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Adoption Information
for Haiti |
| HAITI EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE
Haiti was devastated by an earthquake on January 12th. Due to the enormous amount of damage and loss of life, the future of Haitian adoptions is unknown. At this time, there is no government in place in Haiti to process international adoptions so no new adoptions may be implemented. There is no plan in place at this time to evacuate children from Haiti who were not in the adoption process prior to the earthquake.
We hope that adoptions will continue once the governmental offices in Haiti are again in operation and the need will be even greater. The timing as to when this will happen is unknown. We do not know what the requirements or time frames will be but are hopeful that they will meet the needs of the children as quickly as possible.
Although this disaster has focused the world's attention on Haiti's children, it is important to remember that there are thousands of children worldwide who need permanent families through adoptions now. Children's House International has progams in China, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Ghana, Poland, Hungary and India all have children waiting for families. Please consider these children as equal possibilities to build your family.
If you are interested in the potential future Haiti program, please fill out and return to us the document found in the above link called Family Profile Sheet. Once adoptions are again an option in Haiti, these will be approved before a family formally applies to the program. Also, please feel free to visit Chances for Children's website http://www.chances4children.org.
HELP NEEDED FOR EARTHQUAKE RELIEF
Please check out the links below for updated information on the orphanage we work in and the surrounding areas. Also, if you'd like to help with any donations of supplies or money, there is a link for that also. Thanks!
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 Bonjour!
Thank you for your interest in our adoption program in Haiti. Haiti does not require an agency to be licensed by their government at the moment in order to work there. We have our own program in Haiti. Children's House prides itself on providing a personalized service - like friends helping friends. We will be available to help you, whether it is for gathering documents, filling out forms or giving advice and support.
Below is a summary of the program we have in Haiti. Thanks again for your interest!! If you have any questions or would like additional information.
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Haiti
Haiti, a tropical country located in the Caribbean, occupies the Western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. It shares the island with the Dominican Republic (to its West) and is directly East of Cuba. Eight Million people live in Haiti, which is slightly smaller in size than Maryland. The official languages are French and Creole. People of African descent make up 95% of the population, mulatto and white the remaining 5%. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and 80% of the population lives in abject poverty.
 Haitian children are strikingly beautiful! They are of African descent and most have dark skin and large dark eyes. Children who are available for adoption through this program are infants up to 6 years old. Sibling groups are available and two unrelated children may be adopted at the same time. All children have tested negative for AIDS. Sibling groups are available and two unrelated children may be adopted at the same time. Most of these children are abandoned, while many are orphaned or placed there by a parent who simply cannot take care of them.
CHI works with a private orphanage in TiMache where the children get lots of attention and care.
Haitian requirements:
 Married adoptive parents - One must be between 35 -50 years old. The younger parent must be at least 30 years of age.
- Married couples must be married for 10+ years
- Single Women (must be 35-50 years old)
- Divorce is permissible (case by case).
- Families with up to 1 biological child are accepted with proof of secondary infertility.
***If you are interested, please request the Family Profile Form.
Required Documentation:
- I-600A - CIS Approval (I-171H)
- International Home Study
- Documentation for Haiti - List of documents and a detailed booklet on obtaining them, including samples, will be provided upon entering program.
We will be glad to assist you in filing your I-600A with CIS and also in retaining a social worker to complete your home study.
Children Waiting for Families:
- 6 months to 6 years old
- Sibling Groups
- 2 Unrelated children may be adopted at the same time
Waiting... waiting... waiting... why are these children without families? They are available for international adoption for many reasons. This is most often due to their birth families inability to parent based on poverty. Poverty worldwide creates the need for international adoption, but it is not the only reason.
Education is another common factor. In many countries, birth control is not widely offered nor is it taught in the family, community or in school. Birth mothers also can lack education on how to parent a child or have the capability to earn a living wage to support the child. So education can play a large part in children becoming available for international adoption.
In some situations, when a birth mother does become pregnant she may be shunned by both her family and her community. Many times this leads to desperate situations that force a birth parent to either abandon or relinquish their child.
Sadly, there are other factors that create orphans, war, worldwide famine, drought and in some countries the AIDS epidemic have also created a need for adoptive parents.
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 Child Referral Process:
Upon receipt of your Application packet, CHI will verify that your family meets the criteria for adopting in Haiti. Once CHI receives and approves your home study, you will be given referral information by the CHI social worker. Your dossier will need to be finished within one month after referral.
Time Frame:
Once you have accepted a referral and your dossier is received in Haiti, the process takes approximately 10-14 months until the adoption is final. CHI will receive regular progress reports on the status of the process, as well as updated photos and medical reports. This information will be passed on to you.
Travel:
Both parents must travel 4-6 months after referral to file forms for the end of the process. Only one parent is required to travel at the end of the process to pick up the child. The typical stay in Haiti is 5-8 days. We encourage families to travel to Haiti to pick up their child so they can see first hand their child's birth country. If this is not possible, arrangements can be made to escort the child to Miami; however, setting up an escort does add months and additional expense to the adoption.
Fees:
The total agency program fee includes attorney fees, complete care of child, doctor visits, vaccinations, photographs for parents, photos for passport and visa, passport, new birth certificate, legal, court, administrative fees.
Or you can click on this link: http://chitr.xtranet-designs.com/public.php to receive information on the agency contract, financial agreements and statistical information on: the number of adoption placements per year for the prior 3 calendar years, the number of placements that remain intact, the number of families who apply to adopt each year, and the number of waiting children eligible for adoption.
Thanks again for your interest! If you have any questions or would like additional information, as well as personal references, please contact Katherine Holliday at Chilatinam@aol.com or (801) 766-3412.
To Get More Information
More Cultural Information:
http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Haiti.html
Medical Information about Haiti
http://www.who.int/countries/hti/en/
Additional Link:
http://adoption.state.gov/country/haiti.html
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