IAN Care Center Improvement Project - part one.

Dear IAN Families,


As we continue to strive towards improving the conditions at the Care Center, we have received the following update from Abebe after a recent meeting. The following are the rules that have been implemented.

"1. The babies room cleanliness will be given emphasis and the nannies assigned for the rooms will be accountable for any unsanitary condition observed. Everyday both Yared and I will do the supervision whenever we are in the compound, and we will take serious measures if any dirt or uncleanness observed.


2. Sister Alemaz is strictly informed she should give total attention for the health care of the children. She is free from any other activity like shopping and unnecessary jobs that can be covered by other staff.


3. Children’s hair should be kept clean by nannies respectively assigned for each room. The responsibility of setting schedule for children’s hair by the nannies is given for sister Alemaz.


4. It is totally forbidden to keep any waste material in the children room including dirty diapers.


5. No foodstuff of adults allowed at any of children’s room to avoid cockroaches and rodents.


6. Shortage of water was raised as a problem for cleanness. A barrel of water is to be kept in the baby’s room for bathrooms.


7. Such meeting as this would be held regularly every month and regular simple check in. Handling and how to clean the compound will be demonstrated for the nannies.


8. Shortage of plastic for diaper cover raised as a problem and local means should be sought as a solution. Plastic diaper cover available at the market or plastic sheets should improvise and prepared until we get from head office.  (From IAN US staff: Parents, keep note if you're looking to bring donations to the care center)


9. All rodent attracting food should be kept in a well-covered container.


10. At last we designed a means of competition among different room nannies to award as the best worker of the month for those who kept their environment cleaner.


With Regards


Abebe"


Stay tuned for more updates and pictures coming soon!!

~ IAN Staff

Office Closed Monday

International Adoption Net will be closed on Monday, May 30th in observance of Memorial Day.  We will be open again on Tuesday.

~ IAN Staff

Referral Acceptance!!!

Hello IAN Families,

A very happy family accepted the referral of a beautiful baby boy! 

Waiting list movement:
Everyone below #3 on the infant boy list moves up one spot.

Family's wait time: One year and 16 days!

Congratulations to the family!!

(Also, This was a very special referral for our coordinator, Aneata, as this was her 100th referral!!)



~ IAN Staff

Referral Acceptance

A family today accepted their referral for beautiful, two-month old twin boys!!  Congratuations to the happy family!!

The list movement is:
Infant boy:  Everyone after #7 moves one spot.
Infant girl:  Everyone after #20 moves one spot.
Siblings:  Everyone after #5 moves one spot. 


The family's time on the wait list:  11 months, 3 days. 

IAN Improvement Project

We're taking the next step in our IAN Improvement Project!! Join IAN's official Yahoo group, set up for you, to have your questions answered, hear from other IAN families and meet Bill!! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IANfamilies/

IAN Care Center Improvement Project

A letter from Joan:

I wanted to take some time to respond to some comments I have recently heard from our families about our care center.  First, thank you to all of you who took the time to share your thoughts with me. I cannot make improvements to the agency and the program unless parents bring their concerns to me directly.   We must all work together to provide the very best care for our children. 

As you may know, we are very much in the process of improving the care center. I'd like to share with all of you my plans for this:

1. Liz Bogetveit, International Program Supervisor, traveled to Ethiopia in April, with one of her goals being to improve the care center. The following changes have come as a direct result of Liz’s visit:

• More space has been devoted to children by moving IAN offices out of the care center.
• New sanitation policies are now in effect to minimize the spread of germs. These include more frequent clothing changes, hand washing, use of purell, a room for newly arrived children until their health status is determined.
• We have hired a pediatrician who visits the care center weekly to evaluate any health needs.

2. We have asked one of IAN's adoptive families to visit the care center during their court trip next week, and they have graciously agreed. This family has extensive experience in orphanages from various developing nations, and have adopted from Ethiopia before. This family will present an unbiased report, and we will implement any suggested changes.

  

3. Finally, I will personally travel to Ethiopia soon to ensure all needed changes have been made, or to restructure the program if they have not.

While our first priority is the care of the children entrusted to IAN and it's families, it is also important for us to maintain our respect for the culture and people of Ethiopia, not to demand our American standards be met.   More importantly, we need to maintain perspective on exactly how and why these children came to be in our care.   Please allow me to share some thoughts from Abebe Bayou, IAN Ethiopia Director. 

"We work on Ethiopian standard, supervised by MoWA, MOJ and MoFA at least twice a year.  We have been given no negative feedback for the last three years. 


It is true most children are fragile, malnourished and sick when they arrive at our care center; we are not ashamed of that.  We are proud and glad for saving their lives and improving their quality of life. 


Shall we reject such children and search for the best, well-fed, healthy children?  No way, that is not what we stand for and believe.  Adoptive families understand the problem of institutional care.  Adoption is preferred from institutional care because whatever you do in an instituion it is always the last choice."

IAN is committed to continuing to improve the care given our children, while giving respect to the history and culture in Ethiopia. I encourage any family with additional thoughts or suggestions to email me directly.  We will continue to post updates about the progress of this Care Center Improvement Project.

Sincerely,

Joan Strauss, MA
Executive Director

Upcoming Travel Webinars

Hello IAN Families,

We will be hosting two travel webinars this week for families getting ready to travel.  If you are interested in joining us for information about your upcoming trip and for the opportunity to chat with other traveling families, please email info@adoptioninternational.net.

Court Webinar: For families with scheduled court dates
When: Friday, May 27th at 2pm (MST)

Embassy Webinar: For families who have passed court and are waiting on Embassy and families with scheduled Embassy appointments.
When: Friday, May 27 at 3pm (MST)

Hope to see you there! 

Share Your Photos!!!

Hello IAN Families,

IAN is creating a new website and we are looking for pictures!!!! If you are interested in sharing pictures of your family for our new site, please send them to Bill@adoptioninternational.net.  Thanks!

~ IAN Staff

Sign up today for our Post Adoption Group!!!

Hello Families,

It is finally time to sign up for our first Post Adoption Group!  We hope to use this first meeting to hear directly from YOU about what you would hope to see with this new group!  This first meeting will be on Saturday, June 18th from 11am - 1pm at the IAN office in Centennial.  Lunch and childcare will be provided.  If you are interested in reserving a space, please email ianadoptiongroups@gmail.com with your name, child's name and age, and contact information. 

Thank you and we hope to see you all soon!!

~ IAN Staff