 at 08:45 AM ML - thanks for your explanation. I know what you mean about accountability but the only assumption I can make is that having a more compartmentalized pipeline must be what the Ethiopian government is looking for to avoid the possibility of corruption down the line. However, if they're different organizations in name only (and who's to say at this point?), I wonder how it really helps? Ali Registered: 01/01/06 Posts: 2,021 01/08/09 at 09:33 AM Rachel, my assumption is the same as yours -- that in fact, it shouldn't look like a pipeline. So much has changed since the program began -- CHSFS and the others who were in country firsts did so much to enable the development of the necessary infrastructure for international adoption. (I also think the timing is interesting re: the new ngo law, perhaps responding to the same government climate but probably coincidental). Eastiopian Registered: 10/16/08 Posts: 144 01/08/09 at 10:20 AM I would like to get a better explanation of these changes from CHSFS ET. I am going to start by emailing my case worker. I want to know 1) what impact this has on the children first and foremost, then 2) what impact this has on the trained caregivers & who all will be now caring for the children (their training and ratios), 3) the impact this has on accountability and oversight, 4) the advantages and disadvantages this has on CHSFS as a company in Ethiopia. 5) what impact this has on adoptive families via communication, record keeping, life-books, updates, etc. Anything else I can add to my email to my social worker? heather7734 Registered: 02/12/07 Posts: 445 01/08/09 at 03:11 PM I don't have an answer to the question except that WHFC recently had the same thing happen. WHFC is reporting that adoption agencies are no longer allowed to house children who aren't referred. I believe WHFC kids move into their guest house/care center after they pass court. This move is most likely related to the same new law. CHSFS would be able to clarify this better.

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