Mission adoption

In 2006 adoption work was carried out by 212 staff and volunteers at head office and 14 regional offices. As the leading authorised adoption body (OAA) in France and the only OAA integrated in a medical NGO, the aims of Médecins du Monde's adoption project are to affirm its humanitarian purpose by defending the most vulnerable people (children, the first victims of economic and environmental crises, insecurity or geopolitical conflicts), to defend their fundamental rights (the right to a family to grow up in, access to healthcare and the right to education), to find families for children who have not been able to be adopted in their country of origin, and to facilitate the adoption of children with special needs (i.e. 119 children, that is to say 37.7% of the children adopted in 2005).

Families for children

Activities: 1,634 letters received at head office, the files were examined during 30 commission meetings.
459 applications were accepted, but the withdrawal rate, which runs at between 27 and 30%, must be taken into consideration when giving provisional figures for 2006.
Children who come to France through Médecins du Monde are monitored within their family for two years through 6 scheduled contacts. Some of these contacts with a report are requested by the countries of origin.

• In 2005, 1,441 post-adoption home visits to families were carried out, i.e. a 35% increase.
• 315 children were adopted by 281 families.
• 27 children came from European countries (Russia, Bulgaria, Albania).
• 222 children came from Asia (China, Vietnam).
• 66 children came from Latin America (Colombia, Brazil).
• Administrative problems with Eastern Europe and difficulties with Vietnam limited the number of children coming from those countries.

In 2005, 3 major areas were worked on and implemented:

• the overhaul and updating of administrative procedures: creation of country reference systems and of performance indicators to monitor activities;
• more in-service training and setting up of an integration day for adoption
• the development of complex adoptions:siblings, older children, children with specific medical needs.

Outlook:
Develop the distinctive features of the Médecins du Monde OAA: complex adoptions and its professionalism.