Ukraine: Missing Post Adoption Report Notice

This Adoption Notice is a reminder to adoption service providers and adoptive parents of Ukraine’s post-adoption reporting requirements. In accordance with the Ukrainian Family Code, all parents who adopt children from Ukraine must provide post-adoption reports every year for the first three years after the adoption is finalized, and then once every three years until the child turns 18. This reporting must include information on the general welfare, education, upbringing, and health of the child. For more information about the contents of the reports, please visit the Ministry for Foreign Affair’s web page. You may also access the report from this link.

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NOTICE FOR LATVIA ADOPTIVE FAMILIES: Post Adoption Reports

NOTICE: Latvia – Post Adoption Reports

This Alert Supersedes the Alert Issued on November 17, 2016

The Ministry of Welfare has informed the Department that they are still missing post-adoption reports from U.S. families who adopted children from Latvia. The Ministry has urged the Department to stress the importance of post-adoption report submission to adoption service providers and adoptive families. For this reason, the Department strongly urges you to comply with Latvia’s post-adoption requirements. Compliance with Latvia’s post-adoption reporting requirements would also contribute to an understanding of the positive impact that intercountry adoption has for children from Latvia who are living in the United States.

Latvian law requires that two post-adoption reports be submitted: one after the first year following the adoption and one after the second year. Reports should be notarized and contain an Apostille certification. Two extra months are allowed for translation and submission of the report. Post-adoption reports must be submitted with a translation in Latvian. The reports can be conducted by the adoptive family’s adoption service provider or the appropriate child welfare officials in the state where the child resides.

The reports must be submitted to the Latvian Ministry of Welfare by mail:
Latvian Adoption Authority
Children and Family Policy Department
Ministry of Welfare
28 Skolas St.
Riga, Latvia, LV-1331

If your report will not arrive by November 1, please also send an electronic version to the following email address, while the hard copy is in route: lm@lm.gov.lv.

Please continue to monitor travel.state.gov for updated information on adoption in Latvia

KEEP THE PROMISE 2017!

The Office of Children’s Issues at the U.S. Department of State has declared May 15^th Post-Adoption Report Day. It’s an opportunity to highlight the importance that parents who have adopted through intercountry adoption keep their promises and submit post-adoption reports as they committed to during the adoption process.

Here are 3 simple reasons NCFA believes Post-Adoption Reporting matters!

1. You promised!
   As a part of the adoption process, you were entrusted with the care of your child and promised to share about their future experiences. While it is easy to forget about extra paperwork in the important work of caring for your children, we think keeping your promise to report back on the wellbeing of your child is critically important. 
2. It’s a great opportunity for reflection.
   Post-adoption reports are a good time to do some reflection and assessment. Consider your reporting dates an opportunity, not an obligation.  You can review and celebrate progress and milestones. Take a moment to consider what types of support might help your child (and you!) to grow and thrive. And consider what your goals are for your child and your family between now and the next reporting date. It’s also a terrific time to touch base with your adoption agency or other adoption professionals if you need any support. For some countries, you’re required to connect with your agency at this time anyway. It’s a natural and convenient time to touch base about any questions, concerns, or supports your family might find valuable.
3. You’re helping to support future adoptions.
   Post-adoption reports are one of the ways countries assess whether children are healthy, safe, and loved as a result of intercountry adoption. This information can be critical to deciding whether future children will have the option to join families through intercountry adoption or might otherwise languish in institutions or other impermanent situations.

So, what exactly is a post-adoption report? While the number and timing of reports required varies, generally the report’s goal is to discuss the child’s development and adjustment to a new family, home, and country. It’s important to pay special attention to the specific requirements in the country a child is adopted from. The type of information, how it should be assessed (through an agency or by parents themselves), and how it should be submitted can vary widely from country to country. Below, we’ve listed some basic information on several countries reporting requirements. If you have specific questions about what your reporting requirements are, we encourage you to reach out to your adoption service provider to learn more. Department of State also provides country specific information and can be contacted if you need more information.

Post-Adoption Report Requirements

We aren’t listing in detail all the country requirements, but wanted to give examples of some common countries of origin and their general guidelines, we’ve also linked through to more specific information at Department of State for each country. Of course, the best way to get information on what is required for your adoption is always to contact your adoption service provider and confirm what was required by the country at the time of your adoption and any other requirements the agency might have that you agreed to during the adoption process.

Bulgaria: 4 reports required. One every six months after adoption for first two years.

China: 6 reports required. Six months after adoption and at 1,2,3,4, and 5 years after adoption. First 3 reports must be prepared by the social workers who prepared the homestudy. Families may write last three reports themselves.

Colombia: 4 reports—signed by social worker—at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months from the date of the final court decree which is signed while the family is in Colombia.

Ethiopia: Post-adoption reports are required at 3, 6, and 12 months post-adoption. After the first year, reports must be filed yearly until child turns 18.

Haiti: 7 post-adoption reports are typically required. The first 4 must be completed with the adoption service provider at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after adoption. The last 3 reports at moths 36, 48, and 60 may be submitted directly to IBESR by adoptive parents.

India: Post-adoption reports are required quarterly in the first year after adoption, and twice a year during the 2^nd year. They may be submitted online by the adoption service provider.

Kazakhstan: Post-adoption reports are required every six months for the first 3 years, and once a year until the child is 18. Reports are to be submitted to Kazakhstani diplomatic mission in the country of the child’s residence.

Philippines: During the first 6 months of custody the adoption service provider must conduct bi-monthly reports. After this period, adoptive parents should file a petition for adoption in U.S. court.

Russia: Russia requires children to be registered with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs before they leave Russia or with the Russian Embassy or Consulate upon arrive in the U.S. 4 post-adoption reports are required. The reports should be completed: (1) 5 months after adoption court order and submitted no later than the end of the 7^th month, (2) 11 months after adoption court order and no later than then end of the 13^th month, (3) 23 months after adoption court order and submitted no later than the end of the 25^th month, and (4) 35 months after adoption court order and no later than then end of the 37^th month.

Ukraine: Post-adoption reports are required annually for the first 3 years, and once every 3 years thereafter until the child is 18.

Post-Adoption Services: Acknowledging and Dealing with Loss by Nancy Randall, Psy.D. and Kim Shepardson Watson, LCSW

Source: http://www.adoptioncouncil.org

“Some imagine that life for the newly adopted child will now unfold in typical “fairy tale” fashion, since the happy ending – a loving family – has been found. But what about the other side of adoption – the side that can often involve complicated feelings of loss and grief and, sometimes, lifelong unanswered questions? Losses are inherent in adoption….”

Read more.

Alert: Russia Post-Placement Reports

Russia requires post-placement reports to provide information regarding the welfare of children adopted by U.S. families.  Reports should be prepared in accordance with the requirements established by the Russian government and as agreed to during the adoption process.  All reports should be translated into Russian.  Reports may be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation directly at the address included below or can be sent to the regional authorities where the adoption was completed.  More information regarding post-placement reports can be found on the Russia country information sheet.

Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Department of State Policy for the Protection of Children’s Rights
51 Lysinovskaya St.
Moscow, 117997

We strongly urge you to comply with the requirements established by the Russia government and complete all post-adoption requirements in a timely manner.  Your adoption agency may be able to help you with this process.

Source: http://adoption.state.gov