Mission Statement of Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agencies
Every Child Has A Right To A Family And Somewhere There Is A Family For Every Child
Background to Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency
Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency (HHAMA) was set up in 2005 to mediate inter country adoption in accordance with the Irish Adoption Board’s (IAB) regulations and requirements. The agency was established to meet the requirements of the State to State Agreement with Vietnam which required Irish adoptions to be mediated by a licensed Irish agency. The agency operates strictly within the scope and terms of that Agreement. It is a not-for-profit body licensed by the Irish Adoption Board and the Vietnamese Government. In all our actions the individual child’s best interest is our primary objective. We draw on international best practice and we conform to the Hague Convention. At all times we seek to operate in accordance with the IAB’s regulations for providing mediation services. Our work falls in to two remits:
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Our primary remit is to ensure a child centred and ethical adoption |
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Our secondary remit is to ensure that our clients (prospective adoptive parents) receive a quality and efficient service |
HHAMA is a not-for profit body. Our ethos is firmly focused on the principle that every adoption is undertaken in the best interest of the child involved and that it is transparent and ethical insofar as we can determine in accordance with our role
Following the licensing of HHAMA by the Irish Adoption Board, the Minister for Children, Brian Lenihan, officially opened the agency on the 31st May 2006. This took place in the presence of a number of officials from Vietnam, members of the Irish Adoption Board, the H.S.E. and representatives from intercountry adoption support groups. Helping Hands Adoption Mediation Agency is the first national inter country adoption mediation agency in Ireland.
Following the passing of the Hague Legislation, inter country adoption will only be permitted from countries which have signed/ratified the Hague Convention or countries which have a Bi-Lateral Agreement with Ireland. These agreements will typically provide for the use of registered mediation agencies. In future, therefore, mediation agencies will have a very important role to play in inter country adoption. Clear benefits will accrue from the establishment of mediation agencies in Ireland working under the Irish Adoption Board’s supervision in the area of adoptions. There will be added protection of the rights of the rights of children, birth families and adoptive parents and the assurance that the adoption process is in the best interest of the child.
Countries HHAMA is Working With Currently
HHAMA is currently working with one country - Vietnam. The agency is dealing with four provinces in Vietnam: Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh and Vinh Phuc.
Service HHAMA Provides
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Assists applicants with the preparation of their dossier for Vietnam |
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Ensures applicants’ paperwork is correct and in order at all stages from time of registration to completion of adoption in Vietnam |
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Forwards applicants’ dossier to the relevant Vietnamese authorities on behalf of applicants |
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Matching of applicants with a proposed placement |
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Provides information to applicants at a pre-travel course in relation to the process in Vietnam, culture, identity, what to bring, practical information around feeding, changing and bathing the baby, what to do when applicants return from Vietnam e.g. information on how to register the child on the Foreign Adoption Register |
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Communicates with applicants on behalf of the Vietnamese authorities regarding their application if necessary, and regarding invitation to travel |
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Provides support while applicants are in Vietnam |
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Contacts adoptive parents when their post placement reports are due. The agency receives these completed reports, arranges for them to be translated and transmits them to the relevant authorities in Vietnam |
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Provides a post box facility for communication to be transferred between Irish families and the birth family in Vietnam. This is done through the social care centre in Vietnam who, through their Department of Justice, forwards the correspondence to the birth family |
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Stores the applicants’ and the child’s information electronically as well as on hard copy ensuring that this information is stored securely and permanently |
While every effort has been made to ensure that information on this website is correct at this time, change may occur due to factors outside our control
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