Adopting from Haiti

Since the earthquake hit Haiti in January 2010, our firm has received multiple inquiries from people interested in adopting Haitian orphans. While it is likely that adoptions from Haiti will resume eventually, no new applications are being accepted at this time. Instead, child welfare advocates around the globe agree that the best practice is to search for relatives and local caregivers for children in Haiti, while helping the nation of Haiti to rebuild and implement an improved child welfare system.

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute recently convened to hold "Building a Strong Foundation for Children and Families of Haiti", at which international experts came together to discuss and brainstorm about most effective ways to serve Haiti's children and families.

Adoptions that were in process prior to the earthquake continue. Some families were able to bring their children home through humanitarian parole, a short-term allocation that made it possible for children already identified and in the process of being adopted, to immigrate to the United States without first being adopted in Haiti. Instead the initial adoptions of these children are taking place in the US.