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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TV Ukraine Adoptions – Moskalkov
HEADLINE: Another Casualty of the War in Ukraine: Child Adoptions
TEASER: Proceedings have been put on hold for some Americans seeking to adopt Ukrainian children
PUBLISHED AT: 08/03/2022 AT 8:55AM
BYLINE: Maxim Moskalkov
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Washington
SCRIPT EDITORS: KE; Reifenrath
VIDEOGRAPHER: Sergey Sokolov
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA news, Courtesies
PLATFORMS: TV only
TRT: 2:59
VID APPROVED BY: KE
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE:
EDITORS NOTE:
((INTRO))
[[Russia’s invasion has affected several aspects of life in Ukraine. Maxim Moskalkov reports on the effect the war has had on the adoption of children.]]
((NARRATION))
According to the U.S. State Department, in 2020, Americans adopted more than 200 children from Ukraine.
Ryan Hanlon – CEO and President of the National Council for Adoption – says in that same year, Ukrainian children made up more than 10% of all kids adopted by Americans.
((Ryan Hanlon, National Council for Adoption CEO and President)) ((ZOOM))
“These were children that were older. Often they had lived for many years in an orphanage setting before being matched with a family approved by Ukraine’s government. The family would go to court in Ukraine, finalize the adoption and then travel home after the U.S. government has also approved it. When the war broke out, of course, travel is halted…”
((NARRATION))
According to a number of U.S. adoption agencies, when the war started, more than 200 families were at different stages of the adoption process. About one hundred of those families ended up in adoption limbo.
((Ryan Hanlon, National Council for Adoption CEO and President)) ((ZOOM))
“Many of those children had already been hosted by U.S. families. Now those families are pursuing adoption, but the children might be in refugee camps, in settings that aren’t, of course, ideal.”
((NARRATION))
((Mandatory courtesy: Phil Graves))
Phil and Kristie Graves got lucky. They were supposed to learn on February 25th when they could take their adoptive daughter Bridget home. On February 24th, Russia invaded Ukraine. The Graves waited for six long weeks before finally picking Bridget up from Lviv.
((End courtesy))
((Phil Graves, Bridget’s Father)) ((ZOOM))
“There is a big part of you that wants to push the Ukrainian government, but at the same time, you understand they are fighting for their freedom, for their lives… And you don’t want to bug them about adoption.”
((NARRATION))
((Mandatory courtesy: Gina Callahan))
Gina Callahan and her husband agreed they would adopt 8-year-old Sveta back in 2019 — after her second trip to the U.S. as part of the hosting program. But in 2020, COVID-19 made proceeding with adoption difficult. On February 22, 2022, the family finally got the green light.
((End courtesy))
((Gina Callahan, Wants to Adopt Ukrainian Child)) ((ZOOM))
“The day we got our approval, we were so excited! We did so much work, and finally we got the answer we were hoping for. But that same day, Russia started evacuating its embassy in Ukraine. My husband and I looked at each other and thought this was not going in a good direction… // So, now we are in a waiting game…”
((NARRATION))
Like many other prospective adoptive American parents who found themselves in a similar situation – Gina is encouraging the U.S and Ukrainian governments to allow families to host the children temporarily during the war and resume legal proceedings when the war ends.
((Maxim Moskalkov for VOA News, Washington))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Washington
BylineMaxim Moskalkov
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
