Adoption from Russia

ABC Adoption has been working with the Ivanovo Region of Russia since 1999 with 15 different orphanages. Russia is second to China in the number of children adopted internationally each year. The Russian Ministry of Education oversees all adoptions throughout the various regions of Russia. Children are eligible for adoption through the death of a birthparent or the involunatary termination of parental rights. Each child must be on the Ministry's registry for 6 months before they are eligible for international adoption.

All adoptable children in Russia are in orphanage settings. Orphanages are divided according to age of children -- infants (0-4 years of age) reside together in baby homes, toddlers reside together in separate orphanages, etc. Each region maintains their own orphanages. Orphanages vary according to staff-to-child ratio, care of the children and structural environment. The children may be relinquished from birth to 16 years of age.