PHILIPPINES ADOPTION

Who are the children? Boys and girls, ages 1-18 Sibling groups Live in orphanage care and foster care Children with special needs (health needs, large sibling groups, older) Gender may not be requested Specific children may not be requested, unless special needs Present moratorium on requesting children under 2 years of age

Requirements of Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPS) Over 27 years of age. There is no upper age limit, but a 45 year age gap between adoptive mother and adopted child is followed Married for at least one year (longer if previously divorced) Single women may apply for a child over 5 or special needs Must be practising christian Must be in good physical and mental health (exception list)

Adoptive parents continued Applicants with Philippine heritage will be matched sooner Preference for smaller families Applicants requesting a special needs child will be given more flexibility in qualifications, and application will be processed quicker

How to apply for intercountry adoption Intercountry adoption is governed by many laws and conventions: BC Adoption Act (1996) Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co- operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (1993) Domestic Adoption Act Philippines 1998 Philippines Intercountry Adoption Act 1995 Canada Immigration Act

The Process Dossier Hague Approval Homestudy in BC Receives & reviews dossier Enters into Roster of Approved Applicants ICAB Intercountr y Adoption Board of the Philippines ICAB matches children to adoptive parents Matching (1-3 years)

How ICAB matches a child to an adoptive family 1. ICAB notifies the orphanage (child caring agency- CCA) that a child is scheduled to be matched 2. The executive director &/or social worker of the CCA chose 5 families from the Roster of Approved Applicants who are in the matching stage, to be considered. They consider the needs of the child, read the homestudies and narrow their choice down to 2 families. The sw/ed file a pre-matching proposal to ICAB. 3. ICAB’s Intercountry Placement Committee (ICPC) meets to review the child and 2 proposed families. The ICPC consists of a child psychologist, lawyer, social worker, medical doctor and a representative from an NGO involved in child welfare.

Matching Continued 4. The sw/ed present their choice of families and salient points as to how they can best meet the child’s needs. 5. The ICPC deliberates and either chooses one, or looks at the 3 rd and 4 th families. There are 2 ICPC committees. Both committees meet weekly for matching.

The Process Adoptive Parents have 2 weeks to respond to proposal Child Proposal is sent through Hague Authority ICAB applies for Part 2 of immigration Adoptive parents travel to receive the child in the Philippines Travel! 3 follow up reports required Adoption finalized in BC Court Canadian citizenship can be applied for Adoption Finalization

What’s involved in a homestudy in BC? Is required for all adoptions Takes 90 days by the requirements of the Adoption Act Meetings with social worker Adoption education program Documents : criminal record check, reference letters, medicals, financial statement, child abuse registry check

What’s next after the homestudy? COMPLETE A FULL DOSSIER Homestudy, reference letters (3), marriage and birth certificates, various questionnaires, medical, proof of income, child requested form, psychological evaluation, guardianship statement, pictures, consent by adoptive parent’s children Fees to ICAB and Canadian agency Complete part 1 of Immigration Sponsorship Wait for child proposal (1-3 years)

Child Proposal Social and Medical reports on child Full length picture of child You will only be matched with a child that you have been recommended for 15 days to accept Travel within 6-8 weeks

Special Home Finding Children are referred to SHF if there is no available family in the roster who can meet the needs of the child Common characteristics are : sibling groups, conceived by rape, epilepsy, hearing loss, older siblings, large sibling groups, hep B+, hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, some over 5 Foreign adoption agencies can find families for these identified children – ICAB will still approve the match

Fees Adoption Agencies are regulated by the Ministry for Children and Family Development All licensed agencies are non-profit and have their fee structures approved by the Director of Adoption in Victoria Approximate fees of 1. BC Adoption Agency 2. ICAB 3. Orphanage Donation 4. Adoption Completion = $14,000. Travel costs