Two Updates from Philippines Adoption Authority UPDATED

These updates come by way of the Australian adoption authority, NOT US DOS. Both can be viewed at the following link here. The Philippines  Inter-Country Adoption Board (ICAB) website does not appear to have any updates on this matter. It still has a 2009 moratorium on children under 2 posted on its website.

The first update was published in August 2012. I think their “nurturance” policy is very interesting. It is an anti-Child Collector theme.

Basci points include the following:

“Until now, if experiencing a change of circumstances, PAPs could request that their approved file be placed ‘on-hold’ indefinitely (subject to their State or Territory guidelines). Relevant circumstances include medical reasons, birth of a biological child, or financial issues.

Due to an increasing number of requests from PAPs to put their approved files ‘on-hold’, ICAB have advised all partner countries of the following:

• PAPs who request to put their approved file ‘on-hold’ due to a change in circumstances may now do so for a maximum of six months at a time.
• Before the six month period ends, the relevant State or Territory Central Authority must submit an update about the PAPs to ICAB.
• If an update is not provided within those six months, ICAB will remove the PAPs from the list of approved files.

PAPs should also be aware that ICAB’s ‘nurturance policy’ where they require a two year gap between placements of children, applies both adopted and biological children. In circumstances where PAPs have requested their file be placed on hold due to the birth of a biological child:

• An update about the PAPs from the relevant State or Territory Central Authority must be provided to ICAB within six months of the end of the nurturance period.
• If an update is not provided within those six months, ICAB will remove the PAPs from the list of approved files.”

The second update was published in September 2012 and is pasted in full below. It indicates that all countries have been informed of these new policies, although we have yet to see the US DOS express any of these important items.

“Key points:

The Intercountry Adoption Board of the Philippines (ICAB) has:

1. introduced a quota system
2. lifted its moratorium on adoption applications for children below the age of 25 months, and
3. revised their definition of an ‘older child’.

Details:

Introduction of a quota system

ICAB has advised all of its partner organisations of the introduction of a new quota system.

ICAB has advised each organisation, including each of Australia’s State and Territory Central Authorities, of the number of:

• applications they may send to ICAB over the remainder of 2012 and in 2013, and
• adoption placement proposals they may expect from ICAB in 2012 and 2013.

ICAB plans to re-assess the quota for 2013 in March 2013.

Through this quota system, ICAB aims to reduce waiting times to an average of 1.5 years by ensuring the number of applications received from a partner organisation does not exceed the average number of placement proposals made through that organisation.

NOTE: The quota system does not apply to applications to adopt a child with special needs, an older child or a sibling group. Please also note the information below regarding ICAB’s revised definition of ‘older child’.

For more information about the quota in your jurisdiction, or about adopting a child with special needs, please contact your State or Territory Central Authority.

Lifting of moratorium

ICAB have also advised that they have lifted the moratorium on adoption applications for children below the age of 25 months.

This means that, subject to the quota system outlined above, ICAB will now accept applications from Australian families approved to care for children aged 0-24 months.

The moratorium was introduced in 2009 in response to the large number of applications ICAB had received to adopt children aged under the age of 25 months, compared to the relatively small number of children in this age group in need of overseas families.

Definition of ‘older child’

ICAB have revised their definition of an older child.

Previously, a child was considered to have special needs on the basis of age if they were over 8 years old.

ICAB have advised us that a child who is over the age of 6 will now be considered to have special needs on the basis of age.”

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: The USDOS Issued a notice on November 18

http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_alerts_notices.php?alert_notice_type=notices&alert_notice_file=philippines_2

“Notice: Typhoon Haiyan – Message for U.S. prospective adoptive parents

The Department of State wishes to inform U.S. citizens that intercountry adoption processes are functioning in the Philippines at this time. Any U.S. citizen interested in initiating an adoption from the Philippines should contact a U.S. Hague-accredited adoption service provider (ASP) that has also been authorized by the Philippine Central Adoption Authority, the Intercountry Adoption Board, in order to seek information about the intercountry adoption process. The Department of State maintains a list of all currently accredited U.S. ASPs and the Philippine Intercountry Adoption Board maintains a list of those U.S. Hague accredited ASPs that it has authorized.

Prospective adoptive parents that have already been matched with a child by the Philippine Intercountry Adoption Board should work with their U.S. Hague-accredited ASP and with the Intercountry Adoption Board in order to seek any updates on the welfare of children. The Intercountry Adoption Board and Philippine Department of Social Development and Welfare are working to confirm the welfare and whereabouts of children residing in orphanages in the affected areas. The Intercountry Adoption Board has also indicated that prospective adoptive parents awaiting a matching proposal should not be affected by the typhoon recovery efforts.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila is continuing to process Convention adoption immigrant visa appointments at this time.”