Video INTERVIU - Ambasadorul Susan Jacobs: Ar fi rezonabil? deschiderea în România a adop?iei interna?ionale pentru copiii cu ne

Video INTERVIEW - Ambassador Susan Jacobs: It would be reasonable

opening in Romania of international adoption for children with

special needs - PHOTO, VIDEO

It would be reasonable for Romania to reopen international adoption for children who do not find a home, those with special needs, older people

or with several siblings, says US Ambassador Susan Jacobs, a special adviser on child issues, in an interview with MEDIAFAX.

1381 views

Ambassador Susan Jacobs, who lived in Romania between 1995 and 1997, returned to Bucharest to discuss with Romanian officials about

the possibility of reopening international adoptions. She met with Government officials dealing with the child's problems, but also with

representatives of non-governmental organizations in the field.

Susan Jacobs believes that solutions should be found for those children who do not find an adoptive family in Romania and says that it would be logical to

use the same serious criteria as in the country's adoptions to find them suitable families internationally. In the ambassador's opinion

Susan Jacobs, this would allow those children to live in a family, to have the love of a permanent home.

The special adviser on children's issues, within the US State Department, also says that of the 5,000 children adopted in

Romania, 500 could be adopted internationally if the procedure were reopened, because, under the current conditions, "there are very few families

which would meet the criteria of international adoption of the Romanian state ".

Reporter: The United States opposed the prohibition of international adoptions in Romania, since the law was passed, in 2005. How

explain this interest from the United States of America to adopt children from Romania.

Susan Jacobs: It's a very interesting question, thank you for it. I think a lot of Americans are interested in adoptions from all countries

world. In fact, over the last 20 years, Americans have adopted 250,000 children from all countries of the world, and Romania is one of the states where

Americans used to adopt and I think they would be interested in doing it again.

Reporter: Romania has partially reopened international adoptions since 2012, with amendments to the law last year. On the other hand, the number

the number of children in placement centers decreased from 10 to 15 years ago. What do you think would change for the children in the placement centers, if

would international adoptions completely reopen?

Susan Jacobs: From the discussions we had with officials in Romania, there are around 5,000 adoptable children at this time. From a total of

58,000 children in a special form of protection is a small number. Of the 5,000, only 500 are adoptable outside the country, but they are

very few families that would meet the international adoption criteria of the Romanian state. The problem is that we leave a lot of children in child care centers

placement, when they could have the love of a permanent home.

Reporter: What do you think Romania should do in this regard?

Susan Jacobs: Romania has come a long way from the time I lived here, between 1995-1997. I think Romania has made some very good laws

In the meantime, it has established very clear procedures to protect children, but in all countries we will find children who cannot find a home in their own.

country and I think it would be logical to use the same serious criteria used in adoptions in Romania, to find families for them at the level

international. This would allow these children to live within a family.

Reporter: Poverty is the main reason why children are abandoned in Romania. Do not think that the opening of international adoptions would be in

to the detriment of efforts to support families to raise their children?

Susan Jacobs: I think it's very important for governments to support the family. I consider a child to be the best in his family and

I believe that every government has a responsibility towards its citizens to protect their children and their families. But, as I said before, sometimes it's not

possible, sometimes the parents die, the little ones have no other relatives in life. Studies have shown that those children who grow up in placement centers do not develop as well

those who live in a family. So it is very important for governments to help their children find a family. It's about taking a baby and

to find the best family to have a loving and permanent home.

Reporter: Officially, Romania blocked international adoptions to prevent child trafficking. Consider that there were other reasons to stay

the basis of this decision?

Susan Jacobs: I think there are probably several reasons why a country makes such a decision, I think, on the one hand, they think that somewhere in

system there is abuse. Romania has greatly strengthened its system, strengthened the measures for the protection of the child, which helps protect and keep them in the

safety. Officials could also regulate international adoptions, and we would work with them on this chapter to find the best homes for

these kids. I think there can always be this concern for a child, that it could be abused. For example, we in the United States before

we allow a family to adopt a child, we do a detailed check of the future parents, the home they have, they check their past and only then

they are given permission to adopt a child living in another country.

Reporter: Since the international adoptions were partially opened in 2012, only a few such adoptions have been made. What Romania should do,

what would be the solution to have a good monitoring of the children after they were adopted in other countries?

Susan Jacobs: That's a very good question. The United States adopts through adoption agencies. Romania should accredit them, to

work in Romania, and the rules would be set by the officials here. For example, if Romania wants, it could request these accredited agencies

certain monitoring reports, after the adoption has been finalized. Romania could request these reports from the agencies, and they should provide them

all the data, and if they did not do so, Romania could prohibit them from activating here. Now, in the United States, every agency is accredited

of The Hague and comply with the standards of the Hague Convention. Romania and the United States are partner countries in the Hague Convention and, as a result,

there are all regulations for well-established international adoptions. But each country regulates its adoption process, and if Romania would

decides to open further international adoptions, could set clear rules, and if they are not followed, then adoption would no longer be

take place.

Reporter: There were reports saying that the United States of America did not raise visas for Romanians due to blocking international adoption.

Is there a possibility that the US would become more flexible on this subject if international adoptions were reopened?

Susan Jacobs: No, these two topics are unrelated. One is about national security and the other about the good of the children, so there are two topics

very different. I think the US just wants the good of this country, to be prosperous, secure and we want all the children in Romania to find a home

loving and permanent.

Reporter: What recommendations would you make to Romania regarding the legislation, in order to change the fate of these children?

Susan Jacobs: I think it's reasonable to open up adoptions for those kids who can't find a home, for those with special needs, who are more

or in cases where there are more siblings. If the procedure were open to these children, I think it would help a lot. They could

he was leaving the placement centers and would have a better chance of a good, prosperous and loving life.

There were voices claiming that the adoption legislation is very stubborn and that there were many families who dropped out of this process.

Cause. What would be your recommendation in this regard?

Susan Jacobs: In our discussions with government officials there were proposals that would make this process more efficient and faster. I think it is

it is very important for these children to leave the placement centers as soon as possible, as demonstrated by the Bucharest Early Intervention study

Project (BEIP), which pursued, for 16 years, children who lived in institutions and children who lived in families. Difference in brain development

is huge and shows that these children from placement centers do not develop as fast and at the same rate, and their emotional evolution would be entirely

another if they were raised in a family. The key word is "family", the place of a child is in a family, but each country has to decide which one

the best way he can do that. In general, the best method is for them to be moved out of the institutional system as soon as possible.

You have to work with the family, intervene in helping the family to grow them and, if you can't, then the state has to find another family to help

can do this in the shortest time possible

Reporter: There were discussions, in 2001, regarding certain pressures that were made on Romania regarding the closure of adoptions

as a condition for accession to the European Union.

Susan Jacobs: I heard the same thing.

Reporter: Why do you think this happened?

Susan Jacobs: I think there were voices in the European Union that opposed international adoptions. But I also know that there are countries that do such

adoptions, neighbors of Romania, for example. I think it is a problem of each country, I think that every country, regardless of the union of which it is a member, must

decide what is best for her children. This is the Hague Convention, about how we respect the interests of the child. And the interest

the child is that of being in a family.

Romanian:

Video INTERVIU - Ambasadorul Susan Jacobs: Ar fi rezonabil?

deschiderea în România a adop?iei interna?ionale pentru copiii cu

nevoi speciale - FOTO, VIDEO

Ar fi rezonabil ca România s? redeschid? adop?ia interna?ional? pentru copiii care nu-?i g?sesc un c?min, cei cu nevoi speciale, cu vârst? mai mare

sau cu mai mul?i fra?i, spune ambasadorul american Susan Jacobs, consilier special pentru problemele copilului, într-un interviu acordat MEDIAFAX.

1381 afi??ri

Ambasadorul Susan Jacobs, care a locuit în România între anii 1995-1997, a revenit la Bucure?ti pentru a discuta cu oficialii români despre

posibilitatea redeschiderii adop?iilor interna?ionale. Aceasta s-a întâlnit cu oficiali din Guvern care se ocup? de problemele copilului, dar ?i cu

reprezentan?i ai organiza?iilor neguvernamentale din domeniu.

Susan Jacobs consider? c? trebuie g?site solu?ii pentru acei copii care nu-?i g?sesc o familie adoptiv? în România ?i spune c? ar fi logic s? se

foloseasc? acelea?i criterii serioase ca ?i la adop?iile din ?ar? pentru a le g?si acestora familii potrivite la nivel interna?ional. În opinia ambasadorului

Susan Jacobs, acest lucru ar permite ca acei copii s? tr?iasc? într-o familie, s? aib? dragostea unui c?min permanent.

Consilierul special pe problemele copiilor, din cadrul Departamentului de Stat al SUA, mai spune c? dintre cei 5.000 de copii adoptabili în

România, 500 ar putea fi adopta?i interna?ional dac? procedura ar fi redeschis?, deoarece, în condi?iile actuale, "sunt foarte pu?ine familii

care ar corespunde criteriilor de adop?ie interna?ional? ale statului român".

Reporter: Statele Unite s-au împotrivit interzicerii adop?iilor interna?ionale din România, înc? de când s-a dat legea respectiv?, în anul 2005. Cum

explica?i acest interes din partea Statelor Unite ale Americii în a adopta copii din România.

Susan Jacobs: Este o întrebare foarte interesant?, v? mul?umesc pentru ea. Cred c? foarte mul?i americani sunt interesa?i de adop?ii din toate ??rile

lumii. De altfel, în ultimii 20 de ani, americanii au adoptat 250.000 de copii din toate ??rile lumii, iar România este unul dintre statele de unde

americanii obi?nuiau s? adopte ?i cred c? ar fi interesa?i s? o fac? din nou.

Reporter: România a redeschis par?ial adop?iile interna?ionale începând cu anul 2012, cu modific?ri aduse legii anul trecut. Pe de alt? parte, num?rul

copiilor din centrele de plasament a sc?zut fa?? de acum 10 sau 15 ani. Ce considera?i c? s-ar schimba pentru copiii din centrele de plasament, dac?

adop?iile interna?ionale s-ar redeschide complet?

Susan Jacobs: Din discu?iile pe care le-am avut cu oficiali din România, sunt în jur de 5.000 de copii adoptabili în acest moment. Dintr-un total de

58.000 de copii care se afl? într-o form? de protec?ie special?, este un num?r mic. Dintre cei 5.000, doar 500 sunt adoptabili în afara ??rii, îns? sunt

foarte pu?ine familii care ar corespunde criteriilor de adop?ie interna?ional? ale statului român. Problema este c? l?s?m foarte mul?i copii în centre de

plasament, când ei ar putea avea dragostea unui c?min permanent.

Reporter: Ce considera?i c? ar trebui s? fac? România în acest sens?

Susan Jacobs: România a ajuns foarte departe fa?? de perioada în care eu am locuit aici, între anii 1995-1997. Cred c? România a dat ni?te legi foarte

bune între timp, a stabilit foarte clar ni?te proceduri pentru a proteja copiii, îns? în toate ??rile vom g?si copii care nu-?i g?sesc un c?min în propria lor

?ar? ?i consider c? ar fi logic s? folose?ti acelea?i criterii serioase care se folosesc la adop?iile în România, pentru a g?si familii pentru ei la nivel

interna?ional. Acest lucru ar permite ca ace?ti copii s? tr?iasc? în sânul unei familii.

Reporter: Motivul principal pentru care în România sunt abandona?i copii este s?r?cia. Nu crede?i c? deschiderea adop?iilor interna?ionale ar fi în

detrimentul eforturilor depuse pentru a sus?ine familiile s?-?i creasc? ele copiii?

Susan Jacobs: Cred c? este foarte important pentru guverne s? sprijine familia. Consider c? unui copil îi este cel mai bine în sânul familiei sale ?i

consider c? fiecare guvern are o responsabilitate fa?? de cet??enii ei s? protejeze copiii ?i familiile lor. Dar, a?a cum am mai spus, uneori nu este

posibil, uneori p?rin?ii mor, cei mici nu au alte rude în via??. Studiile au ar?tat c? acei copii care cresc în centre de plasament nu se dezvolt? la fel ca

cei care tr?iesc într-o familie. Deci este foarte important pentru guverne s?-i ajute pe copii s?-?i g?seasc? o familie. Este vorba despre a lua un copil ?i

a-i g?si cea mai bun? familie, pentru a putea s? aib? un c?min iubitor ?i permanent.

Reporter: Oficial, România a blocat adop?iile interna?ionale pentru a împiedica traficul de copii. Considera?i c? au existat ?i alte motive care au stat la

baza acestei decizii?

Susan Jacobs: Cred c?, probabil, exist? mai multe motive pentru care o ?ar? ia o asemenea decizie, cred c?, pe de o parte, consider? c? undeva în

sistem exist? abuz. România ?i-a înt?rit foarte mult sistemul, a înt?rit m?surile pentru protec?ia copilului, care ajut? s?-i protejeze ?i s?-i ?in? în

siguran??. Tot oficialii ar putea reglementa adop?iile interna?ionale, iar noi am lucra cu ei la acest capitol, pentru a g?si cele mai bune c?mine pentru

ace?ti copii. Cred c? întotdeauna poate s? existe aceast? îngrijorare pentru un copil, c? ar putea fi abuzat. De exemplu, noi, în Statele Unite, înainte s?

permitem unei familii s? adopte un copil, facem o verificare detaliat? a viitorilor p?rin?i, a c?minului pe care îl au, se verific? trecutul lor ?i abia apoi

acestora li se d? permisiunea de a adopta un copil care tr?ie?te într-o alt? ?ar?.

Reporter: De când s-au deschis par?ial adop?iile interna?ionale, în anul 2012, s-au f?cut doar câteva astfel de adop?ii. Ce ar trebui s? fac? România,

care ar fi solu?ia pentru a avea o monitorizare bun? a copiilor dup? ce au fost adopta?i în alte ??ri?

Susan Jacobs: Este o întrebare foarte bun?. Statele Unite fac adop?ii prin intermediul agen?iilor de adop?ie. România ar trebui s? le acrediteze, s?

lucreze în România, iar regulile ar fi stabilite de oficialii de aici. De exemplu, dac? România vrea, ar putea s? solicite acestor agen?ii acreditate

anumite rapoarte de monitorizare, dup? ce adop?ia a fost finalizat?. România ar putea solicita aceste rapoarte agen?iilor, iar acestea ar trebui s? le ofere

toate datele, iar dac? nu ar face acest lucru, România le-ar putea interzice s? mai activeze aici. Acum, în Statele Unite, fiecare agen?ie este acreditat?

de Haga ?i respect? standardele Conven?iei de la Haga. România ?i Statele Unite sunt ??ri partenere în Conven?ia de la Haga ?i, datorit? acestui fapt,

exist? toate reglement?rile pentru adop?iile interna?ionale bine stabilite. Îns? fiecare ?ar? î?i reglementeaz? procesul de adop?ie, iar dac? România ar

decide s? deschid? mai departe adop?iile interna?ionale, ar putea stabili ni?te reguli clare, iar dac? acestea nu sunt respectate, atunci adop?ia nu ar mai

avea loc.

Reporter: Au existat rapoarte care spuneau c? Statele Unite ale America nu au ridicat vizele pentru români din cauza bloc?rii adop?iei interna?ionale.

Exist? posibilitatea ca SUA s? devin? mai flexibile în ceea ce prive?te acest subiect, dac? adop?iile interna?ionale ar fi redeschise?

Susan Jacobs: Nu, aceste dou? subiecte nu au leg?tur?. Unul este despre securitatea na?ional?, iar altul despre binele copiilor, deci sunt dou? subiecte

foarte diferite. Cred c? SUA doresc doar binele acestei acestei ??ri, s? fie prosper?, sigur? ?i vrem ca to?i copiii din România s?-?i g?seasc? un c?min

iubitor ?i permanent.

Reporter: Ce recomand?ri a?i face României în ceea ce prive?te legisla?ia, pentru a schimba soarta acestor copii?

Susan Jacobs: Cred c? este rezonabil s? deschide?i adop?iile pentru acei copii care nu-?i g?sesc un c?min, pentru cei cu nevoi speciale, care sunt mai

mari sau pentru cazurile în care sunt mai mul?i fra?i. Dac? procedura ar fi deschis? pentru ace?ti copii, cred c? ar ajuta foarte mult. Ace?tia ar putea

pleca din centrele de plasament ?i ar avea o ?ans? mai mare la o via?? bun?, prosper? ?i plin? de iubire.

Reporter exista voci care au sus?inut c? legisla?ia adop?iilor este foarte stufoas? ?i c? au fost multe familii care au renun?at, pe parcurs, din aceast?

cauz?. Care ar fi recomandarea dumneavoastr? în aceast? privin???

Susan Jacobs: În discu?iile noastre cu oficiali din Guvern au existat propuneri care ar face acest proces mai eficient ?i mai rapid. Consider c? este

foarte important ca ace?ti copii s? p?r?seasc? centrele de plasament cât mai repede, lucru demonstrat ?i de studiul Bucharest Early Intervention

Project (BEIP), care a urm?rit, timp de 16 ani, copii care au locuit în institu?ii ?i copii care au tr?it în familii. Diferen?a la nivelul dezvolt?rii cerebrale

este enorm? ?i arat? c? ace?ti copii din centre de plasament nu se dezvolt? la fel de repede ?i în acela?i ritm, iar evolu?ia lor emo?ional? ar fi cu totul

alta dac? ar fi crescu?i într-o familie. Cuvântul cheie este «familie», locul unui copil este într-o familie, dar fiecare ?ar? trebuie s? decid? care este cea

mai bun? modalitate prin care poate s? fac? asta. În general, cea mai bun? metod? este ca ei s? fie muta?i cât mai repede din sistemul institu?ional.

Trebuie lucrat cu familia, se intervine în ajutorarea familiei pentru a-i cre?te ?i, dac? nu se poate, atunci statul trebuie s? g?seasc? o alt? familie care s?

poat? face acest lucru, în cel mai scurt timp posibil.

Reporter: Au existat discu?ii, în anul 2001, în ceea ce prive?te anumite presiuni care s-au f?cut asupra României cu privire la închiderea adop?iilor

interna?ionale ca fiind o condi?ie pentru aderarea la Uniunea European?.

Susan Jacobs: Am auzit acela?i lucru.

Reporter: De ce crede?i c? s-a întâmplat acest lucru?

Susan Jacobs: Cred c? existau voci în Uniunea European? care se opunea adop?iilor interna?ionale. Dar mai ?tiu c? exist? ??ri care fac astfel de

adop?ii, vecinii României, de exemplu. Cred c? este o problem? a fiec?rei ??ri, cred c? fiecare ?ar?, indiferent de uniunea din care face parte, trebuie s?

decid? care este cel mai bun lucru pentru copiii ei. Despre asta este Conven?ia de la Haga, despre cum respect?m interesul copilului. Iar interesul

copilului este acela de a fi într-o familie