Russian MoE Revokes Three Permits

As of July 20, 2009, The Russian Ministry of Education & Science (MoE) has decided to revoke (terminate) the Permit for Adoption Activity (formerly Russian "accreditation") of three USA-based adoption agencies. The MoE posted the revocation orders in Russian language on their public, official website today.

The three agencies affected by this action are Cradle Society, Cradle of Hope Adoption Center, and Nightlight Christian Adoptions. Of the three, only Nightlight Christian Adoptions had a currently suspended permit, as reported here last month. Cradle of Hope Adoption Center's permit was suspended last June and reinstated last December.

While the Russian MoE did not give specific reasons in the revocation orders, they did indicate generally which parts of the rules governing Permits for Adoption Activity (Government Decision No. 654 of November 4, 2006) they considered to have been infringed by each agency. Except for Cradle Society, the other two agencies were cited as having failed to comply with a new section of the rules that requires agencies to report within 5 days any case of death, abuse, disruption, failure to adapt, or re-placement of an adopted child. I reported on this new modification of the rules back in May.

If you are with one of the affected agencies, look first to your agency for guidance. It is possible that they may have a contingency plan to help you in spite of today's news.