INEA Congres

Keynote: Transformative Justice: Receiving States’ Obligations in the Aftermath of Illegal Intercountry Adoptions as Enforced Disappearances

Elvira Loibl

In September 2022, the UN highlighted that illegal intercountry adoptions might breach child abduction and trafficking prohibitions, and in specific cases, could violate enforced disappearance prohibitions. Elvira Loibl’s presentation delves into when illegal intercountry adoptions align with enforced disappearance criteria, exploring its implications on victims’ rights under the 2010 International Convention.

Paneldiscussion: Transformative Justice

Amanda Baden, Elvira Loibl, Mark de Hek, Nicole Immler, Sophie Withaeckx, Patrick Noordoven, Sam van den Haak & Erben Oosting

This panel discusses the topic of transformative justice in relation to the practice of intercountry adoption. Within the concept of transformative justice, all different perspectives are considered to obtain recognition and restoration for past injustices. In our case, we apply this to the injustices within the adoption system. Our panellists will operate from both individual … Lees verder

Exceptional Childhood. Legitimising Transnational Adoption in Postcolonial Belgium (1945-2000)

Chiara Candaele

This presentation will highlight the findings of my dissertation, which studies how transnational adoptions have been legitimised in Belgium since the end of the Second World War (1945-2000).

The Flemish expertpanel on inter-country adoptions: recommendations and follow-up

Veronique Van Asch

Following a decision by the Flemish Government on 19 July 2019, an independent panel of experts on intercountry adoptions was set up . The final report was filed in 2021. The recommendations were made on the basis of extensive research and aim to give intercountry adoptions the best possible chance of running correctly in the future.

Roots of Resilience: Unearthing the Experience of Racialization and the Development of Racial literacy among Transnational Adoptees of Colour in the Netherlands

Lorelie Tummers

In the past six decades approximately 40.000 children entered the Netherlands as transnational adoptees. In most cases, these are children of colour who are adopted into white families. This project investigates the experiences of adoptees of colour in the Netherlands, asking: how does this group experience race and racism in a supposedly colourblind society?

Adult Children of Korean Adoptees: Understanding the Intergenerational Impact of Adoption

Bastiaan Seo Vin Flikweert

We will explore the following questions: How were adult children of Korean adoptees socialised in regards to their ethnic and racial identity? How have adult children of Korean adoptees internalised their parent’s narrative around adoption? How did their parent’s adoption from South Korea impact their own upbringing and identity?

Mothers and Moral Injury

Pien Bos, Will van Sebille

Mothers are blamed for ascribed deviant sexual behaviors and fail to live up to standards of good motherhood. Mothers internalize such ambiguous and contradictory dominant values and norms. Subsequently they suffer from negative thoughts and feelings about their status. We present an analysis of consequences of the mothers’ supposed failure by unravelling their circumstances through the theoretical lens of ‘Moral Injury’.

The irony of the right to know: a right that we do not know?

Vivian Jessica Salles Vieira Pinto

This paper endeavors to enrich family scholarship by addressing the central question: what role does the lack of a definition for the right to know play in the access to origin information by adoptees, and how can legal interpretation techniques contribute to the development of more effective and consistent legal mechanism in ensuring adoptees’ rights to know?

Family Belonging: Examining the Responses from Adoptees about their Well-Being

Nancy Rolock

The aim of this study is to explore the sense of family and belonging among young adults and their adoptive parents. Young adults (average age 24 years) and their adoptive parents, responded to questions about their adoption experience. Comparing results across responder, and by those who experienced PAI and those who did not, provide insights into adoptive family well-being

Adoption specific therapeutic services: advocating the need for neuro-informed work with intercountry adoptees

Anneke Vinke

Adoption specific therapeutic services are called for worldwide. Really making a difference in providing adoption specific care needs not be too difficult. Studies in affective neurobiology, trauma and attachment research next to adoption studies and lived experiences have given practitioners many tools to provide interventions that bring a sustainable therapeutical practice for both adoption aware assessment as well as adoption aware treatment. I argue the need to apply a neuro-sequential assessment (Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics – NMT/ dr.BD Perry) and plan interventions accordingly.

Adoption knowledge: what do we know and what do we need?

Gera ter Meulen

In order to determine what knowledge on adoption should be developed, it is important to first identify what knowledge is available.

An overview of the different attachment theories from the point of view of an experience expert and a psychiatrist

Jyoti Weststrate, Regina Schipper

Attachment issues and bottomless syndrome are terms often used to describe the emotional and psychological challenges that some adopted children may face. Attachment problems can arise as a result of early separation from the biological parent, disruptions in care during early childhood, or multiple changes in caregivers. This can lead to difficulties in establishing healthy relationships and building trust with others.

‘Grief’ by José Montoya

José Montoya

José performs a piece entitled: Grief. A monologue about the definition of grief and how it relates to me as an adoptee.