Two months ago, Nepal's Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Welfare lifted an inter-country adoption ban. This action marked the first time in two years that Nepalese children were permitted to be adopted by people from other countries. However, bureaucratic red tape is still preventing adoptions.

"According to a ministry official, the joint-secretary responsible for looking after adoptions, Prakash Adhikari, left for the United States... and is yet to return. Similarly, joint-secretary Ratna Kaji Bajracharya, who was deputed to shoulder Adhikari's responsibilities in his absence, is currently in Pokhara [Nepal, near the Chinese border.]"

In October the government released a list of 58 agencies that had been authorized to facilitate inter-country adoptions in Nepal, but none of these organizations have placed a single child in a permanent home yet. Source: Republica (Nepal)

Labels: international, foreign_adoption

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Wayne, who was born in 1995, lives with foster parents. He loves being outside and being active, and is an animal lover who volunteers with a program that trains service dogs for people with disabilities. What he'd like most of all is to become a permanent part of a family.

"Wayne has experienced many transitions and losses in his young life without continuity or consistency. He has lived in many residential settings and will need some time to adjust to family life. His is fitting into the structure of his current foster home very well."

Wayne is one of over 150 children in the Maine Department of Health and Human Services foster care system that are seeking adoption. For more information about Wayne or other children in the Maine DHHS system, visit www.AFamilyForMe.org. Source: Seacoast Online

Labels: foster_families

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Brothers John and Joe were just three and four years old, respectively, when they were adopted by a family in San Diego. Today, six years later, the whole family can look back on what was occasionally a difficult transition and celebrate how far they have come together.

"They remember. They can look back reflectively and laugh at themselves and shake their heads, and they can watch kids having problems and say 'oh, I used to do that.'"

Even the children's grandmother agrees that the household is now full of life and laughter. John and Joe told San Diego's KFMB-TV Channel 8 that people who are considering adoption should do it, because "little kids need you." Source: KFMB-TV Channel 8 (San Diego, CA)

Labels: celebration, success

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The Indiana Department of Child Services and Indiana Foster Care and Adoption Association are hosting a two-hour presentation on adoption Feb. 17 in Muncie, Indiana.

"This event provides opportunities for families to consider adopting children, who are featured in the Indiana Adoption Program."

For more information about the presentation, which is titled "How to Adopt Children in the Indiana Adoption Program," call (888) 25-ADOPT. Source: The Star Press (Muncie, IN)

Labels: awareness, community

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In Boulder, Colorado last week, 48-year-old Lisa Novak was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 12 years probation for stealing money from the clients of the international adoption agency that she and her husband owned.

"The foundation's former clients... insisted that Novak go to jail. [These clients] said they spent thousands to adopt a boy from Nicaragua, only to have to finalize everything themselves after months of delay, and that an attempt to adopt a 3-year-old Nicaraguan girl... failed altogether."

Novak's attorney said that, because international adoptions are risky, payment for services doesn't guarantee a successful adoption. In addition to imposing jail time and probation, the judge in the case also barred Novak from working in the adoption field. Source: The Longmont (CO) Times-Call

Labels: scams

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Judith Leekin will spend 20 years in prison for adoption-related crimes and her abuse of the children she adopted. Arrested in 2007, Leekin was charged with several counts of aggravated child abuse.

"Leekin used four aliases to adopt children from different agencies and created fake report cards to show the children's progress, even though they were not attending school, according to court records and officials."

Leekin has also been sentenced to 11 years for fraud. Source: MSNBC

Labels: scams, abuse

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When Wendy wasn't able to have biological children, she and her husband looked into adoption. Now, 20 years later, they have two adopted children, both with Down's syndrome.

"The siblings, who are now in their late 20s, lead busy lives like everyone else, enjoying all manner of activities from drama to life skills lessons throughout the week."

Wendy says she always focused on her children's strengths and abilities, never called attention to their limitations, and always believed in their potential. Source: Essex County Standard

Labels: special_needs

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In 2006, the city of Portsmouth, Virginia placed just one child with adoptive parents. In 2007, that number rose to 24, with 13 of those children being nine years old or younger. As a result, the city will receive over $18,000 in federal funding for adoption services.

"Portsmouth officials told [reporter Cheryl] Ross that the department's new success in adoptions is the result of changes made several years ago, when the department set up a separate adoption team rather than have employees work on both adoption and foster care."

The federal funding is earmarked for an ad campaign and training courses for adoptive parents. Source: The Virginia Pilot

Labels: funding, services

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