Hand In Hand is happy to announce
that we have been approved for full accreditation under
the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoptions. We completed
our review by the State of Colorado Department of Human
Services, one of the accrediting entities appointed
by the US Department of State, and we are now accredited
for four years (click
here for certificate), at which point we will seek
renewal. To view the list of accredited agencies, published
on February 29, 2008 by the U.S. Department of State,
please see: http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/convention/convention_4169.html
HAGUE CONVENTION FAQS:
Why is the Hague Convention on Protection of
Children and Cooperation in Respect to Intercountry
Adoption (the Convention) important?
The Convention strengthens protections for children,
birthparents, and prospective adoptive parent(s). It
strives to provide children with permanent, loving homes
by setting out internationally agreed-upon rules and
procedures for adoptions between countries that have
a treaty relationship under the Convention. It ultimately
provides a framework for member-countries to work together
to ensure that adoptions take place in the best interests
of a child and to prevent the abduction, the sale of,
or the traffic in children. The Convention also establishes
a Central Authority in each country to ensure that one
authoritative source of information and point of contact
exists for prospective adoptive parents to receive reliable
and accurate information. For these reasons, the US
Department of State strongly supports the Principles
of the Convention.
Why choose to work with an agency that is accredited
in the United States?
Because only those adoption service providers who have
been accredited, temporarily accredited, or approved
by either COA or CO will be able to provide adoption
services for Hague adoption cases after the Hague Convention
on Intercountry Adoption enters into force for the United
States on April 1, 2008.
What are the criteria used for accreditation?
The US Department of State has published the criteria
under its explanation of implementation on the web site:
http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/implementation/implementation_2912.html
How will this affect adoptive parents currently
in process?
Adoptive families who are already in process (those
who have formally submitted an I-600 or I-600A to USCIS)
will not be affected. Adoptive families who apply to
USCIS after the Hague goes into effect in the United
States (April 1, 2008) will proceed under new regulations.
Those wishing to adopt from another Hague Convention
country will be required to work with a Hague-accredited
agency in the US.
For further information on the Hague Convention and
its implementation in the United States, please visit:
The Hague Convention:
http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=conventions.text&cid=69
Intercountry Adoption Act:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=106_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ279.106.pdf
General Information:
http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=1400
Adoptive Parents Guide to the Hague:
http://travel.state.gov/pdf/Prospective_Adoptive_Parents_Guide.pdf
ANNOUNCING AN EXCITING NEW ADOPTION
PROGRAM
UNITED IN HOPE FOR THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN OF NANJING, CHINA
Hand in Hand International Adoptions has been selected
by the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) to team
with the Provincial Government in Jiangsu Province.
The pilot project is a joint effort to better meet the
needs of the waiting children and more effectively and
efficiently place them in appropriate and secure adoptive
families. The United in HOPE Project began in late spring
of 2007. HELPING ORPHANS PHYSICALLY and EMOTIONALLY
(HOPE) is the basis of our project. There is a tremendous
need for medical aide to many children left behind in
China. With our help, their lives can be changed forever.
Through adoption, many miracles can be provided to these
waiting children when the door of opportunity opens
with love and medical care. The Social Welfare Institutes
in China try their very best to provide the children
with excellent care, but in many cases resources are
limited. Our goal is to find loving families that are
willing to open their hearts and consider adopting a
child with a medical condition that may or may not be
correctable, but can be treated in the United States.
Hand In Hand is currently placing children from the
Nanjing Child Welfare Institute into forever homes.
The opportunity to work with the wonderful staff of
the Nanjing Orphanage is special to us, as this is where
our China Adoption Program began in 1992. We have received
several case studies, medicals, dossiers and photos
for waiting and available children. Special needs include
cleft lip, cleft palate, congenital heart conditions,
and a variety of other needs. Ages of the children range
from zero to twelve years old. Guidelines for adoptive
family qualifications in place since May 1, 2007 will
apply to all new applications. The Greenpath concept
(expedited process) for cases submitted to the CCAA
will be in effect. Families who already have their dossiers
logged in at the CCAA will be allowed to move their
cases to the Special Needs category without additional
wait.
Every child deserves a chance to be loved. With hope,
there will be a better tomorrow for the world's children.
For more information regarding the United in HOPE Project
and our waiting children, please contact your nearest
Hand In Hand office.
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