Child, Youth and Family is pleased to announce that it has resumed providing assistance to New Zealanders wanting to adopt Russian children.

“This means we can resume taking Russian children in need of a home,” says Child, Youth and Family’s chief legal advisor Stewart Bartlett.

Child, Youth and Family announced last month it was suspending co-operation with Russian adoptions. It had serious concerns that continuing to co-operate was contrary to New Zealand’s obligations under the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption.

“We therefore took the prudent step of suspending co-operation,” says Mr Bartlett. “This was the responsible thing to do in light of the advice we had.”

Since the suspension decision was made, the department has been working through the issues of concern with its legal advisors and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

“We are now satisfied our co-operation can resume,” says Mr Bartlett.
MEDIA CONTACT STEPHEN WARD
NATIONAL MEDIA ADVISOR
PH 04 918 9124
MOBILE 029 564 077