Adoption News

It has come to our attention today that our password-protected feature is not working correctly. This feature is to provide children extra privacy on the Internet for a variety of reasons. To use this feature you simply have to be a basic user. It is not necessary for basic users to upgrade to a premium membership in order to request and receive a password. We apologize for the error and for the extra step that this will cause over the course of the next few days. If you would like more information about a child that is password protected please contact the listing agency. The agency information is located on the photolisting. We are working on this error and will have it fixed shortly so that the password will immediately be sent to your registered email address as intended. Thank you for your understanding!

The United States Department of State issued this warning about adopting from the country of Vietnam at this time:

Department of State Announcement: Accrediting Entities Announce Accredited or Approved Adoption Service Providers

On February 12, 2008, Guatemala’s National Council for Adoptions (CNA) announced that the registration period has ended for registering adoption cases “entered” in Guatemala before December 31, 2007. They informed the U.S. Department of State that during the registration period nearly 2,900 cases were registered.

The adoption tax credit is set to expire in 2010, but there is much legislative support for making the credit permanent.
Adoption related fees such as court costs, attorney fees, travel expenses, country fees, and other fees that are directly related to the adoption are all qualifying expenses.

Rainbow Kids, a terrific online adoption magazine has sent out a plea for support asking that readers participate in a giving opportuntity that will save the lives of infants with heart disease. The organization, Love Without Boundaries, is in a challenge to recieve $10 donations from unique donors.

The African Cradle Inc. will be hosting thier annual Ethiopian Heritage Camp from July 24-July 27 in Scotts Valley, California. The Heritage Camp Camp will be organized similar to past years with family games, Ethiopian Culture workshops, cooking lessons, keynote speakers who will be focusing on Ethiopian history, movies, swimming and a banquet with Ethiopian food and dance.

The President of Guatemala, President Oscar Berger, has announced that as of January 1, 2008 intercountry adoptions will be suspended. On this date the Hague Convention will go into force in Guatemala and all adoption cases will be required to meet Hague standards. This will include all cases in process and those filed prior to this date.
Guatemala will not be processing any adoptions cases for non-Hague countries, which includes the United States as the Hague does not go into force in the U.S. until April 1, 2008.

In addition, all adoption cases that are pending will be suspended. A suspension, according to the Joint Counsel on International Children’s Services, would leave over 5000 children in limbo going to niether a family or a reliable system of care in Guatemala.

On the morning of December 12, 2007 Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Maura Harty deposited the United States’ instrument of ratification of the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption at a ceremony in The Hague. This means that the United States is now a full member of the Hague Adoption Convention, which will enter into force for the United States on April 1, 2008.

Adoption Advocates International announces the release of Faces of Layla: A Journey Through Ethiopian Adoption – A full color ‘coffee table’ photo essay with a forward by award-winning author Melissa Fay Greene, photography by Emma Dodge Hanson and text by children’s book author Jennifer Armstrong. This compelling photographic narrative shows the story of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and other diseases of poverty, waiting for a family at Layla House, a Children’s Home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.