Liberia Adoptions - Update

I know that most people who read my blog follow it to keep informed of issues pertaining to adoptions in Haiti, but I just received this information and want to pass it on to you...

It appears that the Liberian government has suspended intercountry adoptions with the exception of special needs cases until new rules and regulations can be put into place.

This follows comments made earlier this week by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf:

"The gross mismanagement of the adoption program, by both Liberian and U.S. personnel in the concerned NGO is the subject of a report by a Special Committee which I appointed for this purpose. Essentially, we have discovered that many of the children in these orphanages are not in fact orphans but children taken from their living parents on the promise of support and a good life in America. Moreover, we found that young children were being sexually abused at some of the these orphanages, while others including officials of government, have used the program to extort money from potential adoptors. We have thus suspended the adoption program until laws, policies and proper guidelines have been established and we have asked our concerned friends and partners in the United States to be patient as we try to correct the serious malpractices which exist. We expect the National Social Welfare Policy and National Adoption Act will be submitted to you during the course of the year, will provide guidance and prevent such abuses in the future."

At this time the future of intercountry adoptions from Liberia is unclear, including in-process cases.