Expert explains how war-time crisis is a difficult time to consider adoption

Children's Home Society and Lutheran Social Service say the organization has received many calls from folks inquiring about taking in Ukrainian children.

ST PAUL, Minn. — Reactions to what's happening in Ukraine from an adoption agency's point of view are not unique.

"During times of disaster and war and famine, there's a lot of people who have, like you said, good natured hearts, willingness to help out and are calling us to see if there's a need for adoption in terms of the children who are in the Ukraine," said Heidi Wiste, the president of Children's Home Society and the vice president of adoption for Lutheran Social Service.

Wiste said ever since war broke out in Ukraine, they've received calls.

"We see families really wanting to do well, wanting to reach out and wanting to help, and what we're asking right now is that families understand that there's a lot of steps that have to happen," Wiste explained. "We know children have been displaced from family members, possibly separated to seek safety and we want to make sure time allows for Ukraine to determine where the children are at, families, supporting reunification with family that exists over there."

Because of the difficulties of accurate documentation, the lack of ability for the government to verify those documents and the ongoing issue of safety, Wiste said she knows adoptions in progress from Ukraine have been stopped.

"Having been in touch with our partners and national organizations that are supporting these families, is that families connected to children and planning for adoption from Ukraine prior to the war have now halted," she said. "We know that they are in close contact with their agencies and they are determining the next steps for their particular match."

And this will likely be on pause for a while.

"I think we see typically a timeline of two years, we know it takes countries time to reestablish their systems and time to look at the children that are in the country, what needs there are, reunification efforts for other family options and so it takes time," Wiste said. "When we see war and tragedies end, it takes time before we can see other systems resuming."

In the meantime, Wiste said she is encouraging families who have decided on adoption not to give up on adoption itself.

"At children's home we have 11 country programs and so we're reminding people there are other international country programs they can explore, as well as the 641 children in Minnesota in need of permanency in our ongoing need for adoptive and foster families," Wiste said.