Post Adoption Resources

How School Can Support Your Internationally Adopted Child's Needs

CHOOSING A SCHOOL In NZ we have a National Curriculum that all schools are legally bound to teach. This applies to whether or not the school is state funded, private or an independent school, or families are homeschooling. Special Character schools, often associated with Churches, are required to teach their Special Character curriculum alongside or as part of the National Curriculum. The Education Review Office’s (ERO) role is to ensure that “schools” (including homeschoolers) are carrying out this legal responsibility, through regular routine visits. You can read ERO reports on individual schools on www.ero.govt.nz All children have automatic entry into their local school from the age of 5, although they are not legally required to attend school until they turn 6. To attend a school outside your zone, you need to apply to the school. Making application also applies to private, independent and special character schools. It is a good idea to make contact with the school of your choice when your child turns 4 as this assists the school to project their upcoming enrollments and you will receive necessary information as your entry date draws near. If your child is older than five, it is important that you contact the school and you will probably want to initiate a transitioning strategy for when your child will begin school. It is important when choosing a school that you do visit the school prior to enrollment. Meet with the Principal and ask to visit the classrooms (most primary schools will offer this to you). Get a feel for the school and a make sure you and your child feel comfortable. If there are special need areas to consider talk about this with the Principal and ask how your child will be supported. Most schools will offer a transition programme to introduce children to the school environment. ENTRY TO SCHOOL Once your child begins school they will be assessed on some form of School Entry Assessment. There is an assessment programme available to schools from the Ministry of Education, but many schools have added in their own assessments as well. At any time you are entitled to ask to see your child’s assessment data and discuss the results with the teacher. Many schools will offer you an interview after the first six weeks to discuss the Entry Assessment. National Standards are designed to show minimum acceptable levels for reading, writing and maths after one year at school, two years at school, three years at school and then at each year level after that to Year 8. There are a variety of assessment programmes available in schools and teachers can explain the areas of strength and the next steps for your child. Schools are required by law to provide feedback to parents at least three times a year. This may be in a formal interview situation, a three way interview with the child involved, or a written report. Many schools have developed these ideas into creative feedback sessions. SUPPORT AVAILABLE AT SCHOOL If your child is not making the learning gains expected or is not settling well into the school environment, the school have a number of support structures they can access. If a referral to an outside person is made on behalf of your child, you will be involved, as you are required to sign the referral. LEARNING NEEDS Usually during the first year at school, teachers keep a close eye on the children and their progress. At this stage, parents are quite often in the classroom for school drop offs and pickups and generally parents of younger children have a good rapport with the teachers and concerns are easily expressed. Many schools offer specialised programmes to support new entrant learning. A couple of really good programmes schools offer are the Perceptual Motor Programme (PMP) which is a physical activity programme designed to strengthen children’s brain connections. This is a very successful programme, although costly to run. Some schools have it operating for all children, while others select the most needy children. Some schools offer it for part of the year only. Unfortunately not all schools have it running. Talk to Learn is a small group oral language programme that targets vocabulary development, listening and speaking skills, and social skill development. As with PMP, it is not available in all schools as it requires extra resourcing. Phonological Awareness and Phonics programmes are now readily available in most junior classrooms. Usually this is incorporated into the daily class programme, but maybe also available as an extra mural programme. These programmes are designed to support reading and spelling. (A useful interactive website for children, to support literacy learning is www.starfall.com) As they turn six, schools do a battery of assessments on each child called the SIX YEAR OBSERVATION SURVEY. This is usually the first formal standardised assessment done and its focus is literacy. This can be the first opportunity for children to gain learning support from the Reading Recovery Programme. Reading Recovery is a one on one programme designed for use with six year old children to provide skills development for those children who are not working at the expected levels in literacy. It is an intense daily 30 minute programme, available in most schools, resourced by the Ministry of Education and the school Board of Trustees, for a 10 –15 week duration. The Reading Recovery teacher is either a classroom teacher or a teacher employed into that role. Older children having literacy difficulty may be referred to the Resource Teacher of Literacy (RT Lit). This person works in a cluster of schools at any one time. Children are assessed through a referral from the school. The RTLit may work in an advisory role with the teacher, or work with children one on one or in a small group. At present there is no state funded support for numeracy needs support. Schools also may offer a specialised programme for Gifted and Talented children. If offered, this is usually available for children aged 8 upwards. In many schools, these children’s needs are met within the class programme. Many schools are now receiving specialised training for supporting Dyslexia, and this a developing area in NZ education. Schools may also refer children at any time to the Speech Language Therapist who like the RTLit, works within a cluster of schools. Usually the Speech Therapist will come in and assess a particular child, and then advise the teacher and parents on ways to support the child. They will then reassess them at a later date. Another area of need may be English Second Language or the ESOL/ESL teacher. This is usually a person within the school who has some training in this area. Not all schools have this role. Young children beginning school with limited English will usually be supported within the classroom by their class teacher. Older children (7 upwards) can assess extra funding support which the school will determine how to use to meet the needs in the school. This may involve a specialised ESOL teacher. Specific learning needs like hearing and vision needs are met by specialist teachers, through the Group Special Education (GSE) office. Likewise with children who have severe learning needs or disabilities. The Principal will be able to provide the necessary information. Schools may offer a variety of their own school based programmes for children with needs. These may involve working with Teacher Aides in or out of the classroom, individually or in small groups. Teacher Aides are often parents in the school. They are not trained Teachers but they do receive training for the areas they are supporting. They work under the guidance of a teacher. Specialised computer based support programmes for children needing extra help may also be available in a particular school. BEHAVIOURAL NEEDS Some children have great difficulty in settling into the behavioural expectations of a formal classroom. Teachers are trained in ways to encourage participation and therefore learning, and for most children good communication between the teacher and the parents eventually helps these children to settle in to acceptable behaviours. If the school decides that some extra support is required they will refer the child to the Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour (RTLB). (A child can also be referred for extra learning support without there being a behavioural concern.) The RTLB also works amongst a cluster of schools. Their role is usually to observe the concerns over time and advise the teacher. They may also provide advice to the parent, or may refer the child onto another agency for more support (e.g. GSE (see below). RTLB’s will sometimes work alongside the teacher and/ or parent, and the child, over time to put in a support structure. Their role is varied according the need they are dealing with, and they have in-depth knowledge of outside school agency that can provide support. For many teachers the RTLB will be the first person they will call on for extra support. The RTLB is specifically trained for this role and has been a classroom teacher. GROUP SPECIAL EDUCATION (GSE) is an umbrella agency consisting of a variety of specialist advisors. They include Speech Therapists, Psychologists, and Occupational Therapists who provide ongoing support for a range of specific needs in schools. They have a central base and work around a variety of institutions in a variety of roles. Access to GSE advisors is usually done through another avenue. This may be the school or the RTLB. COMMERCIAL SUPPORT AGENCIES Outside the schools structure there are a plethora of commercially based support groups. These are generally programmes that are funded through user pays. However from time to time, the RTLB or another educational support programme may be able to access extra ordinary funding to allow specific needs children to access a relevant support programme. This is not very common! Sometimes schools may suggest seeking help from some of these programmes, but this is at the families’ expense. Schools may support this by allowing the child time during the school day to attend a programme. Generally these groups work on their own programmes and they are not aligned to the work the child is doing in school. Usually they are specific skill based programmes. They will assess the children in the specific areas they are focused on and will then provide a prescribed programme to develop and practise new skills. Commercial Support Agencies are not governed by any educational laws. OTHER SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS IN SCHOOLS Finally, all children will be screened by a couple of health based agencies. DENTAL THERAPISTS work between a group of schools and your child will be seen by them on a rotation based system. They can also be contacted, through the school, for emergency treatment. During their first year at school and at a couple of later times, children will be assessed for HEARING AND VISION. This assessment is very generally in nature but does highlight major problems with hearing and vision. If you have concerns about these areas in your child it is recommended that you seek out help from your Doctor, rather than wait for this general assessment. Each school does have a HEALTH NURSE assigned to them. Health Nurses work in school cluster groups. A Health Nurse will check your child’s Health Card during their first year at school and will provide assistance to the school if there is any specific health issue i.e. Type 1 Diabetes. They are also called upon by schools if there are particular health concerns, and from time to time they are asked to carry out inoculation programmes by the Government. The Class Room teacher and the Principal are the people who can assist you to connect with any of these support networks and it is important that if you do have needs or concerns they need to shared with these people. At the end of the day, you are the expert on your child and therefore you are your child’s greatest advocate. (This article is designed to give a general overview of the support available in NZ schools. As mentioned in the article, each school will have differing programmes available depending in the needs of the school) Tracey Jongens (April 2010)

Renewing Russian Passports

Russian passports for adopted children are valid for five years. If a person was born in Russia, they will not be given a visa to enter Russia on their New Zealand passport, but must enter Russia on their Russian passport. The only exception is if they have gone through the formal process to renounce their Russian citizenship, a process that can only be done once they are adults (over 18) and make this choice themselves. ICANZ does not recommend this, as adopted children as adults typically value their heritage and dual citizenship.

Renewing a Russian passport is a complicated process and takes some time for a child or adult over 14 years; several months is common. Do not make plans for travel to Russia unless you are certain your or your child’s passport will be ready in time. Renewing a passport for a child under 14 years is much quicker, often only a few weeks. NOTE Additional time and cost will face those who have let their Russian passports expire, as Russian citizenship must be confirmed, an additional step.

Process

You must first complete the webservice on-line application form, in Russian language only. The website and all instructions are in Russian, so you will need a translator’s help. This section of the Embassy website does not show up if you change to the English version. The Embassy website provides an example of how to fill out the form on their website, in Russian. Your translator will be able to find this. You will find using www.google.com/translate helpful to get a rough idea of Russian website pages, but this sort of translation is not good enough for submitting a passport application; you need a translator with accurate Russian.

Once the on-line form is received, after a few days, one parent (or the young person themselves if over 18) must make an appointment by email or telephone with the Russian Consul in Wellington, to visit the Consulate in Wellington to submit in person the Passport application. Make an appointment in advance to visit the Embassy by telephone. The lines are busy and you may have to persevere for several days to get through. It is far better to get your translator to also make this appointment as only some of the Consular staff speak English. Or email the Consulate requesting an appointment, and suggesting several possible dates well in advance - up to a month or two in advance is often needed.

When you attend your pre-arranged meeting at the Russian Consulate in Wellington, you must take

3 copies of the on-line form, with the application number issued when you submitted it online, printed double sided, signed,
all the original Russian adoption documents including the expiring Russian passport, NZ Citizenship Certificate, NZ passport, plus as the parent of a Russian child, your own NZ passport as identification,
Photos - not needed, as they will be taken at the Consulate. If it is a child's renewal, check whether the child must attend the interview to have photos taken.
the current fee in cash or bank cheque. These requirements may change; please check the Russian Embassy website and confirm when you make your appointment.

The appointment itself will only take 10-15 minutes if everything is in order, but sometimes there are long delays and a queue, so allow an hour or two. You'll be given an on-line tracking number for a website tracking system. It's in Russian, but use google translator to track the progress of the passport.

The passport will be sent to you by courier once it has been processed if you supply a pre-addressed return courier envelope (record tracking number).

Applications for children over 14 and for adults (over 18) must be sent to Russia. These applications are only sent off every couple of months, so naturally the process takes time - 3 months is a minimum you should expect, but some have been 5 months. Add this to the time taken to get a translator to fill in the form, get an appointment, and you'll see why it's unwise to book travel until you have the passport.

Once documentation has been approved in Russia and the Russian Embassy in Wellington notified, there is still some processing to be done here before the passport is available for pick up.

Consular Registration

NOTE: in order to renew a passport, the child or young person must also be registered with the Russian Embassy. This has been a known requirement for all adopted children since March 2000. If you adopted your child before March 2000, you may not have known to do this and you need to do this now. It can be easily done by using courier post - enclose a bank cheque (50 NZD for each form), the child’s Russian passport, the child’s original post adoption birth certificate listing you as parents, original certificate of adoption, certified copies of your own passports as the adoptive parents, 2 passport-sized photos of the child and a pre-paid courier envelope with your address. The form for this is on the Russian Embassy’s website, in English.

Disclaimer

This information is provided in an attempt to help you renew your or your child’s passport. Requirements can and do change. This document is not official information and does not replace information given on passport renewal procedure on the Russian Embassy website (in Russian) Use www.google.com/translate for an approximate translation.

Romanian Search Policy

The Romanian Office for Adoption (no longer online) once provided the following legal advice on obtaining information from government officials for search and contact with birth parents.

Remember that the legal position that says whether government officials can help you by providing information on birth relatives is very different for “minors” (those under 18 years) and those who have “full capacity” (are regarded as legal adults, over 18).

How can the adopted child find information about his biological parents (name, address, etc)?

According to current legislation, the identification data of biological parents can be directly given to our institution at the request of the adopted minor, if the following conditions are cumulatively met:

- when adoption was consented, biological parents were part of the trial
- after being contacted by the Romanian authorities, the biological parents must agree to giving their personal data to the child in case.
If these conditions are not met, the provisions of art.52 paragraph (3) and paragraph (4) of Law no.273/2004 apply, in accordance to which: „The identity of the natural parents of the adopted child can be revealed before the child has full capacity only on medical grounds, with authorization from the court, at the request of any of the adopting persons, the adopted child, his/her spouse or descendents or the representative of a medical institution or of a hospital.
After the adopted person has full capacity, he/she can request the court in his/her area or the Bucharest Court, if he/she does not live in Romania, to authorize access to information held by any public authorities with regard to the identity of his/her natural parents.
In this circumstance (described in the paragraph above), in order to obtain identification data of natural parents, the adopted person must notify the Court with an action to obtain authorized access to this information.

Can the biological family get information on the adopted child, the new family, the conditions of living, the child’s development, eventually his/her whereabouts? Where can they go and what kind of information can they be offered? Is all this information confidential?

The law excludes any relations/contacts between the biologic and adoptive parents of a child.
See art. 37, paragraph 2, art. 50, paragraph 2 and 3, art. 52 of Law no. 273/2004 regarding the legal regime of adoption

Should the child be told that he/she was adopted? Is there a recommended time for telling him/her? How, when and under what conditions can the child find out the identity of his/her biological parents? Is the General Direction of Social Assistance and Child Protection involved?

The law makes clear all aspects related to this set of questions.
See art. 52 of Law no. 273/2004 regarding the legal regime of adoption

Russian Birth Family Contact

The following are independent comments made by a "searcher" who has assisted many New Zealand adoptive families to make contact with birth relatives of their adopted child.

                      I think it fair to say that in 90% of those cases where the bio mother is seen she, and the Russian family are delighted with the contact, appreciate it and want further contact. However in Kazakhstan for instance, there are far more instances of cases where the biological mother and the family do not welcome the contact and do not want further contact, even though they may in some instances be prepared to receive the searchers and they be interviewed.
                        Certainly in cases where the bio mother has relinquished her child at birth nearly all of them (except in Kazakhstan and other Muslim countries), are very happy to hear about the welfare of the child they gave up. Even in cases where there has been the most serious neglect and abuse of an infant culminating in the termination of parental rights by the court, the biological mother has invariably shown interest and expresses joy in knowing that the child is now leading a full and happy life and growing up with parents who love him/her and look after him/her well. They are usually surprised that adoptive parents have gone through the expense and trouble in letting them know about the infant because in Russia, if a child is adopted into a Russian family it is practically unheard of for any contact to be attempted by the adoptive parents.
                     Generally though, the first letter should thank the biological father/mother for receiving the searchers and for agreeing to be interviewed and disclosing so much detail about their personal lives. It should be sympathetic and go on to say that this must not have been easy. The thing to avoid during the early stages of contact is any further questions, even though you may be burning to ask them. Enclose some photographs of yourself and family, go on to talk about "chatty" subjects, like any hobbies that they may have that have been reported to you in our report. Tell them what your son or daughter has done recently. Sympathise with any ailments which they may have. I have not seen any letters from adoptive parents which breach any cultural rules. Common sense is the guideline. End the letter by saying that you hope to receive a reply and that the contact between you will be ongoing and fruitful.

                     Many people have had searches done by us where the mother was deprived her parental rights. I think the percentage of those that we do is about 60/40 (in favour of bio mothers who voluntarily relinquish their children at birth). Contrary to what many people believe, children are not taken away from their parents in Russia without very good reason, although when we see the former parents they usually blame the deprivation of their parental rights on nosy neighbours or over zealous officials.
             99% of cases we deal with where deprivation of parental rights was the cause of the child being placed in an orphanage involve abuse of alcohol on the part of the biological mother. This type of case of case is far more likely to throw up unsavoury aspects concerning the period when the child in question was still with the biological parents but can often serve to help with any issues their child may have following adoption, for example nightmares, bed wetting etc., and can also help to resolve the question of whether the child may be suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome or other problems related to bio mother's alcohol consumption during her pregnancy.
                 I think it's fair to say that one should always remember that no child ends up in an orphanage in Russia where there are ideal family conditions at the biological mother's home and cases involving loss of parental rights because of neglect or abuse are particularly sad.

Inter-Country Adoption New Zealand

For Every Child, A Family

Siblings

India

Philippines

Thailand

How School Can Support Your Internationally Adopted Child's Needs

Renewing Russian Passports

Romanian Search Policy

Russian Birth Family Contact

More Articles ...

India - CARA video

Homeless and Alone

DONATE TODAY

Who will cry?

Ethical Standards

Contact ICANZ