Press releases

BAAF advice on adoption following the South Asian earthquake

Issued: 14 October 2005

The British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) is advising people who want to help children affected by the South Asian earthquake that it will be too early for adoption to be considered for children who may have lost parents and that the most helpful short-term support will be contributions to the emergency fund set up to help them.

BAAF has been receiving calls from people who are offering to adopt children orphaned by the earthquake, in which thousands of people in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan are feared dead.

Felicity Collier, Chief Executive of BAAF, said "We understand why people are so affected by the tragic images of children who appear to be alone and are clearly in great need of care and attention. However, in some cases children will have become separated from their parents in the confusion following the earthquake. Where children have lost their parents, there may well be relatives and friends elsewhere who will be desperate to trace them. It would be very wrong, and against internationally agreed standards, to arrange overseas adoptions for these children at this very difficult and chaotic time. There will also be concerns about child trafficking in the aftermath of a disaster such as this.

"We would urge people to consider donating to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which has set up the 'DEC Asia Quake Appeal' to ensure that these children are properly cared for - that they have shelter, food, clean water and medical care.

She added, "Of course the situation will be different if there are families and friends in the UK who want to help care for children known to them whose parents may have died in the disaster. They should seek immigration advice about the possibility of bringing the children to live here temporarily. Alternatively, they could call the Intercountry Adoption Centre for further advice if they wish to consider adoption."

"BAAF always welcomes enquiries from people who are interested in adoption, both the adoption of children in this country and from abroad. But we will not know for months and possibly years if overseas adoption is considered appropriate for some of the children caught up in this disaster. No-one in Britain is able to bring a child into this country if they have not been approved as suitable by a British adoption agency and the same standards of approval apply for inter-country and domestic adoption."

Notes to Editors

For more information, contact Daisy O'Clee on 020 7593 2053 / 07767 444 589 or Lucy Handford on 020 7593 2054 or email daisy.oclee@baaf.org.uk / lucy.handford@baaf.org.uk.

The Intercountry Adoption Centre Advice Line is open Monday to Thursday 10.30 am to 1.pm and 2.30pm and 5.pm on 0870 516 8742. Website: http://www.icacentre.org.uk/