by tinaadams

Created on: April 10, 2009

The UK is a member of the Hague Convention. A unilateral inter country adoption treaty that was set up to safe guard against illegal adoptions. At the last count there were approximately 65 country members signed up to the international treaty, all working together as a central governing body. The UK implemented the Convention with effect from 1 June 2003.

Anyone from the UK wishing to adopt internationally, must first be approved to adopt in the UK. In the same way as home adoptions, they must

go through an Adoption Agency. The Agency will carry out rigorous assessments and lengthy home study programmes over a period to comply with the courts. A medical is also required. The agency will be open to inspection at any stage of the process by an independent body to ensure that all guidelines are being followed.

Once approved as suitable to adopt By the UK, they can then apply to adopt in their Country of choice. How they apply will very much depend on that Countries adoption procedures.

The importance of the Hague agreement goes so much deeper than stopping illegal adoptions. It protects against child trafficking and the buying and selling of children. ensuring that all cross country adoptions follow the same guide lines and most importantly all documentation relating to the adoption is held safe in a governing central place.

Prospective adoptive parents must all follow the same guide lines. Applying to adopt in their own country and then if accepted, applying in the same manner to the country they want to adopt from.

Ensuring that adoptions are carried out this way is vital for the children, their families and the adoptive parents.

Parents are interviewed to make sure they fully understand the implications of freeing their child for adoption and DNA test are carried out to ensure they are the true parents and that the child has not been abducted. All paperwork crosses the two countries and guarantees the adoption is recognized and legal in both.

All together the country agreements halt the supply and call for trafficking. Adoptive parents will have full medical knowledge for their child and most importantly the adopted child will when adult have access to their adoption records and true information regarding their birth, family and heritage.

An adoption that has taken place in a non Hague country will NOT be recognised in the UK.

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