Dfes PETITION

As many of you know (if you have spoken to me recently) the Dfes are being increasingly difficult and unco-operative.

Referrals arrived in the USA early last week, but it took several more days for the Dfes to admit that they had received paperwork - they still haven't sent it on to the waiting families. Since Madonna's adoption they have closed the telephone helpline - so adoptive families have no direct means of contact, they can fax or email but nothing guarantees a response like a phone call.

China are changing the rules for adoptive parents - we've known this since early December, the Dfes only acknowledged these changes in January. They are doing nothing to help those families who do not meet the new criteria - they're not expediting paperwork or even dealing with it efficiently. People who need their papers to reach China before May 1st have no guarantee of help from them - these families have no idea if their applications will be processed in time. The Dfes could help them by processing things faster - but they refuse to make that commitment.

The British / Chinese adoptive community NEED YOUR HELP. If you are a British resident please put your name to our petition - that urges the Dfes to get on with processing applications by whatever means necessary. To help please click on this link. Thank you from all UK / Chinese adoptive families.