Legal issues from different perspectives

Newsletter #22 for Internationally Adopting Parents
June 25, 2006
PAL Center Inc.

In this issue

Russian Speaking
Professionals of
Bilingual Extension at Bgcenter

Q. We are a couple seriously considering adopting from
Russia. After all I've read and heard, it seems to me, that adopting from Russia is a very risky thing to put it mildly...

A. International adoption, from Russia or any other country, is a high risk business and requires a lot more than just extra money for the child's remediation and/or medical treatment. Practically every child will be developmentally delayed - at least on arrival, and depending on the quality of pre-adoption documentation, professionals may or may not be able to detect significant medical and psychological issues before the adoption. The children, even biological, do not come with a guarantee, no mater what. And all success stories are based on huge parental efforts (dedication and sacrifice) to make it happen.
Here are a couple of Newsletters, where parents reflect on the issues you are considering: "Must have" qualities for parents adopting children internationally and Why international adoption?
I can help a child to do better here in the States, but unfortunately I can't make it easier for the parents to make a decision.

Boris Gindis, Ph.D.

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You receive this newsletter as a former client or correspondent of the Center for Cognitive-Developmental Assessment & Remediation, or a former student of the Bgcenter Online School, or a user of the International Adoption Articles Directory.

Latest Articles
from the
International Adoption Articles Directory

Legal issues from different perspectives

This copy of our weekly newsletter--both new contributions and the articles from our database--is devoted to those aspects of international adoption where legal issues can arise; where you would say:
"If I only knew it earlier..."

Different professionals--an attorney, a pediatrician, a psychologist and a social worker--share their experience to help you learn it earlier...

Robert K. Crabtree, Esq.
Mistakes People Make in the Special Education Process
In his practice as a special education attorney for parents and students for more than twenty-five years, Robert K. Crabtree, has seen certain issues and frustrations expressed repeatedly. He has written a series of short articles to discuss some of the mistakes people make in the special education process that often cause or exacerbate those issues and frustrations. The articles focus in turn on mistakes commonly made by parents; school districts; independent evaluators; and, finally, advocates for parents and students.
We begin publication of these articles starting with the attorney's observations on mistakes commonly made by parents.
Part 1 - Mistakes Made by Parents

Alla Gordina, MD, FAAP
Availability and Reliability of Records - Part 2 - The Legal Grounds
Dr. A. Gordina answers questions about the availability of Russian medical records and your right to request them for your adopted children, continuing with the subject that she researched in her earlier article
Availability and Reliability of Records in Russian Orphanages -Part 1

Boris Gindis, Ph.D.
Know Your Rights: Disability Manifestation Determination for Your Child
It's well known that internationally adopted post-institutionalized children have more behavioral problems than children at large. It's not surprising: a wide range of typical for them disabilities is manifested in disruptive behaviors. Their problems are often difficult to understand and address, especially within school environment. Some children may have multiple disabilities or psychiatric conditions mixed with the learned institutional behavior, which makes the determination of the roots of their behavioral issues even more complex. Dr. B. Gindis explains which documents and procedures should be fully understood by adoptive parents, advocating for their children at school.

Dr. Marlene Maheu
The Smart Parent's Way To Handle Children And Divorce
Unfortunately, international adoption is know to drastically change the dynamics of a family, which places an additional pressure and responsibility on every family member; thus divorce in the adoptive families is unfortunately not a rarity, so the question is how to limit the damage and the negative effect on children.