Adoption from abroad : Asia

[OrchidFlakes]

DH and I are seriously considering adoption to complete our family. We would dearly love to adopt from Vietnam as we have links with the country but don't meet the current criteria. We are looking at ways to possibly live and worth there for a year but it isn't overly workable.

Is anyone aware of adoption routes from the uk to Asia? Any websites, agencies, books etc you can point me to as we keep researching?

*work

Asia's a big place!

Overseas adoption centre probably your best bet for info. Kazakhstan is technically open but as we don't have an agency in the UK who have applied for accreditation under the new rules I'm not sure that its practically possible at the moment.

China is open but as you might be aware very very long waits although there is a new special needs programme now open I believe.

Central Asian children or part central Asian children born to birth parents in Russia if its an Asian ethnicity you mean? Rather than just an Asian country.

Cambodia still closed (unless you live there), Philippines may be a possibility if you are religious.

Can;t think of any other countries in Asia that are open and that don;t require you to live there.

Thanks Kew. Asia sure is a big place!

You response has confirmed what our early research was showing that unless we wait an age for China our best bet is to get over to Vietnam and see if we can make our dream a reality.

We have family ties in S Korea also and work opportunities in china - do you happen to know if processes in china are quicker if you're resident?

I would suggest contacting the Intercountry Adoption Centre - www.icacentre.org.uk/. They're best placed to advise you on what your current options are

As far as other Asian countries are concerned, if you meet the criteria, you can now adopt through China's special needs program from the UK. I think Korea might still be open as well?

Oops, x-post with kew, never mind

China's SN program is much quicker than non-special needs, which really is an age (7 years+)

Actually your best bet is probably Russia based on what I know at the moment but if you're sure you want Vietnam then I think if you search the adoption boards a couple of years ago someone did exactly that. If you're going to move then I think Singapore might also be a possibility.

From what little knowledge I have adopting as a resident in CHina is every bit as difficult because you don;t fit into a nice neat package that they're used to though I beleive its possible. I don;t think matching (which is where the delays are) is any different resident or not (unless you are a Chinese national) but really I'm not an expert.

My husband and I are very close to logging in our China paperwork (3 weeks!) We have lived in China for 4 years and are adopting from the special needs programme. It has been a very long and expensive road. There are some very strict requirements and you need approval from your employers. It is extremely difficult to adopt from China when you don't live here and even when you do it is still very hard work.

Adopting from Singapore is reasonably straight forward if you live and work there for over 2 years.

Our social worker is extremely knowledgeable but has stressed how difficult it is to adopt internationally and for some very good reasons. I don't know how you go about finding a programme to adopt with but the research you do is invaluable. As with all adoption, there are no guarantees.

Funnily enough I logged in today to comment that I saw a story that Singapore is now banning British nationals from adopting Singaporeans. Apparently they're peeved that the UK won't automatically recognise adoptions in Singapore as they've not signed the Hague Convention.

theoretically I don't think any Hague countries are allowed to recognise non-Hague adoptions (though America always seems to be a bit of a law unto themselves so who knows what they do!) although some countries unilateral agreements between two specific countries which the UK has always refused to do.

Yeah, it's not new. When we adopted (from Singapore, while living there) we had to apply afterwards for British Citizenship, rather than it being automatic, so not sure why this has kicked off now. Apparently Britain is the only country they've barred.

I thought there were Designated (non-Hague, adoptions recognised) and Hague (automatically recognised) countries? We adopted from a Hague country but before the Hague signing it was Designated. Ethiopia and Guatemala I know are neither so children from those countries are adopted again in the UK.

I thought there were Designated (non-Hague, adoptions recognised) and Hague (automatically recognised) countries? We adopted from a Hague country but before the Hague signing it was Designated. Ethiopia and Guatemala I know are neither so children from those countries are adopted again in the UK.

Yes there are drspouse, I adopted from non-hague (now hague) and had to readopt. But thats how we do it in this country ie how we interpret the hague convention. For example I'm pretty sure that the US recognises all over seas adoption (unless proscribed) without the need to readopt.

And lots of countries who have very reputable adoption processes do object to a blanket ban on their country's approach without anyone even investigating it. To be honest I agree with them but there's so few votes in ICA unlike America that there isn;t any chance that the UK will do anything other than the bare minimum.

The DFES (as was) approach to my totally by the book adoption was either shockily inept or totally obstructive - I've never decided which!

I have a rather complicated question and I wonder if anyone can help? I live in Vietnam and have adopted two Vietnamese children. Both were adopted before Vietnam ratified The Hague Convention. After 5 wonderful years here my job has now been transferred back to the uk and I am waiting for settlement visas to come through for the children (fingers crossed). As I adopted pre Hague my adoptions are not recognised in the Uk and once I return I will have to re adopt DD and DS.
I hope to return to the UK in time forDS to start reception. I have applied for schools but was rejected from my first choice as we were out of the catchment area at the date of the application, Now I am trying to appeal. If my children were 'looked after' ie had been adopted from the local authority they would automatically have priority due to their looked after status. Children who are adopted internationally do not come under this rule. However, if the uk government does not recognise the adoption and I have to re adopt thru the local authority ca n I argue somehow that the children are 'looked After'
. Surely the government can't have it all ways? Please can someone help. My parents are going to the appeal for me next week and at the moment have no arguement to back the appeal with!

I'm afraid you can;t argue they are LAC - like my DS children who have never been technically in the care of a local authority in the UK are not LAC - this sepcifically excludes overseas adoptions. Yes its petty and even BAAF who are openly anti ICA's tired to petition against this ruling to no avail.

WHen you are back in the UK the children are not LAC they are technically privately fostered by you and fall under those rules until the UK adoption goes through.

I'm afraid until your children are resident in the UK you are probably wasting your time.

Adopted children are not LAC though, they don't have a legal status in that way, so do the rules for LAC ever apply?

Ehric Adopted children are "previously LAC", which now means they get priority in school admissions on the same level as current LAC, and the pupil premium plus.

However unfortunately as Kew says, qualifying as PLAC has some specific rules, one of which is that the child must have been in the care of an English or Welsh local authority prior to adoption (under a legal order), which excludes all internationally adopted children. It is ridiculous IMHO

I see. I didn't know that!

Our VA SW has successfully written letters for school admissions for overseas adopted children. She says she'll do the same for our DS. I think a sympathetic SW would be good here (you'll need one for a privately fostered child) but I think it helps that we are through a VA not our LA that of course would also be responsible for education.

Our SW also wrote a letter on special social grounds (or something similar) but that was on the grounds that there was another transracially adopted child joining in reception and that there was a significant advantage to him going through school with that rare (then) beast a transracially adopted child. Who left the school 6 months later so completely pointless as it turns out.

To claim special social needs to have to explain why that school and no other will meet your childs needs.

None of which will happen in time for next weeks appeal because you don't have a social worker who knows your child yet.