Towards a greater capacity: Learning from intercountry adoption breakdowns Towards a greater capacity: Learning from intercountry adoption breakdowns 1 To Chantal Saclier For her profound humanity and humility, her contribution to the development of the rights of children deprived of their families and her faith in change – a constant inspiration in my daily commitment. 2 Towards a greater capacity: Learning from intercountry adoption breakdowns Published by: Author: Cécile Jeannin International Social Service Co-authors: Bernadette Abejo, Ana Berástegui Pedro- Viejo, Bernadette Bonkoungou, Laurie C. Miller, Claudia International Centre of Reference for the Rights of Children Cabral, Sitara Chamot and Sinta, Marco Chistolini, Deprived of their Family Dr. Fanny Cohen Herlem, Janie Cravens, Frédérique 32 Quai du Seujet Delatour, Christine Delepière, Maria Doré, Ina Dulanjani 1201 Geneva, Switzerland Dygaard, Violeta Elefterie, Lina M. Estrada Jaramillo, Laura Ferrari, Patricia Fronek, Céline Giraud, Gaëlle Grilo, Anna Guerrieri, Alicia Aguilar Gutiérrez, Bente © International Social Service 2018. Hoseth, Odeta Inte, Jesús M. Jiménez-Morazo, All rights reserved. All reproductions, copies or diffusions Jaime Ledesma del Busto, Johanne Lemieux, Monica of this publication are prohibited without the publisher/ Malaguti, Sophie Marinopoulos, Laura Martínez- editor’s approval. Mora, Dr. Ulrike Möller-Bierth, Raquel Morales, Javier Múgica Flores, Victoria Musatova, Jesús Palacios, Design and illustrations: www.transformbrands.co.uk Carmen Paniagua, Nathalie Parent, Sandrine Pépit, Dr. Marie Odile Pérouse de Montclos, Sandi Petersen, ISBN: 978-2-9701140-4-8 Julien Pierron, Sonia Ranieri, Alberto Rodriguez Gonzalez, Rosa Rosnati, Chantal Saclier, Alphonsine T. Sawadogo, Ruth Schürbüscher, Frédéric Sorge, Lizley Tantaleán and Cite as: Anna Taxell. Jeannin, C. (Ed.) (2018). Towards a greater capacity: Central Adoption Authorities of Burkina Faso, Denmark, Learning from intercountry adoption breakdowns. France, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Geneva: Switzerland. International Social Service (please Spain and Vietnam. refer to the author’s contribution when relevant). ISS General Secretariat (Laurence Bordier, Vito Bumbaca, Mia Dambach, Juliette Duchesne, Marie Jenny and Jeannette Wöllenstein), ISS Australia (Lizzie Gray), ISS New-Zealand (Cathy Woods) and ISS United States (Felicity Sackville Northcott and Siyi Chu). Coordination: Cécile Jeannin with the collaboration of Mia Dambach and Juliette Duchesne. Translation and Editing Committee: Central Adoption Authority of Canada at the federal level (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada), Christina Baglietto, Laurence Bordier, Julie Capewell, Juliette Duchesne, Cécile Jeannin, Lisa Robinson, Fanny Salmon, Jeannette Wöllenstein and Ana Zanettin. Acknowledgments ISS expresses its profound gratitude to all the experts who responded, without hesitation, with deep convictions, and without expectation of recompense to contribute to this publication. Evidence of the human commitment of these global professionals in offering each adopted child, adoptable child, and all (future) adoptive families a chance of success in their adoption, or, in the words of C. Delpière, a chance for success in life. Towards a greater capacity: Learning from intercountry adoption breakdowns 3 Introduction Table of contents Memento 07 Foreword 09 By Chantal Saclier Abbreviations 10 Perspective taking 11 By Sitara Chamot Introduction 12 1. Qualification, quantification and information 15 sharing of intercountry adoption breakdowns 1.1 Defining indicators 16 Breakdown versus success in adoption 17 By Christine Delepière Variables in defining adoption breakdown, variables in adoption success 19 By Ana Berástegui Pedro-Viejo A successful adoption implies a successful mutual attachment 23 By Johanne Lemieux Some keys to understanding breakdowns in adoption 27 By Alberto Rodriguez Gonzalez An attempt to define crises and breakdowns in adoption and a data collection model 29 By Monica Malaguti and the International Social Service 1.2 Statistical data 31 Collecting data on problematic adoptions: the experience of the Emilia-Romagna Region in Italy 32 By Monica Malaguti Collecting statistical data from countries of origin 36 By the International Social Service (Jeannette Wöllenstein) 1.3 Point on research 39 Research on adoption breakdowns: an international outlook 40 By Rosa Rosnati, Sonia Ranieri & Laura Ferrari Researching adoption breakdown: challenges and lessons By Jesús Palacios, Jesús M. Jiménez-Morazo & Carmen Paniagua 41 1.4 Role of the media 47 The media’s treatment of adoption breakdowns 48 By Céline Giraud & Julien Pierron Private rehoming: working towards potential solutions 51 By Felicity Sackville Northcott & Siyi Chu (ISS United States) 2. Legal and political framework surrounding intercountry adoption breakdown 54 2.1 International, regional and national legal framework 55 International conventions and intercountry adoption breakdowns 57 By Laura Martínez-Mora 4 Towards a greater capacity: Learning from intercountry adoption breakdowns Introduction European Court of Human Rights: best interests of the child to be the 60 paramount consideration in preventing and managing adoption breakdowns By the International Social Service (Vito Bumbaca, Juliette Duchesne, Cécile Jeannin & Jeannette Wöllenstein) Vietnamese legal measures for the prevention of intercountry adoption breakdowns 63 By the Vietnamese Adoption Central Authority The Spanish legal framework for adoption breakdown 66 By Alicia Aguilar Gutiérrez Brief overview of national case law on adoption breakdowns 69 By the International Social Service (Vito Bumbaca, Juliette Duchesne, Cécile Jeannin & Jeannette Wöllenstein) 2.2. Cooperation and political aspects 73 Peru’s perspective: cooperating with receiving countries on intercountry adoption breakdowns 75 By Lizley Tantaleán The Philippines’ perspective: cooperation aimed at preventing breakdowns, 79 especially in intercountry adoption of children with special needs By Bernadette Abejo Meeting the interests of the child beyond politics and diplomacy 82 By Frédérique Delatour International cooperation in reaching a consensus: placing the interests 85 of children above potential conflicts between States and competent authorities By Dr. Ulrike Möller-Bierth Perspectives of a Swedish adoption accredited body: the cooperation 88 experiences of Adoptionscentrum By Anna Taxell Internal cooperation: obstacles faced and lessons learnt 92 By Sandrine Pépit 3. From risk factors to protective factors 96 3.1 Exploring the system behind and the surrounding environment of intercountry adoption 97 Intercountry adoption measures in Burkina Faso: developments contributing 98 to the prevention of breakdowns By Bernadette Bonkoungou Addressing illegal adoptions to prevent intercountry adoption breakdowns 100 By the International Social Service (Mia Dambach) 3.2 Refining methods for evaluating prospective adoptive parents 102 and procedures for matching and first meeting(s) with the child A comprehensive assessment of the adoptability of the child: understanding 104 the value of the child’s unique story By Raquel Morales The child’s file: a key tool in preventing breakdowns 108 By the International Social Service (Marie Jenny) Assessment of prospective adoptive parents 110 By Patricia Fronek Parenting plan tool for special needs assessment: an innovative 114 tool developed by the New Zealand Central Authority By Victoria Musatova The secure attachment style of the parent: a protective factor 115 By Johanne Lemieux Siblings: risk factors and protective factors 117 By Johanne Lemieux Matching and prevention of intercountry adoption breakdowns 120 By Alphonsine T. Sawadogo Towards a greater capacity: Learning from intercountry adoption breakdowns 5 Introduction The Norwegian Professional Board for Adoptions role in matching: an additional 123 safeguard for the adoption of children with special needs By Bente Hoseth The probationary period: an opportunity to detect difficulties and to halt 126 adoptions doomed to failure By Violeta Elefterie 3.3 Enhancing pre and post-adoption support services 129 Strengthening the child’s preparation and making adjustments according to his or her specific needs 131 By Lina Marcela Estrada Jaramillo Child consent: a key element in determining child adoptability, and in preparing him or her for adoption 134 By Odeta Inte Identifying gaps in pre- and post-adoption services to better prevent intercountry adoption breakdowns 137 By Maria Doré Mandatory, continuous, and accessible pre-adoption and post-adoption support in Denmark: 141 strengthening the skills of adoptees, adopters, and the social environment of the adoptive families By Ina Dulanjani Dygaard (Danish International Adoption-DIA) and The Danish National Social Appeals Board Protective factors: being able to access one’s origins and benefitting from support 144 By Lizzie Gray (ISS-Australia) 3.4 Equipping the family and the social environment 148 From risk factors to protective factors: the Adopteparentalité approach for better equipping parents 149 By Johanne Lemieux Preventing the risk of breakdown by increasing the capacity of families 152 By Sandi Petersen Agreements and disagreements: intercultural aspects of intercountry adoption 155 By Claudia Cabral A model for intervening in situations of risk and the strengthening of group intervention 158 By Alberto Rodriguez Gonzalez & Javier Múgica Flores