Announcements Regarding Children Orphaned by Haitian earthquake

Please click on this blog for the latest updates on Haiti. Posts are being added several times per day. http://betheanswerforchildren.wordpress.com/ 

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Joint Council Annoucement
Date January, 24, 2010
Regarding New Haitian Exit Requirements

Dear Colleagues,

It is Joint Council's understanding that the government of Haiti, in protecting against the inappropriate movement of children to the U.S. and other countries, has announced that the Haiti government must approve the international movement of each individual child. This includes children that are bound for the U.S., whether through the visa process or humanitarian parole.   It is also our understanding that the U.S. government is actively engaged on this issue with the Haitian government. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services, which authorizes humanitarian parole for each child, continue to process cases at the US Embassy in Port au Prince. The new requirement of the Haitian government may cause a delay in the travel of children who qualify for a U.S. visa or humanitarian parole. It is understandable that adoptive families who have yet to be united with the child they are adopting, may be concerned. Joint Council urges adoptive families to remain diligent and continue to seek humanitarian parole for the child they are adopting.

It is Joint Council's understanding that this new requirement is in response to concerns that children who were not in the process of adoption, leaving Haiti for the U.S. and other countries. Joint Council shares in the concerns over the inappropriate movement of Haitian children.

Joint Council again calls on the U.S. government, UNICEF and others engaged in child protection to provide transport of Haitian orphans to safe shelter including nutrition and medical care, regardless of their adoption status. Any delays necessitated by this new child protection requirement only further support Joint Council's standing advocacy for the safety and well-being of Haitian orphans and other children.

Best wishes,

Tom

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Children Affected by the earthquake in Haiti
January 22, 2010

The Department of State is receiving inquiries from American citizens deeply touched by the plight of children in Haiti in the aftermath of the January 12 earthquake.

As Secretary of State Clinton said on January 20, "Children are especially vulnerable in any disaster, especially those without parents or other guardians to look after them. This devastating earthquake has left many in need of assistance, and their welfare is of paramount concern as we move forward with our rescue and relief efforts."

Together with the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department is processing and evacuating as quickly as possible those orphans who were identified for adoption by American citizens before the earthquake.

We understand that other Americans, moved by images of children in need, want to open their homes and adopt other Haitian children who had not been identified for adoption before the earthquake. The State Department advises against this course of action at this time.  Intercountry adoption involves strict safeguards and legal requirements that must be met to protect children from illegal adoptions, abduction, sale and child-trafficking as well as to ensure that any adoption is in the best interests of the child.

Before a child can be legally taken to the United States for adoption, the Governments of both the United States and the child's country of origin must first determine that the child is indeed an orphan. It can be extremely difficult during the aftermath of a natural disaster to ascertain whether children who appear to be orphans truly are eligible for adoption. Children may be temporarily separated from their parents or other family members, and their parents or family members may be looking for them. Moreover, it is not uncommon in an emergency or unsettled situation for parents to send their children out of the area, or for families to become separated during an evacuation. Efforts to reunite such children with relatives or extended family should be given priority.

In addition, some children who had been residing in orphanages before the earthquake were placed there temporarily by parents who could not care for them. In most of these cases the parents did not intend to permanently give up their parental rights. Even when it can be demonstrated that children have indeed lost their parents or have been abandoned, reunification with other relatives in the extended family should be the first option.

During times of crisis, it can also be exceptionally difficult to fulfill the legal requirements for adoption of both the United States and the child's country of origin. This is especially true when civil authority breaks down or temporarily ceases to function. It can also be difficult to gather documents necessary to fulfill the legal requirements of U.S. immigration law. 

The United States is cooperating directly with UNICEF and other relief organizations in Haiti to deliver needed supplies to Haiti's orphanages and to provide assistance to other unaccompanied children.  UNICEF is starting the process of registering unaccompanied children and will seek to unite children with relatives. 

There are many ways in which U.S. citizens can help the children of Haiti now. For example, individuals who wish to assist can make a financial contribution to a reputable relief or humanitarian organization working in that country.  

More Information

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The Department of Homeland Security announces Humanitarian Parole for Pre-Identified Orphans from Haiti. Click here to download Fact Sheet.

Fact Sheet for Children Qualifying for Humanitarian Parole. Click here to download Fact Sheet.

Orphans in Haiti - please register your adoption
If you are a family with an in-process adoption in Haiti, please register your information: Haiti Adoptive Families & Orphan Database Thank you for helping adoptive families register with our Haiti Adoptive Families & Orphan Database. To date we have over 250 families registered.

Please read more about the U.S. Government's response to Orphans in Haiti.

Please see the PEAR blog for a status on orphanage conditions in Haiti.

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U.S. Department of State
Children Affected by Natural Disasters and Conflict
January 14, 2010

The Department of State receives inquiries from American citizens concerned about the plight of children in areas of conflict and in countries afflicted by natural disasters such as the January 12 earthquake in Haiti, hurricanes, and tsunamis. Our office shares this concern for children in devastated areas and we understand that some Americans want to respond by offering to open their homes and adopt these children in need.

It can be extremely difficult in such circumstances to determine whether children who appear to be orphans truly are eligible for adoption. Children may be temporarily separated from their parents or other family members during a natural disaster or conflict, and their parents may be looking for them. It is not uncommon in an emergency or unsettled situation for parents to send their children out of the area, or for families to become separated during an evacuation. Even when it can be demonstrated that children have indeed lost their parents or have been abandoned, they are often taken in by other relatives in the extended family. 

During times of crisis, it can also be exceptionally difficult to fulfill the legal requirements for adoption of both the U.S. and the child's country of origin. This is especially true when civil authority breaks down or temporarily ceases to function. It can also be difficult to gather documents necessary to fulfill the legal requirements of U.S. immigration law. There are many ways in which U.S. citizens can help the children in areas of natural disaster or conflict. For example, individuals who wish to assist can make a financial contribution to a reputable relief or humanitarian organization working in that country.  

More Information

Updated information will be provided on www.adoption.state.gov as it becomes available.

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Joint Council Announcement - Haiti    

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Sometimes it is more than one can bear. Living in abject poverty. Living in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Living with no mother, no father. And now this.

Yesterday, while the good people of Haiti were literally digging themselves out of the rubble, Joint Council and the members of our Haiti Caucus humbly met with a sense of despair, urgency, concern and resolve. Our phones rang off the hook with offers of help, with questions about the children and orphanages. Emails came in with more questions and more offers of help and financial assistance.

How To Help
While Joint Council always accepts and appreciates contributions, we are asking all those who wish to make a contribution to please make that donation to those organizations who provide direct services to the children of Haiti. Below is a list of those Joint Council Member Organizations who have active and substantial programs in Haiti and who have the ability to make your donation provide direct assisatance in Haiti.

As you have seen on the news, most of Haiti has been impacted by the earthquake including orpahanages, schools and medical clinics that serve orphaned children. The organizations listed below are able and willing to provide temporary assistance and to rebuild for long-term service to orphans and vulnerable families. We again urge everyone to make a contribution of any size. 

If you do choose to make a contribution to Joint Council, please know that your donation will be used to fund our efforts to coordinate emergency relief efforts.  

Adoptions
Our hearts go out to the children and families of Haiti and to those Amercian families who are adopting. We understand your concern and fear during this time of uncertainty. And here is were Joint Council can help.

While Joint Council does not provide direct services such as housing, clean water and nutrituion during emergencies, we can help in other ways. We are preparing a database of adoptive families and the children whom they are adopting with a goal of providing you with the status and location of the children. More information will be published on this effort in the coming days.

Joint Council is also working with the U.S. government to determine the impact of the devestation on the adoption process. Given that the coming days will be rightly focused on rescue efforts, it will take days if not weeks to fully assess the impact on adoptions and develop a plan to move forward with specific cases. Information on the adoption process will be publshed within the next few weeks.

Adoption During Emergencies
All credible organziations recognize and agree that new adoption cases, including new referrals, are not appropriate in a time of crisis or national emergency. Initiating new adoptions at this time could open the door to corruption and abuse of children. Every effort must be made to identify and find family members for children who are seperated or displaced as a result of the earthquake.

Joint Council understands the natural tendency to offer a loving family for children who may be newly orphaned, however we urge all adoption service providers and potential adoptive families to refrain from inquiring or attempting to start a new adoption.

All of us at Joint Council and our Member Organizations are working diligently and ask for your support of the children and families of Haiti.

Adoption-Link
Information and Donations, click here.
Adoption-Link is providing emergency relief through their Haitian partnerships with The Foundation Enfant Jesus and also the Village of Vision. 
Adoption-Link works with the Foundation Enfant Jesus in Haiti with a focus on finding families for children with HIV through their Chance by Choice program. Their program with The Foundation Infant Jesus finds families for children including family preservation through strong community development programs. 
Heather Breems, MSW
International Supervisor/Haiti Program Coordinator
Adoption-Link
1113 South Blvd.
Oak Park, IL 60302
(708) 524-1433

Bethany Christian Services
Blog and Donations, click here.
BCS is collaborating with Haitian local and national organizations in order to assist with earthquake relief.
In Haiti, BCS currently provides child sponsorship programs, and is piloting a program to teach women a trade, allowing them to provide for their families, hopefully with the result that the family remains intact.

Carolina Adoption Services
Information and Donations, click here.
Carolina Adoption Services is focusing their emergency relief on housing, food and water for the children who have lost their orphanage.
Carolina Adoption Services currently works in Tabarre, approximately 10 miles outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti.   Carolina Adoption Services reports that the staff and children of the orphanage are unharmed, but that damage was sustained to the buildings themselves.
Susan Fox - saw@carolinaadoption.org or 336-275-9660

Celebrate Children International
Information and Donations, click here. 
Celebrate Children is providing humanitarian relief and mission trips including medical teams and rebuilding projects.
Celebrate Children International provides adoption services, humanitarian aid and medical services to families, children and orphans in Haiti. 
Sue Hedberg sue@celebratechidlren.org 
Angela Vance tammy@celebratechildren.org 
407 977 2810
407 625 9192

Holt International Children's Services
Information and Donations, click here.
Holt International Children's Services is working to ensure the safety and health of the children who live in Holt villages and are opening their doors to children in the surrounding area who have no homes to return to. Holt is using everything the have to make sure children are safe.
Holt International has been providing services to orphaned children and at-risk families since 2004. Holt currently operates the Holt Fontana Village orphanage, which cares for children who have been orphaned or abandoned. 
Bruce Dahl, bruced@holtinternational.org - 541-687-2202

Kentucky Adoption Services
Information and Donations, click here.
Kentucky Adoption Services is providing medical assistance, food and clean water. Their team of 10 physicians will transport 2 planeloads of food and water. Donations for food and water are urgently needed. Their emergency relief efforts are in partnership with BRESMA Orphanage and Child Care Center.

Tom Difilipo
President & CEO
+1-703-535-8045

Across The World Adoptions