[daygotum]

I am trying to find information about the welfare of a boy I met a year or two ago. He was brought over to the states by a family along with an older sister and younger brother. He is about 10. I never met the siblings because they were sent away ( I don't know where ) by the potential adoptive family early on (maybe 2 years ago? not sure) due to some acting out on which I do not have the full details. It seemed everything was going well with this boy and I understand he was trying very hard to make things work as he was anxious to stay, but I recently learned that he was also given up in July of this year. I heard from neighbors of the family that he was sent down south (I am in NY) maybe Mississippi or South Carolina possibly to be with his brother and sister. I estimate that by that time he had been living with the family for approximately 2 or 2 1/2 years. I read somewhere that citizen ship does not go into effect until the adoption process is complete and I was told by the wife in the family that was adopting that they had not completed the process, my concern is that he would be sent back into the situation he came out of. I have 5 children of my own and this boy really appealed to me, he seemed to have such a good attitude despite coming from a very bad area and situation (as I was told). Additionally, I am half Filippina myself and he looks a lot like my 8 year old son so maybe that is part of the appeal (?) I would like to know that he is in a good situation and not about to be shipped back somewhere where he won't have any resources. If that is not the case and my family and I are able to help him then we very much want to do that.

Does anyone have any suggestions about a contact person or agency in a situation like this. I prefer not to contact the family that gave him up (the second time it happened!) if I can avoid it. Someone thought they might be working with an agency from Mass., would that agency have taken him back when things didn't work out? Is there no governmental regulation of this sort of thing? If the children did not have citizenship, would they remain in the US indefinitely and if so would they be in a foster family or an institution. Does anyone know of anyone who might be able to answer any of these questions?

Thank you so much in advance for any help you can give me and for reading this very long message.

[corcor]

Hi there! The ICAB (Inter-country Adoption Board) Philippines should know & keep track of the whereabouts & status of the child. From my understanding, if the child is not legally adopted by the potential adoptive family, he is sent back to where he originated from. Please double check to make sure!

You may contact ICAB at:

http://www.icab.com.ph/
http://www.skyinet.net/~icaba/
Phone: (632) 726-4568
(632) 721-9781
(632) 721-9782
Fax: (632) 727-2026
E-mail: icaba@skyinet.net

Hope this helps, good luck!!! =)