Creating Permanency Through Family Joint Council & The Network Creating Permanency Through Family Welcomes Members of The Network Colleagues representing France, Italy & Spain Representative of the U.S. Department of State The 2008 Joint Council Business Meeting July 12, 2008

Agenda Review of Joint Council Meetings in Ethiopia MOWA Capacity Grant Standards of Practice (SOP) Cultural Sensitivity Agency Assessment

Joint Council Meetings MOWA - 2 MOJ - 3 MOFA - 3 First Instance Court U.S. Embassy Consular Officers (France, Italy, Spain, U.S.) The Network – 2 Child Welfare Agencies - 4

Reality Perception is Reality Education + Change New Perceptions New Reality

Review of Meetings Strong interest in capacity building at MOWA & MOJ Significant concerns regarding “legal child-trafficking” Criticism by International NGOs Concerns over Cultural Insensitivities Complaints from Ethiopian Citizens Concerns regarding “Adoption” Agencies Concerns about the “numbers” of children being adopted

Child Welfare Child Welfare NGO vs. Adoption Agency

Reality Child Welfare NGO Provides a broad range of family & child services Family Preservation Domestic Adoption Public Education Intercountry Adoption Family & Community Development Provides child protections

“Adoption Agency & Humanitarian Aid” Reality Child Welfare NGOs do not provide Humanitarian Aid Do provide Programs & Services “Adoption Agency & Humanitarian Aid” Vs. Child Welfare NGO

Reality Adoption Agency Child Welfare NGO International Adoption Humanitarian Aid Child Welfare NGO Programs & Services Family Preservation Community Health Care Child Education Domestic Adoption Intercountry Adoption Institutional Support These can be collaborative efforts

Perception Adoption Agency Child Welfare NGO Viewed as providing only International Adoption Seen as “taking children for profit” Negative impression on Government and Public Child Welfare NGO Viewed as serving families & children Seen as protecting children Positive impression on Government and Public

MOWA Capacity Grant Collaborative effort between Joint Council and The Network $220,000 USD ½ from Joint Council ½ from The Network Partnership between the Child Welfare NGOs and the government Increase MOWA’s capacity to regulate Child Welfare NGOs and process adoptions

MOWA Capacity Grant Computers Desks Cabinets Staff Training Transportation

Standards of Practice Principles Child Welfare NGOs must provide a broad range of programs and services, not just intercountry adoption No incentives to “create” orphans Legal, Ethical & Best Interest of the Child Accountability Transparency Intercountry Adoption as the next to last option (institutions are the last option)

SOP Documents to be filed with MOWA, Embassy, Joint Council Policy Statements Annual Budgets Memorandums of Understanding With MOWA With 3rd Party Child Care Centers Compensation Schedules Fee Schedules

Intake Procedures Family Preservation Birth Mother Counseling Short term financial assistance Medical assistance Job training Why is the parent relinquishing and what can be done to prevent it?

SOP Birth Family Counseling Recent survey showed 6 out of 19 did not conduct birth mother counseling No information provided to birth mother informing her of the consequences of relinquishing her child(ren)

Cultural Sensitivity “Baby Hotels” Public Travels International Travel Use guest houses Public Travels Children should not leave the care center unless At Guest House or For Embassy appointments International Travel 75 children each week Limit group travel Public Discipline

Agency Assessment Committee of MOJ, MOWA, MOFA & MOLSA Assessing all “agencies” Are they “adoption agencies” or “child welfare NGOs”? Are they protecting children? Procedures to support orphanages Procedures to place children domestically

Action Items Joint Council Country Representative SOP Internal implementation Filing of documents with Joint Council Use appropriate terminology Changes to adoptive family housing and travel (Assessments)

Questions & Answer Period

The Face of Joint Council