HOAA - Heart of Adoptions Alliance, Inc.’s Post

Fantastic story in The New York Times about China's decision to end its international adoption program marks the conclusion of a significant chapter, during which over 80,000 Chinese children were adopted by American families. While many families cherish the transformative impact of these adoptions, they acknowledge the program’s complex legacy, including its roots in China's one-child policy and associated abuses. The program, which peaked in the mid-2000s, had also been criticized for instances of child trafficking and inadequate support for children with disabilities. As China shifts its focus, concerns remain about the future of orphans with medical needs and the potential for heightened challenges in reconnecting adoptees with their birth families. #chinainsights #china

We have published a thematic review of regional adoption agencies (RAAs). These agencies are responsible for most of the adoption activity in England. They undertake varying degrees of adoption recruitment and support services on behalf of local authorities. You can read the report here: https://lnkd.in/gAkD_uqz "Ofsted found that the adoption system is still affected by a long-standing shortage of adopters," only 51 years after Jane Rowes finding- hopefully in another 49 year we will have cracked it-in only 100 years Jane Rowe and Lydia Lambert (1973) Children who wait: a study of children needing substitute families London: Association of British Adoption Agencies. 

👉🎉Thank you to everyone who attended our roundtable discussion on inclusive family planning at the #GHPC24 in Nairobi today. Sightsavers is significantly impacting Nigeria through its Inclusive Family Planning Project, which empowers women with disabilities. This initiative addresses challenges such as societal stigma, lack of awareness, and inadequate infrastructure by providing tailored family planning services. Key learnings from the project include: 1️⃣The unique religious dynamics in Kaduna influence participation in inclusive family planning. 2️⃣Involving people with disabilities in designing and delivering services enhances effectiveness. 3️⃣Community drama featuring individuals with disabilities effectively conveys messages. 4️⃣Participants prefer the term "child spacing" over "family planning." This project highlights the need for inclusivity in healthcare and accessible resources for marginalized groups. Together, we can promote equality in family planning!💪💖 #InclusiveHealth #FamilyPlanning #Sightsavers #Empowerment

China Ends International Adoption Program: Implications for Abandoned Children and U.S. Families China has officially ended its international adoption program, which began in the 1990s. This decision, aimed at addressing the country’s declining birthrate, allows only exceptions for relatives adopting children. The move has left hundreds of U.S. families in the middle of the adoption process uncertain about the future. Since 1992, over 160,000 Chinese children have been adopted worldwide, with about half going to the U.S. Adoptions had already slowed due to China’s efforts to boost its birthrate and pandemic restrictions. Reasons Behind China’s Decision to End International Adoption China’s decision is largely driven by its demographic crisis. With a declining birthrate and an aging population, the government hopes to retain children to strengthen the future workforce. Economic growth and improved social safety nets have lessened the need for foreign adoption. Nationalism is another significant factor—China seeks to project an image of self-reliance, demonstrating that it can care for its vulnerable citizens without international help. Ending foreign adoptions reflects a broader effort to bolster China’s image as a self-sufficient and powerful nation. Negative Impacts of the Decision This decision negatively impacts all abandoned children, not just those with disabilities. Both healthy and disabled children face fewer adoption opportunities, as domestic families are often reluctant to adopt due to financial and cultural reasons. U.S. families had been providing these children with homes, medical care, and supportive environments. Without international adoption, many of these children will remain in under-resourced orphanages, facing inadequate care, social isolation, and fewer chances for development. The decision could overwhelm China’s welfare system, leaving these children without the family life and support they once found abroad. While China’s efforts to strengthen domestic care are commendable, the potential harm to abandoned children should not be ignored. #ChinaAdoption #InternationalAdoption #ChildWelfare #AdoptionProcess #FamilySupport #GlobalAdoption #OrphanCare #DisabledChildren #AdoptDontShop #AdoptionCrisis #ChildrensRights #GlobalFamilies #AdoptionPolicy #DomesticAdoption #ChildProtection #AdoptionNews #WelfareSystem #AdoptiveFamilies #AdoptionImpact #ChinaPolicy

First, this are child care institutions and not "orphanages. The policy "Deinstitutionalisation" under the Guidelines on Alternative Care for Children is now really being implemented. Strict time limits for declaring children fit for #adoption. Guardians/ relatives can also be declared "unfit', now and the children be given for adoption. Domestic and intercountry adoption. The Guidelines were developed by International Social Service (ISS), SOS Children's Villages International; Better Care Network and of course United States led UNICEF Hope and Homes for Children. Lumos and others promote and train based on these guidelines. https://lnkd.in/drtGwqcG

Some may have already heard the news that the Chinese Government has unexpectedly stopped all international adoptions since the end of August. Most recently international adoption from China has been focused on children with special needs and in the last few years there has been a slow down in the number of adoptions. Despite the slowdown, there are children who were expecting to join an adoptive family and the families that were waiting for their adoption to be finalized. These adoptions will no longer be moving forward. This news is devastating and heartbreaking. We wish to share two articles that highlight some of the changes and the implications of the policy change. https://lnkd.in/gUdwv5XA https://lnkd.in/gjSKH945 #afhk #hongkong #adoptivefamiliesofhongkong #adoptioninhongkong #adoptionsupport #adoptionresources 

I had the privilege of being part of this mission alongside NORFIL Foundation Inc. and dedicated stakeholders in the #Philippines to uncover and highlight some incredible best practices in supporting #ChildrenWithDisabilities. From robust #Gatekeeping measures that prevent #UnnecessaryInstitutionalization to #Innovative and #CommunityLed initiatives fostering #FamilyReintegration, the Philippines is setting a high bar for #InclusiveCare. 🙌 🔑 Key Highlights and Best Practices 🔑 1️⃣ 🏘️Community-Led Initiatives: The Philippines excels in community-driven approaches, ensuring that support systems are deeply rooted in local barangays, and creating sustainable programmes that resonate with the communities they serve. 2️⃣ 🏛️Local Government Support: Mandates for local government units (LGUs) to establish Persons with Disabilities Affairs Offices (PDAO) across provinces, cities, and municipalities create a strong network of support for promoting inclusivity and preventing institutionalization. 3️⃣ 📚Inclusive Education Gatekeeping: Rigorous gatekeeping measures ensure that inclusive education is accessible to all CwD, with thorough assessments to confirm schools are fully equipped and supportive of their needs before mainstreaming. 4️⃣ 🔍Rigorous Screening for Institutional Placement: A comprehensive screening process ensures all possible family- and community-based care options are explored before a child is placed in an institution, making institutionalization a last resort. 5️⃣ ✔️Licensed Child Care Agencies (CCA): Child care agencies must be licensed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), ensuring high standards of care, accountability, and a safe environment for children. 6️⃣ Parent and Volunteer-Led Organizations: 🎓Kaisaka Inc. - Parent-led, providing “transition classes” for CwD to prepare for mainstream schooling. 👏Las Piñas Persons with Disability Federation Inc. - A volunteer-led group developing a guide on good practices for community-based enrichment programmes for CwD. 7️⃣ 💡NORFIL Foundation Inc.: A standout partner organization leading the way with a holistic approach to #childwelfare from school assessments to their “BodyTalk” Sexual Reproductive Health Programme and running Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and Partnership for Inclusive Development (PFID) programmes. As we strive to turn these recommendations into action, I am hopeful that these efforts will inspire long-term, sustainable changes for children with disabilities. 🌟For those passionate about #FamilyReunification, #DisabilityInclusion, and #ChildProtection, I highly recommend diving into this publication. Join us in making a difference. Invest in the future of our children #Asia today. #CommunityEngagement #BestPractices #Philippines #InclusiveEducation #SocialImpact #ChildrensRights #SocialWorkers #ChildDevelopment #EarlyIntervention #ChildrenInNeed

The Changing Landscape of International Adoption FULL VIDEO: https://lnkd.in/gt3deJfX Follow us: https://lnkd.in/dgdVVveY https://lnkd.in/dS2CRBBN #cos #conventionofstates #conventionofstatesnow Discover why international adoption has become more difficult in recent years and the impact it has on children in need. Join our discussion with Jordan as we explore the reasons behind the decrease in international adoptions and potential solutions to address this issue. #InternationalAdoption #AdoptionChallenges #ChildrenInNeed #AdoptionSolutions #AdoptionProcess #AdoptionStatistics #AdoptionSupport #AdoptionAwareness #ChildWelfare #AdoptionReform

South China Morning Post SCMP unravels the complex story of China’s international #adoptions: ➡️ Beijing has offered no clear explanation for its decision to overturn the three-decade-old foreign adoption programme, which was deeply entwined with the strict enforcement of the one-child policy that ran between 1979 and 2015. ➡️ The first foreign adoptions began in the 1980s as China began opening up to the outside world. More than 160,000 Chinese children have been adopted across the world since the process was formalised in 1992, according to China’s Children International, an organisation for adoptees founded in the US. This century alone, more than 82,000 children were adopted by American families – according to the US State Department – more than any other country. ➡️ China suspended all foreign adoptions in 2020 after Covid hit. Though it later resumed processing applications for children who had already been authorised to travel abroad, just 16 were adopted by American families in the 12 months to September 2023, according to US statistics ➡️ A children’s welfare specialist speaking on condition of anonymity said that many in China, including some officials and child welfare staff, opposed international adoptions in the belief that sending children – particularly disabled or sick ones abroad – could harm the country’s image and reputation. ➡️ China is currently struggling with the impact of a rapidly ageing society and declining working age population, but Huang said banning foreign adoptions would do little to solve these problems because the numbers involved were negligible compared with the overall size of the population. ➡️ The Chinese public has also become increasingly hostile to the process because many believe the Americans have “ulterior motives” for adopting children, according to Luo Xin, who runs a programme that has helped over a hundred American families who adopted Chinese children with special needs. “They accused the Americans of collecting Chinese genes, using children as labour, sex slavery, or training them as spies.” ➡️ Cosette Eisenhauer-Epp, who was born in Guangdong and adopted by a family in Texas in 2002, said she was worried that the change would make it harder for Chinese adoptees to go back to China. But Eisenhauer-Epp, the co-founder of the advocacy network Navigating Adoption, also said many adoptees struggled with feelings of abandonment and missing a piece of their identity and she felt glad children would grow up in their birth culture without “feeling forced to assimilate”. ‘Like losing a child’: the cost of China’s sudden international adoption ban https://lnkd.in/eivFzXcN

Child rights are crucial for a stronger EU 🇪🇺 .     With Ursula von der Leyen re-elected as President of European Commission, UNICEF calls for sustained commitment to the #ChildRights agenda and the continued implementation of the EUs #ChildRights Strategy. #EUelections2024 #ChildRights #ForEveryChild #VoteForChildren Eurochild Lidia Giglio World Vision EU Representation Save the Children Europe Missing Children Europe Emilio Puccio SOS Children's Villages International