Child Left Behind in Russia due to Adoption Ban

Jen and her husband, from Maryland, were in Russia on Christmas Eve awaiting their Court date when news of the adoption ban hit.  While they were in court, the judge decided to postpone their court date to early February. Jen and her husband left Russia Christmas morning with no child next to them but hopes still high that their son would be with them soon. This was their second trip to Russia.  They had already met their son and bonded with him. 

Jen found out about the ban from the internet, not her adoption service provider or the U.S. government.  A lot of the information she has been closely following since she came home has been contradictory or confusing.  The Department of State has been reaching out to families more recently to provide some clarity, but the fate of Jen's son is still unknown. 

For the past 5 years the couple had been setting aside money to start a family of their very own. It wasn’t until January of 2011 that the couple went to a reputable, accredited agency with a Russian program. They picked Russia because every qualified prospective adoptive family is on the same level to be matched with a child. They also liked the fact that the child that they would be matched with would have been residing in an orphanage with parental rights already terminated.  In a domestic adoption, there was more of a possibility that the birth parents would change their minds in the middle of the process. 

 Jen’s case is complicated.  Had the judge not postponed the court day, she would have been one of the 46 plus families that had received their court decrees and were in a 30 day waiting period.  Yesterday, the Russian Supreme Court issued a letter to the regional courts stating that these families should be able to obtain their final paperwork and exit the country with their children despite the adoption ban.  However, families like Jen's who have not yet gone to Court are in a more precarious situation.  When you are just so close this is devastating news. We asked her how she was taking it, if her hopes were high or if she felt that all was lost. She said, “It depends on the day you ask me”. That's a fair enough answer for someone who has been waiting to start her own family, has met her son, has spent more than $40,000, and is at the very end of the process.

This is such a sad situation and we honestly hope for the best outcome for Jen, her son and every other child currently left behind in Russia due to the adoption ban.

       Over the years, Russia and the U.S. have developed a partnership to place orphaned children into forever families.  This partnership recently produced an adoption treaty which provided additional protections to Russian adoptees, a treaty that is now meaningless in view of the Russian adoption ban.  It is a travesty to deny children permanency when U.S. families like Jen's are willing and able to provide loving and caring homes. 

Drafted by Brittany Alness, staff member of the Law Offices of Karen S. Law, PLC.
Disclaimer

This web site and the information contained within have been prepared by Law Offices of Karen S. Law, PLC for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. This information is not intended to create, nor does receipt of it constitute an attorney-client relationship. Viewers should not act upon information found here without seeking legal counsel. All photographs shown on this web-site are depictions of clients and are not actual clients of this law firm. Copyright Karen S. Law, 2013.

Kathy's Story

I meet so many families who inspire me with their commitment to provide a forever home for a child in need.  I decided to interview one family a month and share their personal story here with you.  I’d like to start by sharing Kathy’s story to give you a picture of how one child’s future can be radically changed through inter-country adoption. 

                At the time, Kathy was 50years old and was limited in her options, especially since she was single and wanted to adopt an infant.  When her particular adoption story began, Guatemala was offering adoptions for someone specifically that had her qualifications; she also believed it would be exciting and fun to adopt a child that came from a different cultural background than herself.  As most people do when deciding to make a major change in their life, she did a lot of research, and happened to stumble upon an adoption seminar.  She decided that was her sign to act upon what had just been a thought and that she couldn’t possibly wait any longer.  She made the drive to Richmond, Virginia where she right then and there filled out an application and paid the fee that went along with it.

                Now of course in order to adopt a little baby and to hold that baby in your arms is not that easy, there was still a process for her to go through.  She talked to a number of representatives about her choices and it was then that she realized that the process in order to make her dream come true of having a baby of her very own had the potential to be extremely overwhelming.  She decided that instead of being overwhelmed by the process, she was going to embrace it and always go with her gut instinct so there was no wavering or any doubts about the choices she was going to make. 

                Now what made her decide on Guatemala you may ask?  Well, her decision was based on proximity, cost, and her personal requirements and needs.  The wait is the worst part of the process, but she gives a word of advice, “Don’t drag your feet, and keep your costs down by staying on top of what needs to be done.  It’s already a long process waiting for a child, you don’t need to drag it out any longer by not getting your part done”.  A friend of hers encouraged her not to worry that there would be a clear sign as to what baby would be hers.  She did indeed have a clear sign, “My little girl already held the name I had planned so long ago to give her, it was just one letter off and her date of birth was on a close relative’s birthday! What more of a sign could you possibly ask for”? 

                After the long process of waiting for her sweet little girl, she was finally home and in her arms.  “She is such a sweet little girl and a bundle of joy! People often tell me how lucky she is to have me as a mom; I respond back I’m so lucky”!  She keeps me young; she has offered me the fountain of youth.  I’m staying extremely active; I’m now a mother of an 8 year old- I have to be able to keep up! "I'm in the driver's seat of life,and it's my responsibility to show her all life can offer"!

                Knowing the life this child could have had if she had not been adopted is incredible.  She was born 4lbs and some ounces--her future with limited medical interventions in Guatemala was dismal.  The complications she had as a newborn most certainly do not hold her back from all the world has to offer now. Some may say the child is the lucky one , others may say the new mother, but either way you look at it, they are a blessing to each other and have had a great impact on changing each others' lives for the better. 

Drafted by Brittany Alness, staff member of the Law Offices of Karen S. Law, PLC.

Disclaimer

This web site and the information contained within have been prepared by Law Offices of Karen S. Law, PLC for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. This information is not intended to create, nor does receipt of it constitute an attorney-client relationship. Viewers should not act upon information found here without seeking legal counsel. All photographs shown on this web-site are depictions of clients and are not actual clients of this law firm. Copyright Karen S. Law, 2013.