Tuesday’s earthquake has thrown U.S. families trying to bring home their children into a state of uncertainty. Many are finding themselves in a desperate search for answers about how their children, that they are in the process of adopting, are faring. Some fear that paperwork, which can take months or years, may be buried or lost in crumpled buildings, stalling or halting the adoption.
Unlike adoptions in many other countries, where parents learn the identities of their children rather late in the process, Haitian adoptions typically match parents up with children near the beginning. That gives parents the opportunity to travel to Haiti multiple times during the adoption process to spend time with their children and bond with them.
The waiting game had been hard enough before Tuesday’s earthquake, with parents worrying daily about malnourished sons and daughters they had already come to know quite well. But since the earthquake, many have no way of knowing whether their children are alive or dead.
For parents who have gotten word that their children are still alive, the worries are far from over. They’re terrified that food and water supplies will run out for their already compromised kids, and they’re filled with dread that the lengthy and cumbersome adoption process in Haiti is about to become much longer.
The U.S. State Department said that it is working with the Department of Homeland Security to determine how to handle the cases of the 254 Haitian children who are in the process of being adopted into U.S. homes. Adopting parents can send their information, including the names of their children and orphanages, to AskCI@state.gov, so the State Department has a good way to contact parents. Click for more information on the adoption process in Haiti.
For people interested in Haiti adoption, the State Department issued the following statement on the issue:
The State Department has received calls from Americans offering to open their homes and adopt Haitian children in need.
It is extremely difficult in circumstances such as this to determine whether children who appear to be orphans are eligible for adoption. Children may be temporarily separated from parents and other family. It is particularly difficult to fulfill the U.S. and local requirements for legal adoption when civil authority is handicapped in its ability ensure the best interests of children and their families have been protected. For now, U.S. citizens can best help the children of Haiti through financial contribution to the relief effort.
Adoptions from Haiti make up a fraction of international adoptions to the United States each year, but the number has been growing steadily as countries such as China and Guatemala have slowed or closed to international adoption in recent years. The U.S. State Department issued 330 immigrant visas to Haitian children last year, up from 96 in 1999.
The whole mess in Haiti is such a tragedy, I wish there was more we could do.
indeed, what happened to Haiti is a very critical situation. adoption is just one of the option. it is very important that people in there work hand in hand.
I didn’t realize there were many people adopting from this country before the quake. I knew many were being adopted from Russia, but am surprised to learn Haiti was a hot spot for this.
The Quake has surely made a mess of many things, so many suffering.
Sandy
.-= sandy´s last blog ..Train Travel =-.
I cannot find a “contact” link so I am putting this in the form of a comment. CNN has posted a horrible story today (as bad as that Orphan movie trailer) about a ranch for “disturbed adoptees”. It is very sensationalized and presents an unfair and stereotyped view of adoption. (where is the article about disturbed bio kids?) Could you please as your members to call or write to CNN in protest? Here is the link:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2010/02/17/tuchman.adoption.ranch.cnn?hpt=C2
Isn’t it terrible for those people! Not knowing where your child is and then not even being to take it home and sit at home waiting for paperwork to be found to complete the adoption procedure!
.-= Frank Zweegers´s last blog ..De geschiedenis van het stilleven =-.