Die amerikanische Elternorganisation
PEAR berichtet, dass die australische Regierung ihr äthiopisches Adoptionsprogramm am 28.06.2012 geschlossen hat. Sie gibt als Begründung die andauernde Unsicherheit, Komplexität und Unvorhersehbarkeit der Situation in Äthiopien an.
Closure of Ethiopia Program - June 2012
Current as at – 28
June 2012
Key points:
- Australia has closed its intercountry adoption program with Ethiopia,
following several years of issues with the Program, a suspension of all
adoptions between 2009 and early 2010, as well as long waits and uncertainty for
Australian prospective adoptive parents.
- The Australian Government has taken this difficult decision, in
consultation with State and Territory Central Authorities.
- The best interests and rights of children are the most important
consideration for intercountry adoption programs.
- The adoption environment in Ethiopia has become increasingly
unpredictable, complex and uncertain, leaving many prospective Australian
parents in limbo for years.
- The Government has concluded that this uncertainty, combined with
obstacles to operating the Program in a sustainable and ethical way into the
future, means the Program needs to be closed.
- The Australian Government has decided to close the Program at this time
because it will not impact on any individual Ethiopian children as there are
none currently referred to the Program.
- The Australian Government will continue to support Ethiopia in ensuring
that the rights of Ethiopian children are protected.
- The Australian Government will also continue to support children adopted
from Ethiopia and their families in maintaining their cultural links with
Ethiopia.
- Prospective adoptive parents who have paid fees to the Program will have
their fees refunded in full. State and Territory Central Authorities will
provide advice in relation to whether fees paid to them can be refunded.
Program update
The Ethiopia Program has
consistently been Australia’s most complex and challenging program. Information
gathered during the April/May 2012 delegation visit confirmed the significant
challenges facing the Program.
Growing use of alternative
forms of care for children in Ethiopia
Ethiopian children in need
increasingly have alternative long-term care options made available to them in
Ethiopia.
The Australian Government supports the Ethiopian
Government’s efforts to pursue the best interests of their children by
facilitating domestic adoptions, long-term foster care arrangements and
assisting families in crisis.
Unfortunately for prospective adoptive
parents outside Ethiopia, this means that it is likely that there will be fewer
children referred for intercountry adoption. This makes the adoption environment
challenging and unpredictable, resulting in lengthening waiting times and
uncertainty in the adoption process.
Changes regarding children
in need of adoption and increasing costs
Growing numbers of
non-government adoption agencies operating in Ethiopia, and the closure of
orphanages due to greater government scrutiny, has led to increased competition
for referrals of Ethiopian children to intercountry adoption
programs.
This environment makes it difficult for Australia’s Program
to continue to operate in a sustainable and ethical manner.
Despite
the best endeavours of the Program to manage its community development projects
so that they meet both Ethiopian Government requirements and Australian
Government standards, the changing environment will make this increasingly
problematic in the future, placing additional strain on Program and Government
resources.
The Australian Government is confident that, to date, the
Program has operated in an ethical manner and it has no concerns in relation to
children referred to the Program and adopted by Australian adoptive
parents.
Rising costs for adoption program essentials (such as food
and accommodation) mean that, if the program was to continue, prospective
parents would also face increasing costs.
Arrangements with
Service Provider
The Program and its service provider, Wide
Horizons for Children, have come to the view that the changing conditions in
Ethiopia mean that the volume of intercountry adoptions initially anticipated at
the commencement of the arrangement is unlikely to be achieved.
Wide
Horizons for Children has also advised that, in light of these changing
circumstances, it has decided to partially reallocate its resources and shift
more focus from adoptions to its humanitarian activities in
Ethiopia.
As a result, the Program and Wide Horizons for Children have
agreed to end their arrangement. Given the other issues confronting the Program,
Australia will not replace the role of Wide Horizons for Children within the
Program.
