Finally some progress!!!

Here is the latest about the opening of the new State Department of Adoption (aka SDA) this may sound frustrating to you because we still have a few months to wait, but actually this is great news.

Opening of New Adoption Authority in Ukraine - July 3, 2006

Dear Members of the American Adoption Community Interested in Ukraine: On July 3, 2006 the Minister for Family, Youth and Sports, Yuriy Pavlenko, held a press conference to announce the official opening of the new adoption authority, to be known as the State Department for Adoption and Protection of Rights of the Child (SDAPRC), and to outline his ministryÂ’s policies related to the protection of childrenÂ’s rights. Minister Pavlenko reported that the previous central adoption authority (the National Adoption Center under the Ministry of Education) had been dissolved, and stressed that the SDAPRC is completely separate from the previous system.

The Embassy has assembled the following information for Americans who wish to adopt in Ukraine. Americans with more detailed questions should contact us directly at: adoptionskiev@state.gov

Q: When will the new adoption authority start accepting new adoption dossiers?
A: Pavlenko made clear that the SDAPRC will accept NO new adoption dossiers from non-Ukrainian adoptive parents before January 1, 2007. This applies to ALL intercountry adoptions, including applications for biological siblings of previously adopted children. According to Pavlenko, this is not a moratorium but a temporary suspension to allow complete reform of Ukraine’s child welfare and adoptions system. If a prospective adopted child is about to “age-out” (i.e., the child will turn 16 years old in 2006), please contact our office at: adoptionskiev@state.gov


Q: We have one of these NAC registration numbers. What should we do now?
A: All registered families are asked to submit new applications to affirm their intention to adopt in Ukraine. This application should be done in the same way as the one previously submitted to the NAC with their original dossiers, but should now be addressed to the new adoption authority and sent via regular or courier mail service directly to the following address: Ms. Ludmyla Volynets Director State Department for Adoption and Protection of Rights of the Child Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports 14 Desiatinna Street Kiev 01025 Ukraine Only original, notarized and apostilled applications, accompanied by a Ukrainian translation, will be accepted. An English-language sample application will be posted on the Embassy web site soon.

Q: When will the families who registered with the old adoption authority have their appointments?
A: During July and August of 2006 the new adoption authority will complete the scheduling of adoption appointments for registered families that have confirmed their intention to adopt from Ukraine. The appointments for registered families will begin after September 1, 2006.

Q: Is there any new information about the availability of children for intercountry adoption?
A: According to the Ministry, only 16% of all adoptable Ukrainian children are under five years old and relatively healthy. At the same time, 50% of all the U.S. prospective adopting families have indicated specific interest in this category of children.

*Our registration number is 15101. Supposedly they will be starting with family 14300 and will be seeing 75 families per week. If you calculate this and assume that there are no families missing in-between (which I will explain in a minute) that will put us 10 weeks into the scheduling which starts September 1.
Now because of the old corrupt center.... Families were not seen in order of thier registration number, they were seen in the order of who had the most money realisticaly there will be some families who have registration numbers between 14300 and (ours) 15101 who have already traveled. Also there are several families who have pulled out during this exhausting wait.

I am HOPING and thinking maybe early October :O) This couldn't be better news!!!