International Social Service: Adoption from Vietnam Findings and Recommendations
Contents (Read report attached below)
Abbreviations.......................................................................................................4
Prefatory note.......................................................................................................5
Acknowledgements..............................................................................................8
Summary of key observations.............................................................................9
1. The adoption of Vietnamese children in context......................................... 11
1.1. The international context of intercountry adoption today.......................... 11
1.2. Historical overview of adoption from Viet Nam........................................12
2. Main areas of concern in relation to alternative care in Viet Nam...........16
2.1. Separation from their parent(s) and families..............................................16
2.1.1 Causes of separation..............................................................................16
2.1.2. Forms of separation..............................................................................17
2.1.3. Influence of adoption on separation of children from their families
2.2. Adoption and the alternative care system..................................................21
2.2.1 Overview of the alternative care system...............................................21
2.2.2 The place of adoption within the alternative care system.....................23
....203. Main areas of concern in relation to adoption in Viet Nam.......................24
3.1. Determining the need for, and legality of, the adoption of a child............ 24
3.1.1. Investigating the child’s origins and status..........................................24
3.1.2. Consent procedures..............................................................................27
3.1.3. Responsibility for pronouncing a child’s ‘adoptability’.......................28
3.2. Prioritising domestic adoption...................................................................29
3.2.1. Current procedures and practice...........................................................29
3.2.2. The promotion of domestic adoptions..................................................30
3.2.3. Domestic adoptions and compliance with the ‘subsidiarity principle’.31
3.3. Matching....................................................................................................33
3.3.1. Matching procedures in domestic adoptions........................................33
3.3.2. Matching procedures in intercountry adoptions...................................33
3.4. Decision-making on adoption....................................................................34
3.4.1 Decentralised system.............................................................................34
3.4.2 Lack of resources of Central Adoption Authority.................................34
3.4.3 Fragmented responsibilities..................................................................35
3.4.4 Directors of institutions.........................................................................36
4. Characteristics of Vietnamese children adopted abroad............................37
4.1 Age of children adopted abroad..................................................................37
4.2 Adoption of older children..........................................................................39
4.3 Adoption of children with disabilities.........................................................40
4.4 Adoption of children of minorities..............................................................41
4.5 Meeting prospective adopters’ expectations?..............................................42
5. Impact of foreign actors in intercountry adoption practices.....................43
5.1 Governments and Central Authorities of receiving countries.....................43
5.1.1. Developing intercountry adoption........................................................43
5.1.2. Coordination among “receiving countries”..........................................45
5.1.3 Bilateral agreements..............................................................................46
5.1.4. Oversight of adoptions to their respective countries............................49
5.2 Adoption Agencies......................................................................................50
5.2.1. Accreditation and monitoring...............................................................50
5.2.2. Influence over intercountry adoption policies
......................................525.2.3 The influence of money
5.3. Financial questions.....................................................................................53
5.3.1. Costs and fees.......................................................................................54
5.3.2. ‘Humanitarian aid’ requirements..........................................................57
.........................................................................536. Legislative issues............................................................................................66
6.1. Proposal regarding agency regulations......................................................66
6.2. Accession to, and implementation of, the Hague Convention...................66
6.2.1. Timetable for accession vis-à-vis legislative reform............................66
6.2.2. Role and responsibilities of the Central Authority under the Hague
Convention.....................................................................................................66
7. Main recommendations.................................................................................70
7.1. For the consideration of the Vietnamese Authorities.................................70
7.2. For the consideration of foreign authorities...............................................73
7.3. For the consideration of adoption agencies................................................74
7.4. For the consideration of intergovernmental bodies....................................74
Annex 1: Persons met........................................................................................76
Annex 2: Intercountry adoption procedure for non identified child
Annex 3: Proposal for regulations on the foreign adoption agencies in the
Republic of Viet Nam, prepared by International Social Service..................78
.............77