The Implementation and Operation of the 1993 Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention

Highlights

The Implementation and Operation of the 1993 Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention: A Guide to Good Practice is a project of post-Convention support initiated by the Permanent Bureau for the purpose of assisting States (whether or not already Contracting States) with the practical implementation of the Convention, in a manner which achieves the objects of the Convention, namely, the protection of children who are adopted internationally. It is the first such Guide for the 1993 Convention, and it identifies important matters related to planning, establishing and operating the legal and administrative framework to implement the Convention. It does not always claim to be a guide for best practices because some practices are necessarily different in different Contracting States. The differences in resources and skills must be recognised, as well as the fact that each Contracting State has its own strengths and challenges. Although the situation is not the same for every State, the basic test for all practices is whether they help to achieve the overall objects of the Convention. Most of the matters identified in the Guide need to be considered prior to ratification or accession. For this purpose, the Guide is aimed at policy makers involved in short term and long term planning to implement the Convention in their country, as well as lawyers, administrators, caseworkers and other professionals needing guidance on some practical or legal aspects of implementing the Convention. Accredited bodies and approved (non-accredited) persons will also be able to use the Guide to assist them in performing their functions under the Convention.