As many of you know, my family has been touched by adoption. I received this email today as part of my ongoing need to stay on top of the fast changing events in connection with international adoptions.If you happen to know anyone who is in the process, please pass this along. We need to support the children and make them come first but also support the birth moms who are making these important decisions.
While this topic is emotionally charged, my vote is for keeping the children moving forward toward loving families, but severely punish those who are in it for financial gain.
It is continually amazing to know how many people come into your lives who have been touched one way or another by adoption be it wife, brother, sister or neighbor.
Thank you for looking...we will be back to business soon! Susan
Request for info by JCIS Posted by: "sjlampert" mailto:jslampert@netzero.net?Subject=sjlampert Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:21 pm (PDT)From JCICS:Dear Families, Friends and Colleagues,As we all know, the families who lovingly made the decision to adopt from Vietnam or Guatemala continue to face unimaginable challenges. Joint Council, through such initiatives as the Guatemala 5000 and A Child's Right Campaign, has continually advocated for families and the children who need them. As part of our ongoing efforts, we have joined forces with Ethica and the National Council for Adoption to provide a new tool in our collective advocacy initiative.Two surveys, one for families trying to adopt from Vietnam, and one for families trying to adopt from Guatemala, are now available through the Joint Council website. These surveys are a vitally important means of gathering the information our three organizations need to properly advocate for adoptive families. Unfortunately much misinformation exists regarding the number of families still waiting to complete their adoptions. In Vietnam, for example, no reliable information is available on the number of families with dossiers registered with the Department of Intercountry Adoption. In Guatemala, no one knows the number of families still awaiting the release of their case by the PGN. With calls asking for assistance continually coming into Joint Council, Ethica, NCFA, CCAI and Congressional offices, it is vitally important that we, as advocates, have the information needed to fully support adoptive families and children. These two surveys will allow us to gauge the situation in each country, assess the number of families in each stage of the process, and provide accurate data to those seeking to advocate on behalf of families and children. The cumulative data (no personal information will be shared unless specifically indicated on the survey) will be provided to organizations such as the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute and other advocates such as the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and individual Members of Congress. The collection of similar information was gathered during the closure of intercountry adoption in Cambodia and was instrumental in the completion of virtually all adoptions. While no one can make promises of such results, we do feel confident, through our discussion with key stakeholders, that the survey results will be an important tool in positively resolving many outstanding issues. These surveys will assist the families as well, by providing them with a new, accurate perspective, as well as relevant information regarding the status of their adoption compared to other adoptive families. In order to be most effective with the survey results it is critically important that all families currently in the adoption process with Vietnam or Guatemala complete the appropriate survey by Friday, August 22, 2008. The surveys can be found via a link on the homepage of the Joint Council website (www.jcics.org) or directly at Vietnam Survey or Guatemala Survey. Joint Council, Ethica and NCFA encourage all families to participate in this very important initiative.We also encourage everyone to distribute this information to all families via email, websites, blogs and other media. Copies of this email announcement may be forwarded as needed in order to distribute this information.Lastly, Joint Council, Ethica, and NCFA offer our thanks for your role in making this initiative successful as we continue to advocate for every child's right to a safe, permanent and loving family.Tom DiFilipo, President & CEO, Joint Council on International Children's Services, Linh Song, Executive Director, Ethica, Inc.Chuck Johnson, Vice President for Training and Agency Services, NCFA
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