To reform the Intercountry Adoption process so waiting children can be matched with waiting families
We :
• Believe that adoption is about finding homes for children rather than finding children for homes and that every child has the right to a loving family home.
• Believe that every step should be taken to ensure adoptions are ethical, are in the best interests of the children involved, and with full respect for these childrens’ fundamental rights at every stage of the process. No child should remain in an institution as a result of slow and ineffective procedures.
• Fully support the principles of the Hague Convention and wish to see these principles truly and honestly followed in all aspects of inter-country adoption in Ireland.
• Would like to thank the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs for the personal time and effort she has given to Inter-country Adoption since her appointment.
• Appreciate the Adoption Authorities mandate and efforts to ensure ethical and safe inter country adoption practices.
• At the same time we must express our complete anger and frustration with a system that simply doesn't work (only 11 post-Hague adoptions in 3.5 years). It fails both children and prospective parents. Children spend far longer than necessary in institutions and those who are fortunate enough to become adoptive parents arrive to parenthood emotionally exhausted by the process.
We urge the Minister for Children and the Adoption Authority of Ireland to:
• As a matter of urgency take action to ensure that applications to adopt are transmitted to India, Mexico, the USA, Thailand and the Philippines. The lack of clarity and/or a smooth handover from the Adoption Authority to Accredited Adoption Mediation Agencies in Ireland is simply not justifiable given the amount of time that has now lapsed since Hague was ratified.
• Ensure that Declarations for Eligibility and Suitability to adopt have a lifespan of five years.
• Honour the spirit of the Hague Convention by making serious efforts to work with Ethiopia, with whom Ireland has many and long-standing relations, and to complete the bi-lateral agreement with Russia, in order to facilitate children there in need of homes to join families in Ireland.
• Ensure that expeditious action is taken by all state agencies (TUSLA and the Adoption Authority of Ireland) at all stages of the adoption process. Such state agencies should use procedures designed to fulfill the purposes of the Convention but which do not cause delays that could affect the health and well being of children.
• To ensure the TUSLA “Information meeting” which all applicants must attend is more informative on all avenues people may pursue in order to provide a home to a child in need, to include domestic fostering (long and short term), fostering-to-adopt, domestic and inter-country adoption. Such meetings should include the opportunity to speak directly with parents who have pursued each avenue.
Updates
April 15, 2014
I honestly never imagined that a hundred people would care about this issue as much as I do. Seeing your names appear on this list is truly humbling and it reminds me that this momentum belongs to all of you.
Reached 100 supporters
April 13, 2014
243 Comments
Heartbroken for those still waiting to be a family :-(. It took us 9 years to adopt in the previous process (adopted in 2010) but it's now even more difficult, which is just crazy! It's just so sad .... All this children not getting a chance to have a forever family in Ireland :-(.
Adoption is the greatest gift a person or couple can give. The process needs to be about the child and not about the red tape. A childs younger years are the most valuable, and they should be shared with a caring loving family today and not in 2/3 years time when the paperwork is complete.
the small number of adoptions since Ireland ratified Hague is just unacceptable. Another major issue with Intercountry adoption is the fact that in effect it is only children categoriesed under 'special needs programs ' are available to Irish people whilst other receiving countries have a choice.
Please add the following to the petition: Why should the Adoption Authority have the right to accept or reject, via the article 17, a potential match with an adoptive family without consulting the family.
As an adoptive parent of 2 children, I am passionate that children in intuitions find forever homes in Ireland. Sadly this hasn't been happening in Ireland since November 1st 2010. The system at the moment doesn't work for these children, hence I support this petition.
Keep up the good work
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To reform the Intercountry Adoption process so waiting children can be matched with waiting families
We :
• Believe that adoption is about finding homes for children rather than finding children for homes and that every child has the right to a loving family home.
• Believe that every step should be taken to ensure adoptions are ethical, are in the best interests of the children involved, and with full respect for these childrens’ fundamental rights at every stage of the process. No child should remain in an institution as a result of slow and ineffective procedures.
• Fully support the principles of the Hague Convention and wish to see these principles truly and honestly followed in all aspects of inter-country adoption in Ireland.
• Would like to thank the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs for the personal time and effort she has given to Inter-country Adoption since her appointment.
• Appreciate the Adoption Authorities mandate and efforts to ensure ethical and safe inter country adoption practices.
• At the same time we must express our complete anger and frustration with a system that simply doesn't work (only 11 post-Hague adoptions in 3.5 years). It fails both children and prospective parents. Children spend far longer than necessary in institutions and those who are fortunate enough to become adoptive parents arrive to parenthood emotionally exhausted by the process.
We urge the Minister for Children and the Adoption Authority of Ireland to:
• As a matter of urgency take action to ensure that applications to adopt are transmitted to India, Mexico, the USA, Thailand and the Philippines. The lack of clarity and/or a smooth handover from the Adoption Authority to Accredited Adoption Mediation Agencies in Ireland is simply not justifiable given the amount of time that has now lapsed since Hague was ratified.
• Ensure that Declarations for Eligibility and Suitability to adopt have a lifespan of five years.
• Honour the spirit of the Hague Convention by making serious efforts to work with Ethiopia, with whom Ireland has many and long-standing relations, and to complete the bi-lateral agreement with Russia, in order to facilitate children there in need of homes to join families in Ireland.
• Ensure that expeditious action is taken by all state agencies (TUSLA and the Adoption Authority of Ireland) at all stages of the adoption process. Such state agencies should use procedures designed to fulfill the purposes of the Convention but which do not cause delays that could affect the health and well being of children.
• To ensure the TUSLA “Information meeting” which all applicants must attend is more informative on all avenues people may pursue in order to provide a home to a child in need, to include domestic fostering (long and short term), fostering-to-adopt, domestic and inter-country adoption. Such meetings should include the opportunity to speak directly with parents who have pursued each avenue.
Updates
April 15, 2014
I honestly never imagined that a hundred people would care about this issue as much as I do. Seeing your names appear on this list is truly humbling and it reminds me that this momentum belongs to all of you.
Reached 100 supporters
April 13, 2014
243 Comments
Why are agencies being accredited only in 2014 if the AAI have been receiving salaries and bonuses since 2010? What exactly is the AAI doing if they are not effecting adoptions? Are they drawing salaries to just sign off on paperwork from the HSE/Tusla?
Heartbroken for those still waiting to be a family :-(. It took us 9 years to adopt in the previous process (adopted in 2010) but it's now even more difficult, which is just crazy! It's just so sad .... All this children not getting a chance to have a forever family in Ireland :-(.
Adoption is the greatest gift a person or couple can give. The process needs to be about the child and not about the red tape. A childs younger years are the most valuable, and they should be shared with a caring loving family today and not in 2/3 years time when the paperwork is complete.
the small number of adoptions since Ireland ratified Hague is just unacceptable. Another major issue with Intercountry adoption is the fact that in effect it is only children categoriesed under 'special needs programs ' are available to Irish people whilst other receiving countries have a choice.
Please add the following to the petition: Why should the Adoption Authority have the right to accept or reject, via the article 17, a potential match with an adoptive family without consulting the family.
As an adoptive parent of 2 children, I am passionate that children in intuitions find forever homes in Ireland. Sadly this hasn't been happening in Ireland since November 1st 2010. The system at the moment doesn't work for these children, hence I support this petition.
Keep up the good work
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Why are agencies being accredited only in 2014 if the AAI have been receiving salaries and bonuses since 2010? What exactly is the AAI doing if they are not effecting adoptions? Are they drawing salaries to just sign off on paperwork from the HSE/Tusla?