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Originally Posted By billwe adopted our daughter Grace almost four years ago. The experience was great with an excellent agency in the Dallas area. She was 8 days old and in perfect health. Since that time the laws have become much stricter and the legislature is currently meeting to discuss possible restrictions on in country adoption. A good agency should be able to help you.
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Originally Posted By EveWe have recently run into some problems with our Marshall Islands adoption, but it may be minor (?). It appears that there are some (not ours) unethical agencies who are offering Marshall Island birth mothers illegal gifts in the form of free trips to Hawaii. Since the Marshall Islands community is small and word spreads fast, this has recently created an expectation among many birth mothers that they too should and will go to Hawaii. Please ask your adoption agency if they have heard anything about this. I would appreciate it if you can post a reply if they give you any additional news on this.Good luck!
Originally Posted By EveWe are using Journeys of the Heart in Oregon and our adoption will take place and be finalized in the Marshall Islands. I don't know the names of the agencies that are unethical (our agency has heard of some, but I don't think it includes Children House Intl. as one of them)It is not uncommon for the birth mothers to ask for gifts -- sometimes food and clothing, which is certainly something they need very much on humanitarian grounds -- but occasionally more than that such as trips to Hawaii, so you may want to ask your agency what their experience is with these situations. If your agency has done many Marshall Islands adoptions in the past, it has probably run into these situations and probably has developed some sort of policy.I should note that with some adoptions with Marshall Island children, there may be very valid (and ethical/legal) reasons for the birth mother to go to Hawaii (for example, the adoption being finalized in Hawaii), but our agency says that some unethical agencies have been paying for Hawaii trips in which there is no valid reason.
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Originally Posted By tracyWe will finalize on the island. I'm pretty sure CHI isn't involved. I looked into Journes of the Heart. How far are you into the process? What stage are you at right now? I know there are agencies that are still finalizing in Hawaii and I know they have to go to Hawaii. I haven't of anything beyond that. Good luck
Originally Posted By EveWe already have a referal and in the next few days the documents will be filed in the Marshall Islands. Then we have to wait one month before going there (The new Marshall Islands law now says that Birth mothers have 1 month to change their mind, although we don't anticipate any problems). Our guess is that we will be going there in early/mid August.How far along are you in the process?Good luck
I am really new to the research aspects of Intl. Adoption and Came across Childrens House with a program from the Marshall Islands where the birth/adoption takes place in Hawaii and is considered a domestic adoption. I'm curious as to the ethics and legality of this, and is this a type of situation where the bm could retrieve her baby, or are the babies considered legally orphaned/abandoned. Any insight into this would be tremendous! Thanks!
The Marshall Islands are considered the Phillipines. With the Adoption there is a Placement and a Post Agency which conducts the Homestudy and does the follow up work for 6 months after the Child comes home.
The Homestudy License of your Agency is what determines the Legality of Domestic or International. Most Agencies would not do this type of Adoption due to the Licensing involved.
What Agencies have you researched for the Post Agency?
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I'm not sure I'm understanding...Children's House Intl does the Marshall Islands adoptions, but you're saying I'd need another local agency as well for the homestudy/postplacement, and that there are not many who will do this? The only thing I've found on the internet is that by 2004, parents should no longer have to travel to Manila to get the Visa, given the current situation there. Other than that, I have not been able to conjure up much info! Perhaps you know of a place where I could find some more info? Thanks JuliannaTeresa, you seem to be answering all my posts all over the boards and I appreciate it very much!:)
You will need a local Agency to do the Homestudy evaluations and until the Adoption is finalized in 6 months part. If you would like to e-mail or post what state you are in? I would be happy to help in the Research.
For a International Adoption this part alone takes 3-4 months. Where I live with summer the fingerprinting gets low priority status based on Teachers who are teaching school in the fall.
The Post Agency's Homestudy Licensing is very critical in determining whether or not it can do a Domestic or International Adoption. Professionally, I would say about 99.44 % of the reputable Agencies will not do this type of Adoption.
I work in Juvenile Dependency, from where I work I think they stopped the travel to Hawaii part back in the 90's.
That's where I would start!
Also with a lot of International Placement Agencies there is no refund policy if the Mother changes their mind or the Adoption falls through. They give you the option of going through the process where the same thing could be rigged again.
Keep doing the Research. Go to an Orientation also for a Post Agency!
sounds WAAAAY to complicated for what we're interested in (not that we're disillusioned to believing it's easy!). It sounds more like this program is in place to help the a&b parents rather than the baby! I'll keep researching though...but on the Children's House Intl website they say (in the past few weeks it was posted) that they ALWAYS have BM's due to deliver in Hawaii. I thought I had read a state dept or someone's statement that that would no longer be allowed.
What search engine are you using in your research?
Also try putting down on paper what are you looking for in a child ie eye and or hair color, body structure, etc?
Then start to narrow your countries down until you pick one specific one.
My Daughter was featured last September in Adoptive Families Magazine. I did not choose her Agency and they were besides a Nightmare to work with part of the Nightmare was they were Central Time instead of PDS time, and even with Overnight delivery were 2 days depending on when was mailed.
If they know you have 2 little kids besides the one being Adopted they will pull wool over your eyes!
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Tracy, I am also in Az and would love to talk to you about your experiences so far with adopting from the RMI
If you like you can contact me directly at Cougy@aol.com
Thank you.
KO