Voices for Vietnam Adoption Integrity

From the Irish Times:

An independent audit of the Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency has found no evidence of impropriety in its expenditure of fees charged to adoptive parents, the agency said today.

This follows the announcement last October by Minister for Children Barry Andrews of an inquiry into the operation of Helping Hands by the Adoption Board, the regulatory body for adoptions in Ireland, and which mediated adoptions between Ireland and Vietnam.

Asked why it was necessary to commission an additional financial report when HHAMA’s accounts are audited, Ms O’Driscoll said this was to facilitate the Adoption Board and also to satisfy themselves that the agency was working in everyone’s best interests.

Access the entire article here.

A previous posting by VVAI in October of 2009 about the investigation of Helping Hands can be found here.

From Vietnews:

Speaking during a debate in the National Assembly Wednesday, they said besides paying the fees for adoption, foreigners should also defray the cost of filing for adoption and verifying the background of adoptees, besides paying a donation to the orphanage or welfare center.

They did not suggest a specific sum but said merely that Vietnam should apply the same fees other countries like China, Thailand, India, and South Korea do — of US$4,000-7,000 for an adoption.

The money would be used to improve conditions at orphanages and other relevant agencies, they said.

Most agreed but several expressed concern this could lead to trafficking.

Nguyen Thi Kim Thuy of Da Nang said the fee schedule must be included in the adoption laws rather than being decided by the government.

Vietnamese regulations require couples looking to adopt to be from a nation that has signed an agreement with Vietnam or to have worked or studied in Vietnam for at least six months.

The current adoption fee is VND3 million (US$158).

The entire article can be accessed here.

From Viet Nam News:

Ha Noi — According to the latest version of the draft law on adoption, only children under 16 years can be offered for adoption.

The National Assembly Standing Committee, the provision would be congruent with the country’s legal system and international laws.

Minister of Justice Ha Hung Cuong said the fee was congruent with the 1993 La Haye Convention on adoption.

During their discussion of the adoption law yesterday in the capital city, NA deputies also touched upon the termination of the relationship between the adoptive parents and adopted children.

“Emancipation is only acceptable when a child reaches the age of maturity,” stated the draft law.

Deputy Nguyen Minh Hong, from Nghe An Province, did not agree with the provision that children should only be adopted by foreign couples when there are no Vietnamese parents who want to adopt them.

“We should be most concerned with the child’s welfare and whether the child is being cared for or not,” said Hong.

Pham Thuong Luong, from Yen Bai Province, proposed that the law should have a provision prohibiting immediate relatives like grandparents or siblings adopt their family member.

“Such an act is popular with ethnic minorities,” said Luong.

Nguyen Thi Kim Thuy, from Da Nang, agreed with Article 12 of the draft law which specifies a fee table for adoption.

“This is a very sensitive issue that’s why everything should be transparent, particularly the fee so we can avoid the problem of child trafficking,” said Thuy.

Read the entire article here.

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