Update dating back to last Friday, 3/7/08

Hello all :) Last Friday brought some amazing news for another family adopting from FTIA! They were referred an absolutely precious baby girl!!! I was able to see her picture and she is SO adorable!!!

Our agencies report last week (3/7/08) had a positive tone to it....They said that March should be a busy month with referrals resuming. This is also very exciting news!

We still haven't heard anything concrete regarding the MOU being renewed. There is still MUCH speculation among those adopting from Vietnam as to if we will experience a shutdown or not. Brandon and I have been fortunate not to get caught up in the speculation and I KNOW that comes from God and through much prayer. I belong to two yahoo groups for parents who are adopting (or would like to adopt) from Vietnam and there is continual frustrations and upheaval voiced daily among those adopting from Vietnam. I have made it a point to scan the posts before reading them, as to not get sucked into the ups and downs and drama of it all. As for concrete news, we did read what I've cut and pasted below regarding the current meetings in Vietnam (www.jcics.org - this is the joint council of childrens internationl services) There mission is: To advocate and protect the right of every child to a safe, permanent and loving family. They are involved in the current discussions among the US and Vietnam regarding renewing and rewriting the MOU. This is what they had to say on March 7th:


March 7, 2008
The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors is pleased to clarify Joint Council's position regarding the current Vietnam negotiations, specific to an earlier post issued on March 7, 2008:
Joint Council continues to advocate for all JCICS member and affiliate organizations with programs in Vietnam and those hoping to establish them. It is, however, important to bear in mind that Joint Council is not alone in this conversation. As we all know, there are multiple entities, governmental and non-governmental, involved in the on-going negotiations around re-establishing the MOA between the US and Vietnam. As a contribution to these negotiations, Joint Council offered the recently created Standards of Practice for Vietnam – a document all involved parties recognized as "a key element of elevating child welfare services...."
Joint Council encourages Vietnam's movement toward functional implementation of the Hague Convention and, pending that eventuality, strongly supports continuation of programs and agency licensure based on best practice as outlined in the Joint Council Standards of Practice for Vietnam.
Additionally, we have issued a post regarding the “rolling nature” of the COA/DOS list of Hague accredited agencies initially released on February 29, 2008. Our newest post can be accessed at http://www.jcics.org/Hague.htm. The Hague list of accredited agencies issued on February 29th was only an initial release. As we noted on March 3rd, many other Joint Council agencies will finalize their Hague Accreditation and be added to the list, both before and after April 1, 2008.
Again, Joint Council continues to advocate on behalf of all our member and affiliate organizations. Adoption service providers and prospective adoptive families are encouraged to contact Joint Council staff and the Joint Council Board of Directors with any questions regarding the “rolling nature” of the Hague accreditation process as well as for up-to-date information regarding Joint Council members currently pursuing accreditation.
March 7, 2008
This week Joint Council had the honor of presenting the Joint Council Vietnam Standards of Practice to the Vietnam Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and to the United States Embassy in Hanoi. We are proud to report that all parties expressed their appreciation for and support of the collective efforts of Joint Council, its Member Organizations and non-member organizations in addressing the ongoing concerns related to intercountry adoption. All parties uniformly stated that the Standards are a key element of elevating child welfare services to a level consistent with the tenants of the Hague Convention and the hopeful continuation of permanency and humanitarian services to the children and families of Vietnam.
During numerous meetings with MOLISA and MOJ, their desire to implement the Hague Convention was reconfirmed. Joint Council understands that the MOJ, as part of aligning practices with Hague standards, will permit the continuation of adoption licenses for agencies receiving Hague accreditation by the U.S. Central Authority. While the timing and other specifics remain uncertain, Joint Council and the U.S. Department of State have requested clarification. In addition, Joint Council has strongly advocated for the following.
All adoptions in which a referral has been issued are permitted to continue through to the finalization of the adoption.
Recognizing that a list of Hague accredited agencies has been announced by the U.S. Department of State via the Uniform Notification Date (February 29, 2008), agencies accredited as of April 1, 2008 (the date the Convention goes into full effect in the United States) be used to determine the continuation of licensure by the Vietnam MOJ.
Joint Council supports the MOJ and its continuation of licensure for Hague accredited agencies. Our support of this initiative is based on both principles and practicality. Given Joint Council’s long standing support of a functional implementation of the Convention in the U.S. and other countries, we encourage Vietnam’s movement toward that end. Given the expiration of the current MOA between the U.S. and Vietnam in less than six months (on September 1, 2008), this decision by the MOJ is a strong indicator of Vietnam’s serious intent to continue permanency and humanitarian services via a new or amended MOA.
While some may see the continuation of licensure for only Hague accredited agencies as overly restrictive, Joint Council fully recognizes this utilization of Convention principles as a means of ensuring both best practices and a key element for the continuation of finding permanent, safe and loving families for the children of Vietnam.
Please know that Joint Council will continue to engage all stakeholders and inform you of events as they unfold.