Russia Adoption Program Updates

Please remember to be respectful and answer questions thoughtfully when you are being interviewed by the Judge in Russia.  Everything you are saying is being recorded by the courts and some of your answers can have a negative impact on the Judges’ decision...

WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR STORY!

Did something interesting happen to you while you were in Russia?  Was it a good trip?  How are things now that you’re at home?  If you haven’t traveled yet, have you found something that helps you ease your wait time?

UPDATE:  U.S. - RUSSIA ADOPTION AGREEMENT

Officials from the U.S. Department of State met with their Russian counterparts for the fourth time this month to discuss the pending agreement between the two countries.  The meeting was held in Moscow from July 21-23, and according to the US Department of State, this most recent round of negotiations were positive and productive and reflected the continuing commitment of both sides to the common goal of increasing safeguards for adoption between Russia and the United States. 

Although no official notice has been issued regarding a potential timeframe on when the agreement might be signed, ...

So far, 3 adoptions were completed in July!  We also have 2 more courts scheduled for the rest of this month.

CHI RUSSIA ADOPTION STATISTICS 2010

For a more complete breakdown of Children's Hope adoption statistics, please contact your adoption consultant if you did not receive this Program Update by email.   

US PASSPORTS

Please take a look at your passports and know when they expire. Your passport needs to be valid for six months after you travel to Russia. Should you need to renew your passport while you are still in the adoption process, don’t worry that all your documents with the previous passport number would no longer be valid. ...

 HAPPY 4^TH OF JULY!!! 

Our offices will be closed on Monday, July 5^th, for Independence Day, and will reopen on Tuesday, July 6^th.

3 families completed their adoption in June and we already have 3 courts scheduled for July!courts scheduled for July!

CIS APPROVAL:  KNOW YOUR EXPIRATION DATES!

The USCIS approval – also known as the I-171-H – is one of the most important documents in your dossier, since it is the document that allows you to bring your adopted child home to the U.S. 

When you receive your CIS approval, you will keep the original to bring with you on your second trip to Russia. For your dossier, you will make a photocopy of the original CIS approval. You will attach a cover sheet with a statement saying that you certify it is a true and exact copy of your CIS approval...

1 family completed their adoption in June and 2 more families are scheduled to complete this month.  In addition to this, we already have 3 courts scheduled for July! more families are scheduled to complete this month.  In addition to this, we already have courts scheduled for July!

US-RUSSIA AGREEMENT UPDATE

Although a number of different sources have stated that the talks between the two countries are near their end, it is still too early to know for certain when the final agreement between US and Russia will be signed. What we do know is that the two sides met for the third time last week, and by all accounts the talks were very positive...

So far, 5 families are scheduled to travel for court in June.

CHI RUSSIA ADOPTION STATISTICS 2010

For a more complete breakdown of Children's Hope adoption statistics, please contact your adoption consultant if you did not receive this Program Update by email.   

ADOPTING FROM RUSSIA WEBINAR

We will have an online webinar covering the basics of Russia adoption on Thursday, June 24^th at 1pm CDT. ....

After you submit your basic registration documents to CHI, they are sent to Russia to be translated and submitted to a region. The region you are assigned to depends on a number of factors, including:

• Family Background
• Adoption Preference
• ...

2010 SUMMER REUNION

Children's Hope International will be hosting a reunion picnic in St Louis this summer on July 10, 2010. There will be multiple events and activities during this weekend and it is a great chance to come meet your staff and other adoptive families. Please see more details here:

http://adopt.childrenshope.net/reunion/reunion2010.php

Mark your calendars!

Russia and the U.S. issued a joint statement yesterday, on the progress of their talks related to intercountry adoption.  In addition, the U.S. Department of State has published a separate statement on intercountry adoption in Russia.  Both statements can be found in full below.

Both statements indicate that significant progress has been made and agreement on basic principles of an accord has been reached.  At this time it appears that the future agreement will most likely include the specific responsibilities of each government, ...

BEYOND CULTURE CAMP:  AN ADOPTIVE PARENT’S GUIDE TO PROMOTING HEALTHY IDENTITY FORMATION IN ADOPTION

Join Executive Director Adam Pertman for an in-depth look into The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute's groundbreaking research.  Then a panel of adult trans-racially adopted persons will share their personal perspectives, and answer questions submitted by parents in advance of the webinar. This will be a rich opportunity to get some ideas of what to do in your own family.

UPCOMING /RECORDED HEART OF THE MATTER WEBINARS WEBINARS

Understanding Trauma in Children
This course is for parents and agency staff and runs approximately 45 minutes. "Understanding Trauma in Children" discusses the difference between a potentially traumatic event and actual trauma.  The science and symptoms of trauma are presented in a user-friendly manner but most importantly, practical, concrete parenting tools are offered for helping a child resolve trauma. ...

LATEST UPDATE

The Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues has issued the following update on April 29^th:

There has been no official suspension in adoptions of Russian orphans by American parents. However, in some parts of Russia, we are aware that adoptions are being slowed down or delayed. The United States and Russia held their first round of talks on adoption issues in Moscow on April 29. The discussions focused on the U.S. and Russian concerns regarding protecting the welfare and rights of children being adopted internationally. ...

LATEST NEWS

The following announcement was issued by the US Department of State on April 20^th:

We have received no official notification that adoptions of Russian orphans by Americans have been suspended, but it is clear the recent controversy has slowed down adoptions in some parts of the country.

Volcanic ash prevented the U.S. delegation from traveling to Moscow over the April 17^th weekend.  The talks in Moscow between U.S. and Russian officials are now rescheduled for April 29 and 30.  The United States plans to emphasize the importance of this issue, and will discuss our mutual concerns about how to better protect the welfare and rights of children and all parties involved in intercountry adoptions.  ...

IMPORTANT:  LATEST NEWS

As we mentioned in our previous update, no official announcement suspending international adoptions between Russia and the US has been made. To confirm this, the Office of Children’s Issues at the US Department of State has issued the following notice earlier today:

...The Department of State is sending a high-level inter-agency team to Russia this weekend to meet with senior Russian officials, including officials from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Justice. The U.S. delegation will emphasize the importance of this issue to the United States, and will discuss our mutual concerns about how to better protect the welfare and rights of children and all parties involved in intercountry adoptions.  ...

FOUR families are traveling for their first trip in April, and so far we have ONE family traveling for their court date.family traveling for their court date.

2010 SUMMER REUNION

Children's Hope International will be hosting a reunion picnic in St Louis this summer on July 10, 2010. There will be multiple events and activities during this weekend and it is a great chance to come meet your staff and other adoptive families. Please see more details here:

http://adopt.childrenshope.net/reunion/reunion2010.php ...

FOUR families are traveling for their first trip in April. So far we also have ONE court date scheduled for next month.court date scheduled for next month.

CHI RUSSIA ADOPTION STATISTICS 2010

For a more complete breakdown of Children's Hope adoption statistics, please contact your adoption consultant if you did not receive this Program Update by email. 

“ADOPTING FROM RUSSIA” WEBINAR

We will have online webinars covering the basics of Russia adoption on Tuesday, March 30 at 1pm (CT), Thursday, April 29, at 7pm (CT), and Monday, May 17^th at 1pm CT)., Thursday, April 29, at 7pm (CT), and Monday, May 17 at 1pm CT).

If you know anyone who is interested in adopting from Russia please feel free to let them know about these events.  ...

TWO more families are scheduled to travel for court this month and THREE families are traveling for their first trip.  We also have TWO first trips scheduled for April.

CHI RUSSIA ADOPTION STATISTICS 2010

For a more complete breakdown of Children's Hope adoption statistics, please contact your adoption consultant if you did not receive this Program Update by email. 

FREE WEBINAR – ADOPTION LEARNING PARTNERS

Topic:  Parenting Children from Haiti and Other 'Hard Places'
Featuring:  Dr. Karyn Purvis 
Time:  Thurs.  Mar 25th, 7:00 - 8:00 PM C.T.
 
When a child has experienced significant trauma and deprivation, such as those who are coming into adoptive homes from Haiti, parenting can pose some unique challenges. ...

We have 3 families traveling for their first trip, and 3 families scheduled to travel for court in the month of March.

MARCH 8 – INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

March 8 is the International Women’s Day in Russia, and it is considered a major holiday that celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women around the world. Although originally it was a Socialist political event, currently the holiday more closely resembles a combination of Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day in the US. ...

All families in the adoption process must complete 10 hours of parent education before they can receive a referral. This training must be Hague approved and the following two providers are recommended by Children’s Hope:

1.  Adoption Learning Partners (ALP)

ALP is a five part online series, 10 hours total, which includes the following mandatory sessions: total, which includes the following :

• Adopting The Older Child
• Finding The Missing Pieces: Helping Adopted Children Cope with Grief and Loss
• The Journey of Attachment
• Let's Talk Adoption: A Lifetime of Family Conversations
• Conspicuous Families: Race, Culture and Adoption.  ...

2.  Heart of the Matter - Because They Waited

Topics covered include:

• Promoting healthy brain development
• Sensory processing and sensory integration
• Parenting to a child's "real age" vs. chronological age
• Understanding the internal alarm
• Building attachment
• Race and Culture ...

“ADOPTING THE OLDER CHILD” COURSE ...

If you are nearing the end of your adoption journey and would like to stay involved by helping other families interested in international adoption, please contact Ginny.Burkart@ChildrensHope.net.

Our CHAPS program is over 300 families strong, and they share their adoption stories and experiences with others who are interested in international adoption.