MLJ Adoptions has been serving vulnerable children in Ukraine since our agency opened its doors through the adoption program, and also through our biannual orphan hosting program. It is our privilege to introduce older children to their forever families!
The future is bleak for children who age out of institutional care in Ukraine, which happens around age 16. Statistically, 60% of the boys who age out of care turn to crime, 50% of the girls turn to prostitution, and 10-15% commit suicide within the first year of aging out. Though Ukraine is making strides to place children in families within their own country, many times older children, sibling groups, and children with special needs are overlooked.
Ukraine’s adoption process is different from that of other countries, in that adoptive parents will receive an invitation to travel to Ukraine and view the files of children who match the characteristics they’re searching for, rather than being matched with a specific child. This process can be significantly faster than other country programs, with many Ukrainian adoptions being completed in less than a year.
Children in Need of Families
- Ages: six years to teens; children who are part of sibling groups and/or have special needs may be younger than six.
- Families who adopt from Ukraine should expect that the child who they are matched with will have varying degrees of developmental and mental delays due to institutionalization and/or fetal exposure to alcohol.
- Children reside in orphanages.
- Children may be placed for adoption due to economic hardship, lack of acceptance towards unwed mothers, and an inability to meet a child’s medical needs.
Adoptive Parents
- Married couples, where both spouses are at least 25 years old, may adopt from Ukraine.
Adoption Timeline
- Home Study and Dossier Preparation: approximately 3-5 months.
- Families will receive an invitation to travel to Ukraine approximately 2-3 months after their dossier arrives in the country, with travel expected to occur approximately one month later.
- Once a referral is accepted, the legal adoption process typically takes 2-3 months to complete. The entire adoption process can usually be completed in nine to twelve months.
- One trip to Ukraine for approximately four to eight weeks is required. However, two trips may be taken if preferred; each trip will be approximately two to three weeks. Both parents must travel initially, but one parent may be allowed to travel home before the process is complete; this is at the discretion of the Ukrainian judge.
- Ukraine is not a Hague Convention country.
Contact us to learn more about how to adopt from Ukraine.
Country information is to be considered general information and subject to change. The information is based upon state, federal, foreign, and international law, as well as our own business policies.