Russian Adoption News

Russia Adoption News – Possible Training Requirements for Prospective Adoptive Parents and New Bilateral Adoption Agreements with Five European Countries:

According to a November 17, 2011 article published by the Russian International News Agency (RIA Novosti), the lower house of the Russian parliament recently passed a law requiring special training for those who want to adopt Russian children.  In particular, this article noted:  

The lower house of Russian Parliament, the State Duma, adopted on Thursday a law that prescribes couples who want to adopt Russian children to undergo special training in the basics of teaching, psychology and first aid.

The law says that “the implementation of the parental classes is based on the necessity to provide citizens’ pedagogical and legal readiness for accepting abandoned children into their families.”

The aspiring parents will have to pass parental classes, including basics of teaching, psychology and first aid, vice-speaker Oleg Morozov said.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called for the introduction of parental classes for Russians and foreigners who adopt Russian children in July, 2011, after the outrageous story with an eight-year-old named Artyom adopted by American Torry Hansen and then shipped back to Moscow on a plane, alone and with a note citing Artyom’s psychological problems.

According to the Russian Education and Science Ministry, about 150,000 children were available for nationwide adoption in 2009. Almost 9,000 of them were adopted and 77,000 were placed in foster families.  U.S. citizens have adopted 60,000 Russian children since the adoptions started more than 15 years ago. As of January, 17 Russian children adopted by U.S. parents have died as a result of child abuse.

In a separate article dated November 14, 2011, RIA Novosti noted that it will sign bilateral child adoption agreements with France, UK, Holland, Spain, and Germany.  The text of this short article is below:

Russia plans to sign bilateral agreements on child adoption with France, the U.K., Holland, Spain and Germany, the country's ombudsman for children's rights, Pavel Astakhov, said on Monday.

“The agreement between Russia and France is ready to be signed...and hopefully will be signed on November 18. Agreements with the UK, Holland, Spain and Germany are being worked on,” Astakhov said.

He added that the international child adoptions should be carried only on the basis of bilateral agreements. “If we do not sign bilateral agreements, we should stop child adoption processes with these countries.”

Astakhov said that he still wanted Russian children to stay in Russia. “It is a shame that we export oil, gas and children,” Astakhov went on.

The first bilateral agreement on child adaption between Russia and Italy was signed in 2008. Russia and the U.S. signed an agreement in July 2011 in Washington. At the end of October, Russia finalized an agreement on child adoption with France. Talks on the same deals are being held with Ireland and Israel.