Government of Liberia suspends adoptions

The Government of Liberia (GOL) suspended processing of adoptions on

January 26, 2009, on the recommendation of the President's Special Committee on Adoption.  According to the Liberian President’s statement, processing of adoptions was suspended due to mismanagement. The GOL expects to resume adoptions this year after its adoption law, policy, and guidelines have been established. 

American citizens have been alerted that the Government of Liberia suspended

adoption services provided by the agencies West African Children Support Network (WACSN) and Acres of Hope (AOH) on January 22. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare announced that it is investigating WACSN and AOH to ensure that the children in their care are properly cared for and that adoptions are conducted in accordance with Liberian adoption law.  American citizens who have pending adoption applications with either agency should contact the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia at   before traveling to Liberia.monroviaadoptions@state.gov

Please continue to monitor for updated information.Adoption.State.Gov/news/notices.html

It is Joint Council's understanding that the government of Liberia has suspended intercountry adoptions with the exception of special needs cases until new rules and regulations can be put into place.  This follows comments made earlier this week by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: 

"The gross mismanagement of the adoption program, by both Liberian and U.S. personnel in the concerned NGO is the subject of a report by a Special Committee which I appointed for this purpose.  Essentially, we have discovered that many of the children in these orphanages are not in fact orphans but children taken from their living parents on the promise of support and a good life in America.  Moreover, we found that young children were being sexually abused at some of the these orphanages, while others including officials of government, have used the program to extort money from potential adoptors.  We have thus suspended the adoption program until laws, policies and proper guidelines have been established and we have asked our concerned friends and partners in the United States to be patient as we try to correct the serious malpractices which exist.  We expect the National Social Welfare Policy and National Adoption Act will be submitted to you during the course of the year, will provide guidance and prevent such abuses in the future."

July 25, 2008

The U.S. Department of State has released the following update:

The Ministries of Justice and Health and Social Welfare have indicated that they are carefully reviewing all adoption cases submitted to them for approval. As a result, adoption service providers and prospective adoptive parents can expect an increase in the processing time.  The Government of Liberia is concerned over the increasing number of cases in which adoptive parents have decided to terminate their parent/child relationship with Liberian adoptive children.  The Ministry learned of two recent cases where Liberian adoptive children were returned to Liberia and abandoned by their adoptive parents, or placed in foster care after being adopted.  Additionally, adoption service providers and prospective adoptive parents should be aware that a revised adoption law was submitted to Parliament in November 2007.  If enacted, the new law would provide additional safeguards to protect adoptive children, birth parents, and prospective adoptive parents. 

The U.S. Department of State has issued the following update regarding Liberian adoptions:

"On March 14, the director of a U.S. adoption agency and three employees of the agency were prevented from departing Liberia with recently adopted Liberian children.  The children were in possession of lawful adoption decrees and valid U.S. immigrant visas, and their escorts had Powers of Attorney from the adoptive parents of the children which allowed them to act as escorts.  The director of the agency was later told that adoptive children will not be permitted to depart Liberia with an escort unless their travel had been cleared by the Ministers of Justice and Gender.  The U.S. Embassy in Monrovia is seeking confirmation of this new requirement.  The Government of Liberia is currently reviewing its adoption laws and regulations with the aim of strengthening the current system."

To view the actual post, please visit the U.S. Department of State website.

October 5, 2004 -

The Liberian Ministry of Health has informed the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia that effective October 15, 2004, adoptive families must obtain a letter from the Ministry of Health approving the adoption of a specific child.  This is in addition to obtaining a Relinquishment (Ministry of Health) and Adoption Decree (Liberian Court).  The U.S. Embassy is seeking clarification as to whether or not adoption cases that began in good faith prior to October 15 will be grandfathered.  This site will be updated as more information becomes available.

The following information is currently posted on the U.S. Department of State website: