I WILL START WITH THE GOOD NEWS. WE MADE IT HOME, AVA DID OKAY ON THE PLANE RIDES, SHE SLEPT FOUR HOURS ON THE FIRST TRIP AND THE SECOND PLANE SHE SLEPT THE WHOLE TRIP 1 HOUR AND 30 MINS. IT FEELS SO GOOD TO BE BACK. AVA DIDNT SLEEP WELL LAST NIGHT SO I JUST PUT HER DOWN FOR A NAP WE WILL SEE HOW THAT GOES HER MORNING NAP WAS A FIGHT.
THE BAD NEWS IS OUR OLDEST DOG CANDY IS 9 LOOKED EMASIATED WHEN WE GOT HOME SO DAN TOOK HER TO THE VET AND SHE HAD A TUMOR WHICH THAT IS WHY SHE WOULDNT EAT AND WAS LOOSING WEIGHT. SO WE HAD TO PUT HER DOWN TODAY. THE BOYS ARE AT SCHOOL AND WILL BE HOME IN A HOUR AND DAN AND I HAVE TO BREAK THE NEWS TO THEM THAT THEIR CANDY GIRL PASSED AWAY AND IS WITH GOD NOW. I KNOW THEY WILL BE DEVISTATED, WE GOT CANDY WHEN I WAS PREGNANT WITH ALLEN, WHEN SHE WAS 6 WEEKS OLD.
SORRY SUCH A SHORT POST BUT LIFE IS CRAZY RIGHT NOW. I WILL POST MORE SOON.
WE HAVE MADE IT HOME AND COMPLETED OUR FAMILY. Moscow City, Russia Baby Homes #21 November 19 2008
GOTCHA DAY
Court Date
Friday, December 12, 2008
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Foreign adoptions down in Russia as foster care grows
Foreign adoptions down in Russia as foster care grows
Fewer Russian children are being adopted abroad, although the number of total adoptions in Russia is declining, figures show. The statistics point to a complex future for the country's orphans as the government struggles to implement additional means of foster care even as it tries to encourage more Russians to adopt.
According to the U.S. State Department, which released figures for the 2008 fiscal year, the number of foreign children adopted by Americans fell by 12 percent.
In 2008, there were 17,438 adoptions for abroad, while there were 19,613 in 2007. Much of this decline is due to fewer adoptees from Russia and China. Although Russia has not yet released statistics for 2008, the numbers from previous years confirm the trend.
There were 6,689 foreign adoptions in 2006, and only 4,536 in 2007 - a decline of over 30 percent - according to statistics provided by the Ministry of Education and Science, which is responsible for developing adoption programs and legislation in the country.
The United States is the chief destination for Russia's foreign adoptees - in 2006, American parents adopted 3,468 children, making up well over half of the total number of foreign adoptions.
But these numbers do not indicate that Russians are adopting more children. Of the adoptees, the share of those who remain in Russia has increased - from 7,767 in 2006 to 9,537 in 2007. But overall adoptions decreased in 2007 by about 3 percent. Indeed, the number of adopted children peaked in 2004 at 16,434, and has been declining ever since.
This is explainable by foster care programs. While adoptions declined, there has been a rise in the number of children in new, alternative foster care initiatives. While not adoptions formally, these included various kinds of foster care in which a child lives with a guardian or a family that is paid by the government. There are at least three kinds of foster categories apart from adoption. Although the government officially considers adoptions the best option for orphans, it has opted to develop these programs to bring down the number of children without parents.
Since 2006, more stringent laws regulating foreign adoptions have gone into effect. According to Yekaterina Bridge of the World Association for Children and Parents, that has meant more paperwork.
"In 2007, adoption agencies were getting accreditation based on new rules, and that has led to fewer adoptions," she told The Moscow News.
"The first accreditations were received only in June, 2007, and this caused a delay."
Explaining the decline in the number of adoptions, Bridge cited alternative forms of foster care, but noted that these forms had their drawbacks.
"Local officials in the provinces are wary of developing foster care because of the money issue. They fear children could be taken advantage of for the government subsidies."
While she said her agency was supportive of the government efforts to develop newer forms of foster care, she cited the latest figures for children without parents as "staggering."
As of December 31, 2007, 171,044 children were listed in the official adoption data base.
Officials acknowledge the need to encourage more Russians to adopt.
"Adoption is the top priority in placing children with families," says Alexandra Ochirova, who chairs the Public Chamber's Commission on Social and Demographic Policy.
"But the statistics do not show that the problem is being solved. Since not enough children are being adopted, other forms of foster care are being offered."
Ochirova does not believe that foreign adoptions will solve the problem, however.
"There are various points of view, and the interests of the child should be put first," she told The Moscow News. "But I believe that this problem should be solved inside the country. This doesn't mean we should have a ban on international adoptions, but considering the demographic situation, it would be good to make the population better prepared to adopt Russian children."
Ochirova says that raising awareness, advertising, and easing bureaucracy would lead to more adoptions. There are many Russians willing to adopt, she says, but they are daunted by the bureaucratic process.
Fewer Russian children are being adopted abroad, although the number of total adoptions in Russia is declining, figures show. The statistics point to a complex future for the country's orphans as the government struggles to implement additional means of foster care even as it tries to encourage more Russians to adopt.
According to the U.S. State Department, which released figures for the 2008 fiscal year, the number of foreign children adopted by Americans fell by 12 percent.
In 2008, there were 17,438 adoptions for abroad, while there were 19,613 in 2007. Much of this decline is due to fewer adoptees from Russia and China. Although Russia has not yet released statistics for 2008, the numbers from previous years confirm the trend.
There were 6,689 foreign adoptions in 2006, and only 4,536 in 2007 - a decline of over 30 percent - according to statistics provided by the Ministry of Education and Science, which is responsible for developing adoption programs and legislation in the country.
The United States is the chief destination for Russia's foreign adoptees - in 2006, American parents adopted 3,468 children, making up well over half of the total number of foreign adoptions.
But these numbers do not indicate that Russians are adopting more children. Of the adoptees, the share of those who remain in Russia has increased - from 7,767 in 2006 to 9,537 in 2007. But overall adoptions decreased in 2007 by about 3 percent. Indeed, the number of adopted children peaked in 2004 at 16,434, and has been declining ever since.
This is explainable by foster care programs. While adoptions declined, there has been a rise in the number of children in new, alternative foster care initiatives. While not adoptions formally, these included various kinds of foster care in which a child lives with a guardian or a family that is paid by the government. There are at least three kinds of foster categories apart from adoption. Although the government officially considers adoptions the best option for orphans, it has opted to develop these programs to bring down the number of children without parents.
Since 2006, more stringent laws regulating foreign adoptions have gone into effect. According to Yekaterina Bridge of the World Association for Children and Parents, that has meant more paperwork.
"In 2007, adoption agencies were getting accreditation based on new rules, and that has led to fewer adoptions," she told The Moscow News.
"The first accreditations were received only in June, 2007, and this caused a delay."
Explaining the decline in the number of adoptions, Bridge cited alternative forms of foster care, but noted that these forms had their drawbacks.
"Local officials in the provinces are wary of developing foster care because of the money issue. They fear children could be taken advantage of for the government subsidies."
While she said her agency was supportive of the government efforts to develop newer forms of foster care, she cited the latest figures for children without parents as "staggering."
As of December 31, 2007, 171,044 children were listed in the official adoption data base.
Officials acknowledge the need to encourage more Russians to adopt.
"Adoption is the top priority in placing children with families," says Alexandra Ochirova, who chairs the Public Chamber's Commission on Social and Demographic Policy.
"But the statistics do not show that the problem is being solved. Since not enough children are being adopted, other forms of foster care are being offered."
Ochirova does not believe that foreign adoptions will solve the problem, however.
"There are various points of view, and the interests of the child should be put first," she told The Moscow News. "But I believe that this problem should be solved inside the country. This doesn't mean we should have a ban on international adoptions, but considering the demographic situation, it would be good to make the population better prepared to adopt Russian children."
Ochirova says that raising awareness, advertising, and easing bureaucracy would lead to more adoptions. There are many Russians willing to adopt, she says, but they are daunted by the bureaucratic process.
Blog Archive
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2008
(80)
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December
(19)
- WE WILL BE ON OUR LOCAL NEWS TONIGHT
- PRAYERS FOR MY MOM
- AVA GOT HER EARSPIERCED
- 1 Week Home
- 5 days home
- 3 Days Home.......
- WE MADE IT HOME! GOOD AND BAD NEWS
- We were next to the Building as this happened today.
- LAST DAY IN MOSCOW .......GOODBYE RUSSIA HELLO FLO...
- TUESDAY DECEMBER 9 TH 2008
- Monday .....3 Nights Left YAY
- Weekend in Moscow
- FRIDAY IN MOSCOW
- Thursday December 4th
- GOTCHA DAY ! HERE IS AVA
- ...GOTCHA DAY ! ...........................
- TUESDAY IN MOSCOW
- IT LOOKS LIKE WED. WE WILL GET OUR LITTLE AVA
- MONDAY IN MOSCOW
-
▼
December
(19)
LOVE
Love... bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. - 1 Corinthians 13:7
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."-- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."-- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 comments:
Congratulations on making it home. Glad Ava is doing well and did great on the plane.
How bittersweet for you. I am so sorry to read of your dog. I know how sad that is and I will be lifting your family up in prayer.
Kim
www.prudhomme-family.blogspot.com
Congratulations!! I have been following your blog for a while and am so happy for you now that you have your little Ava. I am an adoptive mom myself, so I know what the wait can be like! So sorry to hear about you dog also...so sad...they are a big part of the family too...hope your boys handle it as best as they can...
Where in NJ is your family? That is where we live. We are in Monmouth County.
Good luck at home with Axa...she is beautiful. Hope the transition is nice and easy. What a wonderful Holiday you will have!!
Maureen T.
Sorry...I meant Ava not Axa in my previous comment!! Oops!!
Maureen T.
Good to hear you made it home safely! So sorry about your dog, I know our boys would be very sad. I hope Ava gets adjusted to her new time zone quickly and that you all have a wonderful Christmas!!!!
Kim
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