Intercountry adoption
Intercountry and international adoptions in New Zealand must comply with the Adoption (Intercountry) Act 1997 and section 17 of the Adoption Act 1955. These laws involve multiple government agencies: Oranga Tamariki, Department of Internals Affairs, Immigration New Zealand and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Surrogacy may involve the above Acts, but is also subject to the Assisted Reproduction Technology Act 2004. As at October 2022 there is an Improving Arrangements for Surrogacy Bill is before the House.
Lynelle was asked by OT to give her thoughts on who is best situated to support the community (adopted people) and from what angle …” Lynelle responds ……”the more you (OT) build in lived experience expertise the better your supports will actually support the community that its being designed for [and] …try to move away from relying on adopted-parent-led organisations, especially as your adopted population gets older …We (adopted people) are more than skilled and have the wisdom to know what we need, how we need it …. It’s really important that you (OT) tap into the wise knowledge and expertise that sits within the adopted people community… ” Lynelle challenges the OT staff to consider if intercountry adoption should continue.
If you’ve not got time to listen to the whole presentation, listen to Lynelle’s closing from 1:25:00.
Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom was born in South Korea and was adopted by a couple from Sweden where she grew up. In her early 30s Lisa began searching her roots and learnt that her adoption was illegal. Lisa now lives in Auckland and is a graphic artist and writer. You can read more about Lisa here and read an interview with Lisa here.
Lisa’s book Palimpsest: Documents From a Korean Adoption about her adoption and search for her family in Korea is a journey through the myriad of emotions of adoption, searching and reunion.
Intercountry adoption in the media: Intercountry adoption advocate, Alex Gilbert, was born in Russia in 1992 and was adopted by a New Zealand couple in 1994. He fronted the TV programme ‘Reunited’ and established the I’m Adopted website. The I’m Adopted team include: Alex, Alexander Kuch and Wendy Hawke who has run Intercountry Adoption New Zealand (ICANZ) since 1994 which helps families adopt children from overseas.
New Zealand’s participation in Intercountry adoption
Hansard recording of ICA matters in the House:
5696 (2006). Anne Tolley’s question to Ruth Dyson (then Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment) response to question about ICA from Lithuania
The Reunion - Romanian Orphanages
This podcast by the BBC includes the story of Iuliana Georgiana who was taken in by an orphanage in Buftea when she was 7 years old, and Alexandra Smart who was abandoned as a baby and grew up in Bucharest’s notorious “Number 1” orphanage before being adopted as a two year-old and brought to Britain in 1990.
Alexandra Smart talks more here about her experience in an orphanage in Romania under the Ceausescu regime, and shares her thoughts about intercountry adoption.