13 Apr 2011
Association Meeting for Crèche (orphanage) Directors
Posted by Dixie

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(sorry this is so long, but there is a lot of information and I feel strongly about some of these issues!)

There are more than 100 registered orphanages that are licensed for international adoptions in Haiti. Orphanages that are licensed for adoptions are called Crèches. We only had about 15 orphanages represented at the meeting. You would think that all crèche directors would be interested in influencing the new adoption law since it is going to affect them a lot. I was the only foreigner at the meeting. I think that is really sad that more directors will not take the time to come and voice what they think about this law.

Each law in Haiti must be voted on and passed by the House of Deputies and the Senate. Then it becomes law after passed and published. We went through the proposed law that was voted on and passed by the Deputies here in Haiti. We looked at each and every article in the law. There was a lot of discussion and we compared what was voted on with the law that was first proposed. There are some problems with this law. Errors that need to be corrected. Some of the wording is not acceptable but when you go back to the original proposed law, this law seems to be much better.

The association is inviting all of the Senators to a reception next week at a local restaurant/hotel to present the changes we would like to see in the proposed law. Many of the Senators are new and might know very little about adoptions. We want to educate them BEFORE they take the law to a vote. We want them to understand what adoptions mean to all of the relinquished orphans in Haiti. We also want them to understand that licensed orphanages are following a legal process and we must follow that process for a legal adoption.

The second thing the association will do is hold a press conference and educate the Haitian public about orphanages and adoptions. The public here believes whatever they hear on the radio. UNICEF, Save the Children, IBESR are not afraid to go to the press. They release information to journalists continually. They go on the radio trying to win over the public to their cause. We must do the same. We have to educate the public to realize that sometimes adoption is the answer for a child’s situation. None of us think that every time adoption is the best answer. But if nothing works to keep the family unified, it should be considered. And the public in Haiti needs to know what adoption really means. Many of our parents that come to the orphanage have been told stories by their neighbors and friends and think what they have been told is the absolute truth no matter what we tell them!

Some good things in the law if the Senate doesn’t change them:

1. A couple must be married 5 years if not married, then have lived together as a couple for 10 years. (the law does not mention age)

2. If one member of a couple is over 30 years old, then it says they can adopt without length of marriage being a problem. (we think this part will be changed and we want it to read if there is documented infertility. None of the directors were in favor of a newly married couple adopting.)

3. NOTHING IS MENTIONED ABOUT NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN A FAMILY!!!! It just says priority consideration is given to couples with no biological children, but if a couple has biological children then children over 8 years old within the family must give their consent to their parents adopting another child. (LET’S PRAY THIS IS LEFT IN!)

4. Single women and men can adopt if they are widowed or divorced and at least 35 years old. (We are going to ask the senators to change this to read SINGLE, WIDOWED, OR DIVORCED)

We need to pray that the law isn’t changed too much and only improved in places. If the Senators change anything, the proposed law then needs to go back into the House of Deputies to vote on the changes made.

There is an urgency about making the associations’ wishes known to the senators because the talk is that they will be voting sometime in May! May is not very far away and we have a lot of things to do in very little time.

We also need to educate the Senators and Deputies about the Hague Convection and what it would mean to Haiti and adoptions. I am afraid that UNICEF will push the Haitian government to ratify the convention without being prepared for the changes required by Haitian Social Services. Haiti is still very much in recovery from the earthquake and there is no way we can prepare for the Hague regulations yet!

It took the USA 10 years to get ready to ratify the Hague. Haiti needs more than a few months! It would be a disaster if they ratified it before they are ready.

Pray for wisdom for Haitian Senators and Deputies for all things but especially for the proposed Adoption Law and concerning the Hague Convention. I pray they will do their own research and not just accept what UNICEF or even what the association tells them. I also pray they actually think of all of the children in orphanages sitting, waiting, crying, for a “forever” family!