[annelisa]

I was just reading another thread that was talking about one agency that will make people sign a waiver if they accept a referral after May 1st.
With things getting so seemingly close to shutting down for awhile, does anyone know what will happen to all of the children in foster care right now or the ones in hogars?
I look at all the precious little faces on photolistings and it breaks my heart to wonder what will happen to them.
(If DH would consent, I would adopt again in a heartbeat! But that is not going to happen.) I can't help but feel so bad for all the ones left behind.
Any insight on this?

[mcmom]

I have wondered/worried about this also!

[Dulcey]

Bless them. It breaks my heart. If I had the finances I would adopt a bunch. It is a shame to me that they would stop or slow down adoption in GUA when the people of GUA can't afford it. It is so heart wrenching! Every child needs a Mom and Dad! Every child needs love and somewhere safe! Maybe things will turn out ok.......

[Dulcey]

Bless them. It breaks my heart. If I had the finances I would adopt a bunch. It is a shame to me that they would stop or slow down adoption in GUA when the people of GUA can't afford it. It is so heart wrenching! Every child needs a Mom and Dad! Every child needs love and somewhere safe! Maybe things will turn out ok.......

[Devora]

There's no definitive answer to your question, but here are a few pieces of information and speculations that I've heard:

- Most children in hogars are not available for international adoption because (A) they don't have abandonment decrees and/or (B) the hogar doesn't have a relationship with an attorney that does international adoptions. So for many children in hogars nothing changes.

- Children will still continue to be adopted by people in other countries that have not ratified the Hague convention. (For a list of countries that have ratified it see HCCH | Status table
Note: I'm following up with some questions I have about the status of other countries and IA with Guatemala because I do know of people living in some of those countries who are currently adopting and I'm not sure if it's because the countries have filed an exemption to the convention, simply aren't applying it to Guatemala, or some other reason.)

- Many children who would otherwise be relinquished for adoption may be abandoned instead and raised in a hogar. There is concern in Guatemala about the potential for needing far more hogar care than is currently available. There is a very minimal social services system in Guatemala and most hogars are run by NGOs and missions that are foreign.

- Some parents who would have otherwise relinquished their children will instead attempt to raise them in whatever way they can.

If I hear anything more definite I'll pass it on.

[KevinK]

ICA is entremely difficult to do in other "receiving" countries. Some of them objected to Guatemala's acceeding to the Haguse so to them Guat is not in it.

Virtually all adoptions are to the US. So let's hope that Guatemala passes legislation the US deems as Hague compliant and keeps adoption as a viable option for children.

In reality, as one poster eluded to, there are tens of thousands of orphans in Guatemala who are not adoptable. It is sad for them and one of the best things Guatemala could do would be to speed up the abandonment process for children in its custody and give them the chance to join a family!

Kevin
Guatadopt