Catholic agencies urge US government: protect Haitian children, promote family reunification
February 08, 2010
The heads of five Catholic relief agencies have urged three US cabinet secretaries to increase American efforts to protect Haitian children who are unaccompanied by adults.
“Family tracing should be conducted for each child, to determine whether parents, other family members, or guardians remain alive and, to ascertain whether family reunification is a possibility,” the agency leaders said in a February 4 letter. “Family reunification is an important goal and must be protected to the greatest extent possible, while placement with a guardian within Haiti will sometimes prove to be the appropriate course. If no family or appropriate guardian is found, and if it is further determined that it is in the child’s best interest not to remain in Haiti, the child should be considered for international placement.”
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