WACAP/Russia Adoption Fact Sheet

Q: When did WACAP learn of this situation?

A: The morning of April 8, 2010 (Pacific Time) when our Russian Representative in
Moscow was advised by the Ministry of Education that a child had been left at their
office after being sent unescorted back to Russia. WACAP reported it immediately to
all relevant government offices, including the police department in Tennessee
and the local Child Protective Services. After reporting it to all children's
protection offices, WACAP spoke with the U.S Department of State.

Q: What is done by WACAP to ensure the safety of the child and the positive
adjustment of the family?

 Prior to the adoption WACAP conducts a careful investigation of each family

(see below for more details) which includes federal and state criminal and
child abuse history checks.
 WACAP requires each family have a minimum of 10 hours of training and
complete a “Parenting Resource Plan – a 13-page questionnaire, including 3
pages dedicated specifically to questions for families adopting an older child.
 WACAP provides several training opportunities for families prior to or after
placement
 WACAP maintains an online chat board for families who have older child
placements, which is monitored by a WACAP social worker.
 A WACAP case manager talks with the family when they are in the foreign
country and contacts each parent within days of the child’s arrival home.
 WACAP adheres to Russia’s required post placement visits with the child and
family four times after placement at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months after
placement. For older children additional visits are typical.
 WACAP offers assistance to families with adjustment difficulties.
 In those rare cases when the parent determines the adoption cannot proceed,
WACAP finds a new family for the child.

Q: What is happening with this case now?

A: After learning about this situation WACAP began investigating the situation and
reported it immediately to the authorities in Tennessee. WACAP will report to the
Russian adoption authorities what we learn in the investigation.
Q: Why didn't WACAP catch that there was a problem?

A: Laws around confidentiality prohibit WACAP from sharing details about this specific
case. However, we can share that all WACAP families receive post placement services.
The Russia requirements are for four post placement visits and reports over three
years. When older children are adopted WACAP post placement services often go
beyond that which is required by the placing country. WACAP is one of a limited number
of US agencies who has consistently meet all Russian obligations to provide post
placement services and reports for the hundreds of Russian children we have placed in
loving families in the U.S.

Adoptions from Russia are considered final (with all the rights and responsibilities as if
the child were born to the family) and a US agency has no legal right or control over the
adopted child or family, however, WACAP strives to maintain a positive relationship with
the family and always remains available to provide assistance to families experiencing
difficulties. Adoptions that dissolve occur in about 1% of WACAP adoptions and in these
instances WACAP has placed the child with a new family. If WACAP has any indication
that a child is not safe or a family is having difficulties, WACAP makes every attempt to
assist them.

Because an adopted child is seen as legally and fully the child of an adopted parent,
WACAP cannot legally interfere without evidence or being requested to do so. Many
families of children with finalized adoptions consider agency contact unnecessary.
However, if WACAP has reason to believe a child is not safe, we act immediately. In
addition to our concern for each child, US state laws obligate us to take all necessary
steps to protect the child.

As with any child adopted or born to a parent, adopted parents have the legal right to
travel with their adopted child away from home for an extended period without advising
the agency. If a family is away for a month on vacation or visiting family, and if all other
evidence indicates a very successful adjustment, the family’s being temporarily away
from home would not be cause for intervention.

Finally, adoption is about people, and people are never predictable; not children and not
families. WACAP uses every resource to do our utmost to always work in the best
interests of each and every child, but we are unable to provide a 100% guarantee about
any family’s or child’s future behavior. While this work is often difficult, and in this case,
heart rendering, to not provide these services for children means that thousands of
children would grow up without a family.

Q: How does WACAP screen parents and children for adoption?

A: WACAP follows the requirements of the states in which we are licensed, the federal
government and the Ministry of Education in Russia. Whether or not the country with
which we are working is a Hague country WACAP meets Hague requirements (the gold
standard for adoption services).
WACAP investigates each family through several in depth interviews done by
experienced Master's level social workers to determine emotional and marital stability.
The family completes a detailed guided autobiography with information about their
social history, each spouse’s extended family, the marriage, work and social activities
and relationships, parenting experience, other family members, etc. Issues such as
motivation to adopt, the challenges of adopting an older child, single parenting or marital
issues with adding a child, finding personal support resources, the child’s need to grieve
over loss, cultural identity, growing up adopted, and many other issues are all
discussed with a family.

Applicants are required to obtain medical examinations, submit financial information and
verifications, provide references, write an autobiography, and pass a nationwide
criminal history check through the FBI and a check of child abuse records in states
where they have resided. Russia also has additional medical and legal requirements,
such as proof of residency and employment information, which is supported with
medical, financial, and occupational evidence. WACAP assembles birth, marriage,
divorce and other documental evidence. There is a U.S. fingerprint criminal history
check and child abuse history checks in every state the family has resided in. Several
personal references are obtained for each family. The social worker ensures that each
family fully understands all the expectations, limitations and risks in international
adoption. WACAP scrutinizes each applicant from every perspective and remains
prepared to respond if state and local authorities and judges may have additional
questions.

WACAP requires at least 10 hours of training which must discuss typical issues of
adopted children. Parents are also required to complete a parenting resource form
which asks for detailed research into local resources to deal with a child's issues and
proposes various "what if" scenarios for typical behavior of children who have been
abused, neglected, institutionalized and/or affected by drugs and alcohol. After
placement, the contact for a Russian adoption is as described above--with post
placement visits for three years. Besides social workers being available by phone,
WACAP also maintains a nationally accessible, online chat board which allows families
to post questions and concerns about their older children, which is monitored by a
WACAP social worker.

Furthermore, WACAP asks each family to complete A Parenting Resource Plan which
asks many questions about how a family might respond to various behaviors which
could be demonstrated by an adopted child. This document helps parents understand
the difficult behaviors that a child might exhibit and asks them to write their plan for
dealing with each situation. Areas considered for the Parenting plan include how the
parent might respond to, and find assistance for, a child who has been sexually abused,
dealing with grief and loss, seeking respite care if needed, how to deal with difficulties in
adjustment (the parent and the child) and support, etc. This document is completed and
reviewed by WACAP prior to the family being approved.
Q: How thoroughly does WACAP investigate the agencies it deals with in the
states where they place children?

A: WACAP investigates each homestudy agency with whom we work cooperatively to

ensure that the agency has all the proper credentials and training. We ensure that their
staff holds a Master’s degree in social work and/or equal experience with adoption. We
maintain a copy of their licensing document from the agency’s state licensing authority.
WACAP also consults with their licensing authorities to learn if there are any issues.
Every homestudy written by another agency is scrutinized carefully as part of the
WACAP approval process. WACAP is very transparent with the Russian government in
identifying who conducts and writes the homestudy document.

Q: How often do these kinds of things happen?

A: In over 33 years of working in adoption WACAP has found families for nearly 10,000
children, over half of whom are older children or children with identified special needs.
WACAP provides support and training to families prior to the adoption as well as after
the adoption. When families have adjustment difficulties WACAP is always there to offer
assistance. About 1% of all adoptions are dissolved in which case the family typically
welcomes WACAP’s support and help in finding another family for the child. WACAP is
there for a family during the post placement follow up period with visits, phone calls and
emails. When the family is honest and forthcoming about a child’s adjustment
difficulties WACAP responds immediately. If there is a desire to dissolve the
adoption, advising WACAP will give the child an opportunity for another family.
WACAP does not condone returning a child to their country of birth.

Q: Is this child a U.S. citizen?

A: Children adopted from Russia into the US hold dual citizenship and are citizens of
both the US and Russia.

Q: How will this episode affect WACAP’s work with the Russian government for
future adoptions?

A: It is difficult to predict how this distressing situation will impact adoptions from Russia
into the US. WACAP’s first and foremost concern is the health and welfare of this child
and other children for whom we are helping to find families.

The Russian government is very careful in reviewing and approving agencies to perform
adoption work. Based on their review the Russia adoption authorities accredit only
those agencies who they feel will provide high quality, professional adoption services.
Based on the investigation of this sad, but isolated case, we are hopeful the Russian
adoption authorities will see that the high quality professional adoption services
documented in WACAP’s accreditation documents will be reflected in the actual work
done in this case.
We are working with the authorities in Tennessee and Russia to fully understand the
situation and how the family’s circumstances could have changed so quickly.

Q: Does WACAP believe single parent households are a good choice for children
coming into a brand new home?

A: It has been demonstrated and documented that single parents can provide an
excellent family for a child. WACAP considers each applicant individually for their
strengths and ability to parent. When matching a child with a family, WACAP considers
the needs of each child.

Q: In cases where a child’s biological parent is an alcoholic would the adoptive

parent be advised of this?

A: WACAP always shares all information received from the Russian government about
the child with the adopting parents. Typically, and compared to most countries
participating in international adoption, the child’s background information documented
by the Russian government is quite thorough. Also, WACAP tells adopting families
repeatedly that they must be open to many unknowns about an adopted child’s past and
how it might impact his future. There are no guarantees with adoption.

Q: Has WACAP had situations where families learn new information while in
Russia?

A: WACAP documentation advises adopting families that they may informally learn new
information about the child when they travel, information which was not previously given
to us.

All families travel to Russia twice. The first trip allows the adopting family time to meet
and spend time with their child. At this time families are encouraged to ask questions
about their child. They then return home and it is expected that they will take the child’s
medical information to a doctor who specializes in international adoption medicine. For
children adopted from Russia, the international adoption specialist will typically review
the family history and examine the child for signs of Fetal Alcohol exposure. Generally
medical providers always have discussions around this issue with families adopting
from Russia. After giving full consideration to all the information about the child, the
family makes the decision to accept the child for adoption or to wait to be referred
another child. If the child is accepted the family returns to Russia for the second trip
several weeks later. This offers another opportunity for families to speak with the
government and orphanage staff, should they have additional questions.
On the second trip, adoptive parents are present in the court room where a Russian
judge carefully asks each family many questions related to why they want to adopt the
child and their commitment to the child. The international adoption process in Russia is
one of the most arduous, exceptionally conscientious and exceedingly careful
processes of all countries participating in international adoption. Russian judges are to
be admired for their thoroughness with adoption documents and adoptive parents.

Q: How can situations such as this be avoided in the future?

A: Families must embrace asking their agencies for help when needed. Also, WACAP
supports foreign governments in asking U.S. officials to create laws prohibiting foreign
abandonment of children by US citizens, investigating cases of foreign child
abandonment, and when circumstances dictate, prosecuting to the fullest extent of the
law.

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