The Filipino Birth Culture Awareness Day is sponsored by Reed Technologies/Reed Elsevier.

It is no secret that Filipinos are fond of celebration. So we welcome you to join us on Sunday, June 22, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., when Welcome House will host a Filipino Birth Culture Awareness Event as part of a series of cultural events being held this summer.

The goal of the event, sponsored by Reed Technologies/Reed Elsevier Cares, is to promote Filipino birth culture awareness and build racial and cultural identity as well as the self-esteem of adoptees.

The Philippines event will feature a pot luck lunch including Filipino foods, with a Recipe Exchange! Please bring your favorite dish from the Philippines, along with copies of the recipe to share.

There will be a performance by traditional Filipino dancers. We will play several children's games, including "Pusa At Aso" (Cat and Dog) and a water balloon toss in honor of the Feast of St. John the Baptist (weather permitting). A children's craft will feature the legendary bird "Sarimanok," and we will hear the story of the Creation myth, "Malakas At Maganda," featuring the bird.

Families with traditional Filipino clothing should dress for the occasion.

Register or obtain more information at: www.pearlsbuck.org/birthcultureevents.

In addition to the Filipino event, there will be several other Birth Culture Awareness Events coming up this summer as well! Won't you join us?
July 20: China
August 10: Korea
August 17: Vietnam

Our President and CEO, Janet Mintzer, and I will be traveling to Central and South America in July to explore the development of programs in Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador.  The Americas are Hague Convention countries and have not done extensive work with US agencies (or any adoptions at all with the U.S.), because the U.S. had not yet adopted Hague Standards.  As of 4/1/08, things have changed. Welcome House® received our 5-year Hague Accreditation, which is the longest renewal period an agency can receive, and the U.S. became a Hague country. We were awarded the 5-year accreditation based on our strong compliance with Hague regulations.  We are very proud of this accomplishment, and we look forward to working with the Central Authorities in these countries to set up programs for children in need of forever families. Stay tuned for more updates in August.

Parts of China Devastated by Earthquake
As you have no doubt heard, China was rocked by a powerful earthquake on May 12, 2008.  It was centered in Sichuan Province but was felt in many areas throughout China.  The earthquake has damaged or destroyed some orphanages in the area.  In some cases, the caregivers have moved the children outside into tents for safety.  Many of the orphanages have been receiving additional children.  Some of these children will remain at the orphanages, while others will be reunited with their parents or extended families.  The children and staff have been receiving tents, food, clothing, and other relief items from the Chinese government, as well as humanitarian assistance from organizations working in the affected areas.  Looking at the orphanages’ long-term recovery, the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) has established a fund to help with the repair or reconstruction of the orphanages.  Through June 30, 2008 PSBI will be collecting donations to support CCAA in their work.  The funds will be sent to China in early July with the hope that they can help the children in affected areas.  What better way to celebrate June 1st Children’s Day in China than by making a donation to help the affected children regain some of the normalcy and sense of safety in their lives! If you would like to donate to the cause, please visit www.pearlsbuck.org/earthquake.

Update on Referrals and Dossiers Being Reviewed
As of June 17, 2008 CCAA indicates that:
 - Dossiers through January 31, 2006 have been reviewed
 - Dossiers through January 20, 2006 have received referrals

When referrals were released Dossier registration dates of families that received referrals Total time covered by the group of referrals June, 2008 May, 2008 1/13/06 through 1/20/06 1/10/06 through 1/12/06 7 days 3 days April, 2008 1/5/06 through 1/9/06 5 days March, 2008 12/28/05 through 1/4/06 8 days February, 2008 12/20/05 through 12/27/05 8 days January, 2008 12/15/05 through 12/19/05 5 days December, 2007 12/9/05 through 12/14/05 6 days November, 2007 12/1/05 through 12/8/05 8 days October, 2007 11/25/05 through 11/30/05 6 days September, 2007 11/22/05 through 11/25/05 4 days August, 2007 11/15/05 through 11/21/05 7 days July, 2007 11/8/05 through 11/14/05 7 days Early June, 2007 11/2/05 through 11/7/05 6 days Late April, 2007 10/27/05 through 11/1/05 6 days

Dossier Status Update   Dossiers sent on: Dossiers registered at CCAA on: Referrals received on: Average age at referral: Average age at arrival in the U.S.: 10/14/05 10/27/05 5/1/07 (18 months, 4 days) 12.28 months (8.66 months for families requesting babies) Oldest 2 years, 6 months, 11 days Youngest 7 months, 29 days 14.2 months (10.6 months for families requesting babies) Oldest 2 years, 8 months, 10 days Youngest 9 months, 27 days 11/16/05 12/6/05 11/5/07 (22 months and 30 days) 11.87 months Oldest 12 months, 10 days Youngest 11 months, 3 days 13.65 months Oldest 14 months, 3 days Youngest 12 months, 27 days 1/17/06 2/16/06 Not received to date     4/10/06 4/19/06 Not received to date     5/12/06 5/19/06 Not received to date     7/7/06 7/24/06 Not received to date     7/17/06 7/25/06 Not received to date     9/1/06 10/11/06 Not received to date     10/2/06 11/6/06 Not received to date     11/17/06 12/26/06 Not received to date     1/12/07 2/9/07 Not received to date     3/21/07 4/13/07 Not received to date     4/5/07 4/20/07 Not received to date     7/12/07 7/19/07 Not received to date     9/25/07 10/9/07 Not received to date     12/28/07 1/7/08 Not received to date     3/12/08 6/3/08 3/19/08 6/10/08 Not received to date Not received to date

We recently learned that there are a number of families near our home office who were born and raised in Kazakhstan.  One family in particular attended our Russia/Kazakhstan Birth Culture event last month, and Welcome House Program Director Leonette Boiarski jumped at the chance to meet them.

Last week, Leonette had lunch with Geoff and Yevgeniya (Jane for short).  Jane was born in Karaganda and is more than willing to assist our families in learning more about the culture of her homeland.  Leonette will be utilizing Jane’s knowledge and skills with our travel meetings and post placement events.

We have 7 families in the Kazakhstan program currently waiting travel, finalizing their dossier, or working on their paperwork.  We anticipate that our first family will be traveling soon.

Kazakhstan Program Yahoo Group
Did you know that you can join a group where you can share information about Kazakhstan adoption and connect with other families adopting from Kazakhstan through Welcome House®?  All Kazakhstan program families, past and present, are invited to join the Kazakhstan Program Yahoo group.  It is a great place to connect with other families, get up-to-date information from the country coordinator about the Kazakhstan program, get or share support as you go through the adoption process, and much more.  To join, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WHKazakhstan/ and click on “Join This Group”.  Be sure to include your name so that we can more easily approve your application.

Congratulations to the four families who received their referrals this month!!  These families waited between nine and thirteen months to receive their referrals. The referrals included one boy and three girls.

Save the Date
Plans are in the works for a get-together on August 10 for a Birth Culture Awareness Education Event.  Instead of “just a picnic”, this event will provide an opportunity for you and your family to learn more about your child’s birth country as well as time to visit with other families in the Korea Adoption Program.  We hope that you will be able to join us for this special event! If you are interested in helping out, please contact Lisa Dillard at lisadillardmsw@aol.com.

Referrals and Waiting List
In May, we were very happy to receive five referrals, one of which is a waiting child. There are currently 22 families on the general waiting list, and two on the 2009 girl waiting list.  We will plan to send out approximately three application packets per month, depending on the rate of referrals we receive.  Because of the long wait at this time, we do not recommend that anyone 42 years old or older apply for an adoption from Korea. 

Program Status
There were no placements in May. Three families have visa approval and are waiting for placement, and four families have accepted referrals and are waiting for visa approval.  Four families have received a referral and are working on their match paperwork.  There are currently 15 home studies in Korea waiting for referrals. 

Yahoo Group
Did you know that you can join a group were you can share/find information about Korean adoption?  This is a secure site only for those who are working with Welcome House®.  To join, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WelcomeHouseKAP/ and click on “join this group”.  Be sure to include your name so that we can identify you and approve your application.

Pearl Buck Play Group
This group is open to all adoptive families, both Moms and/or Dads.  They meet once a month on the grounds of Pearl S. Buck International.  Please contact Janice at 215-795-0606 for more information.

Korean Adoptees Program
Entirely sudsidized by INJE University, the Korean Adoptees’ Program provides a four-month stay twice a year in March and in September in Korea, including free room and board in the university halls, and daily classes in Korean Language, Korean Culture, and Korean Music, etc. Participants have access to computer and fitness facilities on campus. The program also provides several trips to scenic and cultural sites around the country. Participants have opportunities for home stays and a chance to form friendships with Korean students and fellow adoptee program participants.

The cost for those chosen for the program is a $600 entrance fee and personal air fare. Also, participants are asked to teach English conversation classes to Korean Students. You will gain a personal and professional relationship.

Married couples can join together. Since 2008 spring, INJE have looked for couples whose husbands or wives would like to learn about Korea and want to see more of the country where his or her spouse was born. The program will provide a one-room studio in one of the dormitories on the campus.

For more information about the program, please visit http://www.iiihr.net/, or you can contact the program coordinator, Hee Jung Kim at heejungkim79@hotmail.com.

Congratulations to Joe & Terri, who received their referral in May!  Congratulations also to Michael & Rachel; their dossier was sent to the Philippines in May!!

Save the Date
Plans are in the works for a get-together on June 22nd for a Birth Culture Awareness Education Event.  Instead of “just a picnic”, this event will provide an opportunity for you and your family to learn more about your child’s birth country as well as time to visit with other families in the Philippines Adoption Program.  We hope that you will be able to join us for this special event!  If you’re interested in helping out, please contact Lisa Dillard at lisadillardmsw@aol.com.

Program Status
We are delighted to have 15 families in the Philippines program!  One family is completing their post-placement reports, one family is waiting to travel to adopt their child, two families are waiting for referrals, three families are waiting for dossier approval, and eight are completing their application, home study, or dossier.

Congratulations are in order for Ron & Terri, who accepted the referral of their daughter in May! Congratulations also to Lori and Hieu & Christine, who adopted their children in May!

Update Regarding DNA Testing
On May 30th, USCIS posted an explanation of their new DNA testing program.  You can find the announcement here - http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/update_vietnam_dna_052908.pdf.  There is also a Q&A document that can be found here - http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/qanda_vietnam_dna_052908.pdf.  The information in these announcements is not a surprise based on the request for DNA testing that we received in early April.  However, we’re glad to finally have official documentation of the testing program.  As we expected, it only applies to cases where the birth parents can be found.  It also will be discretionary, so it will not be applied to every case where the birth parents are known.  We don’t know yet how often they will request DNA testing; this is something that will be seen in the coming weeks and months.

What is an “official referral” with regard to the September 1st deadline?
We talked with the Department of Intercountry Adoption about what it will mean to have an official referral before September 1st.  They explained that they would need to have the letter from the Provincial Ministry of Justice proposing the match by September 1st.  With this in mind, we are working out timelines to best ensure that every child referred will reach this step before the deadline.

Below is information about all of our waiting children.  We allow one family at a time to review a child’s information.  If it is noted that a child’s file is under review, you are still welcome to contact us and we will share the child’s information with you if or when the information becomes available. 

Waiting Children in China
We have learned that the CCAA added two agencies to their new waiting child program in April.  It appears that they have prioritized agencies according to the number of children placed in recent years.  Because Pearl S. Buck International has a comparatively small program, we have not yet been added to the online system.  Linda Li, our staff member in Beijing, has continued to be in regular contact with the directors at CCAA to express our desire to participate in this program.  We have seen both in China and in other countries the adoption of children with special needs be tremendously successful.  It provides wonderful opportunities for the children that they might not have received living in their birth country.  We look forward to assisting waiting children from China in finding their forever families.

Waiting Children in Korea
The two Korean children featured in past editions of Welcome News have been matched with families!  At the end of May, we received a referral for another waiting child.  We are currently reviewing his information and investigating whether we can match him with a family whose home study is already in Korea.  If we’re not able to do so, we will begin seeking a family for him by sharing his information with Welcome House® families and on the Welcome House® Waiting Children Yahoo group.  If you are interested in learning more about our process for waiting children, please contact Amy Durie at 215-249-0100 extension 119 or e-mail her at adurie@pearlsbuck.org.

Waiting Children in the Philippines
We were delighted to match “Gabe” with a family in April!  There are still four little boys waiting for their forever families, as you can see below.  If we are unable to match them with families by the end of June, their files will be returned to the Intercountry Adoption Board (ICAB.)  If you would like to review the files of any of these children, please contact Heather Carter at hcarter@pearlsbuck.org or 215-249-0100 ext. 119.

“Jack” is a handsome little boy who turned two in September.  His special need is a Global Developmental Delay.  At 18 months of age, his language was at a nine- to ten-month level, his cognitive skills were at an eleven- to 12-month level, and all other developmental skills were in the 12- to 15-month range.  Since the time of that evaluation, he has continued to improve. He is able to say some words now, although his speech is not totally clear.  He can identify some body parts as well as items in his environment.  He is close to one caregiver in particular and loves to be hugged and cuddled.  He enjoys coloring with pencils and crayons, as well as playing with balls.  He also loves singing with other children, particularly nursery rhymes and action songs/finger plays.  There is additional information about Jack’s birth family that may provide insight into the cause of his developmental delays. 

“Jesse” is a beautiful 7 year-old boy who loves to sing and is very playful. Jesse is the sole survivor of a violent crime, which has been very difficult for him. He came into the care center at age four, shortly after the event occurred.  For the first two to three months he was quiet and withdrawn.  From time to time he would express anger and fear.  He attended play therapy sessions for one year, and these helped him to understand and manage his feelings better.  His IQ test showed significant cognitive deficits, but it is difficult to tell if this is a result of his traumatic experience, if this is naturally occurring, or if his poor performance is age-related. Jesse will need a family who will be able to help him through his difficult feelings related to his early trauma. Even though he has experienced some significant losses, Jesse still expresses a desire to have a mother and a father (and maybe a brother!) and to be adopted.

“Nick” is a cutie with a handsome little smile.  He just turned nine years old in December, although developmentally he is around six years old.  He has “a smiling face and [is] ready to entertain a visitor.”  Both of Nick’s birth parents were deaf, and Nick does have mild hearing loss in both ears.  Although his birth mother very much wanted to parent him, she was unable to support him.  Nick is a quiet child who responds to questions but speaks spontaneously. He is able to describe what he observes and expresses his needs and feelings.  He follows instruction well and assists with household chores.  He started school in the 2006-2007 school year and struggled with learning. Nick is a picky eater, and his house parents have to supervise him closely to make sure that he eats sufficient food.  At eight years and four months old, he weighed 34 pounds.  An IQ test done in March, 2007 indicated that he does have mild mental retardation, and he was recommended for special education services.

“Billy” was born in November 2001, and he is now a darling six year-old boy.  He is a chubby little boy with dark hair.  He was admitted to the orphanage as an infant and has shown good growth since then.  In October, 2003 he had surgery for a tongue tie, which was interfering with his eating.  Billy does have developmental delays and moderate hearing loss in both ears.  As of August 2007, he was speaking one- and two-syllable words.  He communicates through gestures.  Billy loves to be carried and longs for emotional touch.  A developmental evaluation from July 2007 indicated that his social skills were that of a three year-old and his overall development is that of a two and a half year-old.  In addition, Billy is a very active boy.

Waiting Child in Vietnam
At this time, we do not have any other waiting children that are eligible for adoption and awaiting families.  Until we know more about the future of adoptions from Vietnam, it is unlikely that we will gather information about any other waiting children.
 
Join our Yahoo Group for Waiting Children!
Come join us at our Yahoo group for families considering adopting waiting children, Welcome House Waiting Children.  You can learn more at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/welcomehousewaitingchildren/. Just click “Join This Group” and you’ll have access to information and photographs of our current waiting children.  You’ll also be able to connect to families that have adopted waiting children through Welcome House.  See you there! 

The month of May brought some changes to our SWAN program.  Lauren Cogan, our SWAN Program Coordinator, resigned her position in order to spend more time with her son; she finished work in mid-May.  The position has been consolidated and Heather Carter will now be managing our SWAN program. 

Changes to the SWAN Adoption Program
Families currently in the SWAN adoption program will be assigned an Adoption Coordinator, who is one of our contracted social workers.  Your Adoption Coordinator will complete your family profile (or any necessary updates), and will work with you, the county Children and Youth agencies, and the Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange to explore possible matches for your family, prepare you for placement of your child or children, and then provide post-placement support and supervision.  We have several Adoption Coordinators who have a great deal of experience with children in the foster care system through Children and Youth settings, as well as in therapeutic settings.

Because this work will be done by Adoption Coordinators rather than salaried staff, it is critical that we work only with families who understand the children in the foster care system and are realistic about the child whom they would like to adopt.  This means that we will only be able to work with families who are seeking to adopt a child who is 10 years old or older and who has moderate to severe special needs.  We would also be glad to work with families open to sibling groups under the age of 10 years with moderate to severe special needs.  This more accurately reflects the children in the foster care system whose parental rights are terminated and who are awaiting families.  If families are hoping to adopt a younger or healthier child, we would be glad to refer you to an agency that could assist you. We are looking forward to working with current and new SWAN families that are open to parenting children 10 years old and older with moderate to severe special needs.

Post-Permanency Services Anticipate Growth
We are pleased to see that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania continues to give strong support (and good funding!) to SWAN’s Post-Permanency Services.  We have seen the efficacy of these services in nearly every family with whom we have worked to date.  A huge impact is made by a few hours of respite each month, support from an adoption-savvy social worker, and connections to additional services.  In some cases, we’ve seen it make the difference between an adoption continuing and an adoption disrupting.  If you would find extra support helpful, if you’re struggling with your child, please don’t hesitate to contact the SWAN Helpline at 1-800-585-SWAN to start the process of receiving Post-Permanency services.

SWAN’s 16th Annual Pennsylvania Permanency Conference
“Embracing the Journey”
SWAN will be hosting its 16th annual conference for foster and adoptive parents, kinship parents, and adoption professionals in Lancaster, Pennsylvania from July 9th through July 11th.  There are workshops focusing on a wide variety of issues affecting children in the public child welfare system.  There are workshop tracks for families, independent living, child preparation, legal issues, post-permanency (aka post-adoption), and general issues.

For more information, call 888-793-2512 or visit http://www.diakon-swan.org/.  This is a great time for prospective adoptive families to learn more about adoption and children in the foster care system.  There are also many wonderful workshops for families whose children have already joined their family!

Events at Pearl S. Buck International

Ethnic foods of Kazakhstan at the Birth Culture event on May 3.

Birth Culture Awareness Events
Welcome House will be hosting educational events that promote birth culture awareness and build racial and cultural identity as well as the self-esteem of adoptees, while establishing a network of support for their adoptive families. Children will learn about their birth country’s history, food, dance, dress, music, games, and activities of cultural significance.

Register or obtain more information at: www.pearlsbuck.org/birthcultureevents

Who is invited? Adoptive families, those touched by adoption, and community members.

Where are the events held? On the grounds of Pearl S. Buck International - 520 Dublin Road, Perkasie, PA 18944. (Held inside the Cultural Center during inclement weather.)

When: All events are on Sundays from 1-3 p.m.    
June 22nd: Philippines
July 20th: China
August 10th: Korea
August 17th: Vietnam

Cost: $5.00 per adult, $3.00 per child, free for children under 1 year old.

Pearl Buck Play Group
This group is open to all adoptive families, both Moms and/or Dads.
The Pearl Buck Play Group will be taking the summer off and will resume in September. Stay tuned for the September date! Please contact Janice at 215-795-0606 for more information.

Please check out the PSBI Community Events Page for the upcoming activities!

Community Events

Korean Motherland Tour
April 9 to 18, 2009

Share the wonder of discovery with your child on a Motherland Tour to Korea organized by Travel Counsellors.

The April 9 to 18, 2009, Motherland Tour tentative itinerary begins in Seoul with a Seoul City tour that includes visits to Gyeongbokgung Palace, Deosugung Palace, Namdaemun Market, Seoul Stations, US Army Yongsan Base, Itaewon, Namsan Seoul Tower, Dongdaemun Market, Insa-Dong, Presidential Palace, and the National Folk Museum. On day two, the group will visit the Korean Folk Village, and on day three, a morning will be spent at Holt Children’s Services where adoptees and their families can review their records. Arrangements can be made for adoptees from other agencies to visit and review their records at their agencies. Later in the day, there will be a visit to Ilsan Children’s Home. From Seoul the group will travel to Gyeongju, the cultural and historical capital of Korea with a sightseeing tour of the Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, and the Gyeongju historical district. After returning to Seoul, families will have dinner with a Korean family, and on the final day, adoptees will become “honorary” citizens of the Mapo district of Seoul in the morning and a farewell dinner will be help at night.

Kate DeLosso, a Welcome House parent, organizes the Korean Motherland Tours through Travel Counsellors. Kate is a Certified Travel Counselor, a Far East Destination Specialist and an adoptive parent of three foreign-born children. In 1996, Kate began organizing Motherland Tours to Korea for young adult adoptees. Since 2000, she has also been organizing special interest travel groups to China.

For more information or a complete itinerary and trip application for the Korean Motherland Tour, please contact Kate DeLosso at kate.delosso@travelcounsellors.com or Nancy Marshall at 215-249-0100 extension 118.