In my recent post about the state of Vietnamese adoptions I wrote that I “hope that it (the recent statement from the US Embassy in Hanoi) opens others’ eyes and encourages parents to seek out ethical adoption agencies to work with to bring their children home.” Reading back over my words, I feel the need to elaborate because choosing an ethical agency (and determining which ones are!) is not the end of the line. There is more that we can to do.

The fact that there have been confirmed cases of baby selling and children being offered for adoption without their birth parents’ consent is beyond troubling. When the I600 submission procedures were changed recently, I applauded the fact that this change showed a positive move towards protecting all involved in Vietnamese adoptions. When the Embassy issued their most recent statement I applauded their candor. Now that it's all sunk in, I’m worried. I’m worried for all of us involved; but mostly for the children.

Here are some ideas on how to get involved in ensuring Viet Nam's adoption program improves into one of integrity:

• 
  Contact the United States Embassy in Hanoi and thank them for taking measures to ensure the safety and protection of all Vietnamese children who are placed for adoption.
  Adopted Children Immigrant Visa Unit
  Consular Section, U.S. Embassy
  170 Ngoc Khanh Street, Hanoi
  Tel. (84-4) 831 4590 * Fax: (84-4) 831 4578
  Email: HanoiAdoptions@state.gov
  


• 
  
  Speak out against adoption agencies that are completing unethical adoptions. In the land of Viet Nam adoption blogs, there are parents who are coming out against their adoption agencies and exposing unethical and illegal practices. These brave people who will speak out in this manner are helping to inform and warn prospective adoptive parents (PAPs.)
• 
  
  
  If you are currently in the adoption process, talk to your agency. Find out what they have to say about these current changes and announcements. Are they painting a rosy picture and telling you everything will definitely be fine? Or are they being honest and acknowledging the troubles that face Vietnamese adoptions and the risks involved in international adoption?
• 
  
  
  Make decisions based on your future child’s best interests. Be willing to make difficult choices if it means a child’s adoption will be legal, legit and ethical. Those parents working with partnered agencies who have seen multiple red flags and still choose to ignore them….think of your child. You want to be able to tell your child many years from now that you did all you could to ensure that their adoption was ethical. You may need to switch agencies, your wait times may increase, but you’ll be able to rest better at night knowing you did what you could to protect an innocent child.

I have great hopes that the adoption program in Viet Nam will improve, but along with those hopes come doubts. Viet Nam’s adoption program was shut down only a few short years ago due to the exact reasons that we’re still experiencing today: Unscrupulous adoption agencies and “professionals” who are more interested in lining their pockets than in a child’s rights. The changes that we’re seeing with the change in the I600 submission and the Embassy speaking out on behalf of Vietnamese children are steps in the right direction. I only hope that we will continue in this direction.

photo credit