Latvia Adoption Program

Lutheran Social Services of New York works in cooperation with the Ministry for Children and Family Affairs in Latvia to find families for children living in Latvian orphanages. Children are placed for adoption due to family dysfunction, including neglect, abuse, mental illness and/or domestic violence, much as they are here in America. There are also social factors such as poverty and lack of acceptance for single mothers that can contribute to a child being placed for adoption.

Most children eligible for international adoption are children who cannot find permanent families in Latvia. These are likely to be children between 8 and 16 years, however children as young as 2 with medical (correctable or chronic) conditions can also be adopted. Families for sibling groups of 3 or more are especially needed! Parents can make requests as to age, health status and gender, but doing so may add to the waiting time.

About Latvia

Latvia is a country in Northern Europe. Latvia shares land borders with Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south – and both Russia and Belarus to the east. It is separated from Sweden in the west by the Baltic Sea.

The capital of Latvia is Riga. Latvia has been a member of the European Union since May 1, 2004 and a member of NATO since March 29, 2004.

Latvia today is renewing the old, creating the new and proudly displaying a revitalized presence on the European scene.

The rest of the world is rediscovering Latvia as well. It is discovering a country that has been a sovereign state since 1918, but a national state of mind for centuries.

A country that survived two world wars and 50 years behind the Iron Curtain, and is now even more committed to the principles of freedom, democracy and international cooperation. Latvia is a keystone of Northern Europe’s Baltic Sea region. A country of 2.3 million people who are experiencing once again what it means to live, work and raise their families in a free country.

Few Restrictions on Parents

The Latvian program is open to single women, single men and married couples, between the ages of 25 and 50 (some exceptions are possible). Families with Latvian heritage will be given special consideration by the Ministry. All parents need to commit to preserving their child?s Latvian heritage after adoption.

Advantages to Adopting in Latvia

1. Quality of care.
The quality of care in the orphanages varies according to the location of the orphanage or children’s center. The orphanages located in Riga are set up as family centers with children living and sharing in family responsibilities. The children are grouped by age and assigned to a care giver who is responsible for the welfare of each child.

The younger children sleep in dormitory settings. The older children are assigned to sharing 2-4 in a room. The children are supervised by the staff administrator who is accountable to the Ministry for Children and Families. The staff are either degreed social workers or trained child care specialists. Medical attention is provided by the Ministry.

In the rural areas the orphanages are self contained and the children are less likely to be part of the wider community. The rural orphanages also tend to be older and in need of repair.

During the summer months many of the orphanages in the city also have summer camp in country settings where the children spend 2-3 months. These camps are very similar to our summer camp programs with the emphasis on sports and summer activities.

2. Education.
The children living in the orphanages and children’s centers are required to receive formal education either on the premises or in the public school setting. In the cities they attend the local school and receive the same education as other children. English is now part of the educational curriculum, however most children are not fluent in English.

3. Good communication and knowledge of in-country staff.
Lutheran Social Services has developed excellent rapport with the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs and has in addition contracted with an in-country staff person to support those families traveling to Latvia to complete the adoption process.