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
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
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/
Monday, May 23, 2011
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.
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:
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
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.
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!
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!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
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
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
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