The Australian Central Authority under the Hague has published the following information on its intercountry adoption web pages. Please note that despite the fact that the Australian government states this information was made available to all Central Authorities in September 2012, the US DOS has not published any updated information concerning the Philippine program since the winter of 2011. For US families and agencies considering a Philippine adoption program, PEAR recommends that you contact the US DOS Office of Children’s Issues to confirm the information provided in the statement below. Phone: 1-888-407-4747; 202-501-4444 E-mail: AskCI@state.gov
Key points:
The Intercountry Adoption Board of the Philippines (ICAB) has:
- introduced a quota system
- lifted its moratorium on adoption applications for children below the age of 25 months, and
- revised their definition of an ‘older child’.
Details:
Introduction of a quota system
ICAB has advised all of its partner organisations of the introduction of a new quota system.
ICAB has advised each organisation, including each of Australia’s State and Territory Central Authorities, of the number of:
- applications they may send to ICAB over the remainder of 2012 and in 2013, and
- adoption placement proposals they may expect from ICAB in 2012 and 2013.
ICAB plans to re-assess the quota for 2013 in March 2013.
Through this quota system, ICAB aims to reduce waiting times to an average of 1.5 years by ensuring the number of applications received from a partner organisation does not exceed the average number of placement proposals made through that organisation.
NOTE: The quota system does not apply to applications to adopt a child with special needs, an older child or a sibling group. Please also note the information below regarding ICAB’s revised definition of ‘older child’.
For more information about the quota in your jurisdiction, or about adopting a child with special needs, please contact your State or Territory Central Authority.
Lifting of moratorium
ICAB have also advised that they have lifted the moratorium on adoption applications for children below the age of 25 months.
This means that, subject to the quota system outlined above, ICAB will now accept applications from Australian families approved to care for children aged 0-24 months.
The moratorium was introduced in 2009 in response to the large number of applications ICAB had received to adopt children aged under the age of 25 months, compared to the relatively small number of children in this age group in need of overseas families.
Definition of ‘older child’
ICAB have revised their definition of an older child.
Previously, a child was considered to have special needs on the basis of age if they were over 8 years old.
ICAB have advised us that a child who is over the age of 6 will now be considered to have special needs on the basis of age.
Please contact your State or Territory Central Authority if you have any questions about the changes to the Philippines program.
http://www.ag.gov.au/Intercountryadoption/Whatsnew/Pages/default.aspx#PhilippinesSept12
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