Ethiopia Adoption |
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Ethiopia Fast Facts:
- 2010 adoptions: 2,511 children
- Age/Gender: 51% Female, 38% under 1 year of age, 38% 1 to 4 years of age, in 2009.
- Estimated Total Cost: $20,000 to $25,000
- Profile: Both boys and girls, infants through school age, and sibling groups are available.
- Parent Ages: Married couples and, traditionally, single women 25 years or older may adopt (single women's eligibility to adopt is currently under review by the Ethiopian government). Adopting parents must be no more than 40 years older than the child.
- Family Status:
Married couples who have been married for at least five years are preferred. Gay and lesbian parents cannot adopt from Ethiopia. Single women's eligibility to adopt is currently under review by the Ethiopian government; single men cannot adopt.
- Travel:
One or both adopting parents must travel twice to Ethiopia. The in-country stay is generally about one week for each visit.
- Timeline:
Traditionally, approximately 10 to 12 months from completion of dossier to referral. At press time, unknown as the process is undergoing change.
Ethiopia Adoption Directory
Find an adoption agency placing children from Ethiopia in your state:
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The government office responsible for adoptions from Ethiopia is the Adoption Team in the Children and Youth Affairs Office (CYAO), which is under the Ministry of Women's Affairs (MOWA). The Ethiopian government currently grants approval to just over 20 U.S.-based agencies to place children. Download the most up-to-date list of approved agencies at www.ethiopianembassy.org/PDF/ListofAdoptionAgenciesRegistered
inEthiopia.pdf In March 2011, the MOWA announced that it would process only five adoptions per day, which is expected to lengthen the time it takes to adopt a child from Ethiopia. For up-to-date information on the outcomes of the Ethiopian government's review of the adoption process, visit http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=ethiopia.
Ethiopia requires families to submit post-placement reports on their children at 3 months, 6 months, and one year after the adoption. Yearly reports until the child turns 18 are also required. Ethiopia is not a member of the Hague Adoption Convention.
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Helpful Articles from Adoptive Families Magazine
- AF interviews Melissa Fay Greene
The author of There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children talks about the AIDS scourge in Africa, and more.
- My Rockin' Ethiopian Sons
When my husband and I dreamed of raising bilingual children, we had no idea that one of their languages would be rock and roll.
- On the Outside, Looking In
Phil Bertelson, an award-winning filmmaker and transracial adoptee, explores issues of racism and transracial adoption in an interview with AF.
- My Ethiopian Daughters
"My challenge is to balance my daughters' pride in their heritage with learning about the history of Africans in America."
- Cornrows, French Braids, and Life
As a white mom learns about her black child's hair, both come of age.
- A Million Children Waiting
In part one of this two-part series, we learn about the tragedy of Ethiopean children who have lost their parents to disease -- and their prospects for adoption.
- A Home for Helen
A mother's story of adopting a girl from Ethiopia.
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Helpful Books for Ethiopia Adopters
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Helpful Web Resources for Ethiopia Adopters
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