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Trauma Tuesday: Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities

Here is a depressing thought to consider at the close of the year – child abuse fatalities are on the rise. According to a report posted on the Every Child Matters website, 10,440 children died from child abuse and neglect from 2001 through 2007. That is a sobering statistic.
Here are more disturbing statistics from the same report: In 2001, 1,300 children died from child abuse or neglect in the United States. In 2007, the number rose to 1,760. Seventy five percent of the children were under age four, 13% were 4-7 years old, and 11% were 8 or older.
It gets worse. In thousands of these cases, people had contacted child protective services because they were concerned about the children being in danger. Unfortunately, thanks to tight budgets and staff that is stretched too thin, these children’s lives were not saved.
According to this report, these numbers might actually be low. The report states:
Guatemala “Might” Initiate an Intercountry Adoption Pilot Program
The National Adoption Council of Guatemala, the central committee responsible for handling adoption in Guatemala since the previous adoption system was shut down in 2007, is initiating a pilot program for intercountry adoption. This pilot program will include only four countries, but which countries has yet to be announced.
The JCICS (Joint Council of International Children’s Services) has verified that the U.S. Department of State has submitted a letter of interest to the Guatemalan government regarding participation in this pilot program. Seven other countries wrote a letter of interest as well.
The JCICS also made it very clear that this does not mean that adoption is reopening. The JCICS also reported that:
1. Potential adoptive parents may initiate a Hague adoption by submitting an I-800A with the National Benefits Center for a Guatemalan adoption, but this application cannot be processed through to a completed adoption. Guatemala is still not compliant with the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.
2. The Government of Guatemala has not published a time-line for country selection nor initiation of the pilot program.
3. The Government of Guatemala has not provided assurances that the pilot program will actually be initiated.
4. The Government of Guatemala has not published the criteria by which they intend to accredit foreign adoption service providers. Based on the announcement published on the Guatemalan Central Authority’s website, only one (1) adoption service provider will be selected per country for participation in the pilot program.
- LisaS's blog
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Adoption News: U.S. Supreme Court Declines Review of Adoption FMLA Case

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case appealed from the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals that ruled in favor of protecting the rights of adoptive parents under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Bottom line – This is good news for adoptive families who plan to adopt internationally or out of foster care. You can read a detailed description of the facts here and the Fourth Circuit’s decision here.
Jim Dotson was a salesman for a pharmaceutical company called Pfizer. Dotson and his wife decided to adopt a child from Russia, which requires two trips. Dotson kept his employer apprised of his plans. Soon after Dotson returned from Russia with his adopted daughter, Aselya, he was fired.
The parties disagree as to the reason for the firing. According to Pfizer, Dotson gave the orphanage unauthorized samples of Zithromax (an antibiotic uses to treat infections), which violated company policy. However, two of the people involved in firing him knew about his plan to donate the samples, made no effort to stop him, and were not disciplined afterward for their inaction.
Dotson asserts that he was illegally fired for asserting his rights under the FMLA. Pfizer claimed that:
FMLA does not provide for the type of intermittent adoption-related leave that he took. ~ Dotson v. Pfizer
- FaithA's blog
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Illegal adoptions in the News

Earlier this week in Cairo, anEgyptian judge convicted two American couples of human trafficking in illegal adoptions. The Americans were sentenced to two years in prison. Some feel that the murky legislation on child adoption in this predominantly Muslim country contributed to the illegal adoption. Besides prison time, each must pay $18,153 in fines. The U.S. Embassy in Cairo had become suspicious of the couples earlier this year when they tried to remove their children from Egypt. The arrest took place in December and the trial was held in May on the charges of forgery and child trafficking.
- FosterMommy's blog
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Guess Who’s Adopting a Child (and Who is Not)?
I seem to keep stumbling upon more and more stories in the news about celebrities adopting (or trying to adopt) children.
First, I saw the story of Elton John seeking to adopt an infant from the Ukraine who is HIV-positive. According to this article, the Ukraine will not allow him to adopt the infant because of his age and marital status. I find it very sad that this infant is likely to grow up in an orphanage because, let’s face it, married couples are hardly lining up around the block to pay tens of thousands of dollars to adopt an HIV-positive child.
I then saw an article about Katherine Heigl and her husband, Josh Kelly, adopting a 10-month old girl from Korea who has special needs.
Guest Blog: Florida Georgia Adoption Scandal Involving Baby Olivia
Hi everyone, I am Harry Panagopoulos, the adoptive father of Olivia. I thank you all for participating in this Blog. If any of you need any more FACTS about this case, I will be happy to provide you with all the information. What happened was truly WRONG. When they said it was because of our health, both my wife and I, went to all the appropriate specialists and where given a clean bill of health. Florida ICPC only requested an updated FBI clearance and that's it. This was the ONLY reason we gave them Olivia back. WE are just so tired and drained from this whole nightmare that we just hope and pray that Olivia is in good hands. We have not gotten our money back and we need it in order to pursue getting another child and move forward in our lives.
Harry and Chene Panagopoulos had been working with ASCS of Florida for over 12 months on adopting a Caucasian infant. At our first point of contact we filed in a 97 page questionnaire and at that time, a home study was required and we got that done and submitted it to ASCS they received our home study on April 20th 2008. On Friday April 17th 2009 we received an email stating that there was a potential baby that was due November 20th 2009 and if ASCS could send our profile, of course we said yes.
On Monday April 20th 2009 we received a phone call, stating that they have another baby that had just been born and was tested positive for Methamphetamine (birthmother positive for Methamphetamine and Opiates), and if she can present our profile to the birthmother. We agreed as we own a clinic that provides services to children with special needs. At 6:30 pm we received a phone call stating that the birthmother chose us and we can come to get our baby immediately. We drove all night to Florida, to get our child. On April 21st 2009, we met with ASCS (Stacia Hammond) to pick up our baby Olivia Hannah (the name we chose for her).
Fugitive Orson Mozes Sentenced for International Adoption Fraud
Fugitive Orson Mozes is behind bars and was scheduled to receive his sentence July 14, 2009 for felony counts of taking money under false pretenses and grand theft via the Internet. However, the sentencing has been postponed to Thursday, July 23 while his ex-wife fights for the frozen assets to pay child support. Translation: stealing money from prospective adoptive parents and breaking their hearts. He pretended to have adoptive child referrals from Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Russia and posted photos on the Internet. He collected money from prospective adoptive parents to place a hold on the children that they could not adopt, through his Pennsylvania agency, Adoption International Program, AIP. On July 14, 2009 he was to receive three years, four months in state prison, and three years of parole. He faces additionally, a civil lawsuit filed jointly by 17 adoption scam victims in Pennsylvania. Mozes agreed to forfeit $300,000 seized from his Florida home consisting of cash and gold coins to repay victims at least partially.
- FosterMommy's blog
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I Really Won the Weighted Blanket Contest for May

Gosh dear readers, I am actually feeling a little guilty. It's true though, I won the May weighted blanket contest that Faith told you all about in a blog sponsored by Dream Catchers Weighted Blankets. From over 300 entries, my entry was selected at random. Wow, now that is impressive. But do not lose heart dear readers. Eileen, over at Dream Catchers has announced that there will be another custom weighted blanket giveaway in June, because the May contest was so popular. I will attest to the fact that she is really giving away a custom blanket of your choice. I suggested that she just send us a premade, but she insisted that I look through the fabrics and pick out something special.
Adopting for a cause? Bad idea ...
There is no doubt that I am, in the broadest sense, pro-adoption. Advocating for the right of the children of the world to have the option of adoption open to them is the foundation of much of my work, and I do what I can to address issues that challenge these rights.
Anti-adoption forces exist in the world, and those are often easily dealt with as pie-in-the-sky attitudes that neglect reality beg correction.
What is not so easy for me, however, is responding to pro-adoption writings that make me cringe.
No matter how many children would benefit from a family, there are many, many reasons for families not to adopt, and although the reasons for are uncountable, wrong ones exist.
One big red flag against an adoption decision is any version of nobility. Seeking sainthood through bringing a child into a family is just plain wrong, and the idea of it is something successful adoptive parents rail against.
Art? Hm ... Deffo not adoption, though

Opening caveat: This is not about international adoption.
The story that follows is no more about adoption than was last year's Zoe's Ark fiasco.
Now that that's out of the way, we can all spend a few minutes being appalled while I attempt to head off any tarrings of adoption with the brush so publicly wielded at the pass. It's this story titled, "An artist's ego ... and adoption" that winds my spring this morning, starting off as it does ...
- SandraHanksBenoiton's blog
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