Category: Country Programs

Adopting From Brazil

by Bethany, posted in Country Programs

Brazil-Adoption

I have not yet seen any waiting children with HIV in Brazil, nor have I inquired with the agencies working in Brazil. However, according to UNAIDS, as of 2014 there were 60,000-250,000 orphans due to AIDS age 0-17 (most of which are not living with HIV) and there were 11,000-17,000 children aged 0-14 living with HIV (most of which are not orphaned).

The Central Adoption Authority in Brazil known as ACAF has approved four US adoption agencies: Lutheran Social Services, Lifeline Children’s Services, Hand In Hand International Adoptions and Across the World Adoptions (written January 2016). Contact CAFAC in Canada. If you are outside of Canada or US, you’ll need to do some research to see if Brazil has an adoption agreement with your country. Start your research with your country’s adoption authority and with the State Judiciary Commission of Adoption (CEJA): see “Brazil’s Central Authority” for contact info.

Brazil is open to couples and single men and women.  Wonderful news for heterosexual individuals and couples and this is also an excellent option for homosexual individuals and couples as gay adoption is legal in Brazil. Contact the agency CHLSS to find out about waiting children with HIV in Brazil.

Adopting a Child with HIV from Vietnam

by Bethany, posted in Country Programs

Vietnam Adoption

In the past, children with HIV in Vietnam have been adopted by American parents. US / VN adoptions were placed on hold in 2008 and have re-opened as of September 2014. At the time of this writing, the 2 US adoption agencies approved for processing Vietnam adoptions are Dillon International and Holt International.

According to Dillon Int’l: they have placed children with HIV, children with HIV are waiting for families, both heterosexual married couples and single applicants between 25-55 can apply (this may be an agency rule not a country rule). Only one trip about 2-3 weeks in length.

 

International Adoption from Hong Kong

by Bethany, posted in Country Programs

Hong Kong Adoption

According to RainbowKids.com, Hong Kong has a small yet stable adoption program.  The children receive extensive medical care, are well cared for, and live in well maintained child centers. Only children with special needs are available. [Recently, an infant under 12 months and a 13 year old girl with HIV were registered for international adoption; possibly others.] The general age range is 6 months – 15 years. Singles and couples can adopt, and age and family size is flexible. Children may be escorted for families who are unable to travel. For the families that do travel to Hong Kong (recommended), travel is only about 7 days. From the time your dossier is complete until the time of travel is 6-8 months, sometimes shorter. One agency indicates the total time frame start to finish at 12 months when adopting a waiting child. Some American agencies working in Hong Kong are A Helping Hand, Dillon International, Lifeline Children’s Services, Bethany Christian Services and All Blessings International. Of those 4 agencies, Bethany Christian Services has the most experience with HIV adoption and partners with three accredited agencies in Hong Kong. A Helping Hand is known to advocate for waiting children with HIV in Hong Kong.

International Adoption Program: SOUTH AFRICA

by Bethany, posted in Country Programs

Three American adoption agencies Bethany Christian Services, La Vida International and Spence Chapin have announced pilot international adoption programs in South Africa. These agencies have experience with special needs adoptions. La Vida has indicated that they are working with LGBT individuals, couples and families to adopt orphans with HIV from South Africa.

South Africa signed an international convention on inter-country adoptions

Acres of Love

Shepherd’s Keep

The Love of Christ Children’s Home

South Africa to Treat all HIV-positive Babies [2009]

International Adoption from BURUNDI

by Bethany, posted in Country Programs

Lutheran Social Service of MN has a pilot adoption program for Burundi. The agency has indicated that HIV+ children are in need of families. Married couples must be married 5 years. Single females age 30-55 can adopt. There is no restriction to the number of children in the home. Parents must not have any major medical conditions or criminal background. Total travel is 3-4 weeks.

Adopting from PERU

by Bethany, posted in Country Programs

Children Available: Agencies place children from the “Priority Adoptions” Program. Through this program, hundreds of children in Peru are registered to be placed with families. The children with special needs are of various ages between 2-16.

Parent Qualification: Married couples should be between 25 and 55 years of age. Prospective adoptive parents should be at least 18 years older than the child. Divorce is acceptable. Singles are accepted for this program. There is no minimum length of marriage and no restriction on the number of children living in the home. Exceptions may be made to parent ages…please contact a licensed agency for more information.

Timeline: The family can travel 2-3  months after dossier is complete and referral is accepted.

Travel: In the case of an adoptive couple, both parents must travel to Peru to finalize the adoption. Stay in the country is approximately 4- 5 weeks. One parent may leave Peru after the court process is complete (2-3 weeks in country). During the stay, Peruvian social workers evaluate the child and family’s bonding progress.

Children of All Nations and Villa Hope have had HIV-positive children in need of international adoptive families in their PERU programs. Another agency working in this country is Lifeline Children’s Services.

Peru is a Hague country.

See also the Peru Adopt Yahoo Group

International Adoption from BELIZE

by Bethany, posted in Country Programs

One World Adoption Services is advocating for waiting children with HIV in BELIZE. According to adoption.state.gov: Belize is a Hague country. At least one of the parents must be 25 years of age or older and no fewer than 12 years older than the child. Married couples and single individuals can adopt. Single men cannot adopt female children. These restrictions can be waived if the court finds that special circumstances are warranted.

International Adoption from the PHILIPPINES

by Bethany, posted in Country Programs

Special needs international adoption

According to Madison Adoption Associates, international families are needed for waiting children with HIV. Single men, single women and married couples may adopt. According to adoption.state.gov, the adoptive parent must be at least 27 years of age and at least 16 years older than the child to be adopted at the time of the application. The maximum age gap between the adoptive parent and the child and the child to be adopted must not exceed 45 years. Check the agency websites for further guidelines. Another agency to consider is Hand In Hand which has done many HIV adoptions from a different country or Children of All Nations. There are other American agencies working in the Philippines as well.

If you are in Canada, try Formons Une Famille adoption agency which is currently processing special needs requests.  Formons Une Famille Philippines Yahoo Group (Canada) and Adoption_Phillipines (in French).

Int’l Adoption Country Program: LIBERIA

by Bethany, posted in Country Programs

Adopt Liberian Orphaned Children with HIV/AIDS

The adoption agency All Blessings International has announced an adoption program in Liberia. According to the website, there has been a partial lift of the moratorium on adoption from Liberia and 3 agencies are now licensed to place children with medical needs. They are partnering with a Liberian agency which has HIV+ children in their program. The agency indicates that adopting parents must be over age 21, two parent families are preferred by Liberia although single woman can apply. I don’t know if there have been any successful adoptions by single men in Liberia. Large families are welcome to adopt. More information about adopting from Liberia on the adoption.state.gov website. I don’t see any health restrictions listed for the adopting parents. Another agency to speak to about Liberian adoption is Americans For African Adoptions (AFAA). This agency has experience with HIV adoption from other countries.

Int’l Adoption Country Program: MOLDOVA

by Bethany, posted in Children Waiting for Families, Country Programs

Moldova adoption special needs HIV

Children with HIV are currently registered for international adoption in Moldova according to Carolina Adoption Services. Waiting child profiles can be seen on RainbowKids.com. According to the agency, parents’ age should be between 25-50. Married couples and single women are eligible with this agency (I need to do more research to find out if the Moldovan government allows single men). Two trips are required of 7-10 days each. Moldova is a small country in Eastern Europe between Ukraine and Romania. Other agencies working in the country include Beacon House, Adoption Avenues, Life Adoption Services, Children’s House International, and Children of All Nations. See also the  Moldova Adoption Yahoo Group.