A Brave Escape
15-year-old Grace McCarthy was staying with relatives in China who she reported were abusing her and arranging a marriage she did not want. She believed her parents back in the U.S. were aware of the abuse and the arranged marriage; therefore, she was afraid to return to their care in the United States.
Sisters Unified After 60 Years!
Growing up, Carmen yearned to find her biological family. While she independently searched for her biological family, she received an email from ISS-USA informing her that her sister was searching for her as well.Β
The Role of the ISS in the History of Private International Law
The ISS has been hiding in plain sight in the history of private international law since the 1920s. Anyone lucky enough to visit ISS-USAβs archives at the University of Minnesota would be astonished by ISSβs extensive engagement with virtually every aspect of transitional family law.
Restoring Hope in Humanity
Due to internal conflict in Thailand, Don was unexpectedly forced to repatriate to the United States in September as the cases for Covid-19 were increasing. While Don was able to return through an emergency loan from the State Department, he was financially unequipped to resettle on such short notice.
Reuniting Families Across Borders
When 8-year-old Mateo was placed in foster care in the U.S., social workers discovered he had grandparents in Guatemala who wanted to care for him. ISS-USA worked with authorities in both countries to complete the necessary home study, coordinate the logistics of an international placement, and reunite Mateo with his family.
Helping Agencies Navigate Cross-Border Cases
A child welfare agency in Texas needed to conduct a home study for a childβs relative in Mexico, but they didnβt know how to manage the international process. ISS-USA provided the necessary expertise and coordination, ensuring the agency could make informed decisions for the childβs future.
Americans Returning Home Safely
After experiencing hardship abroad, David, with help from a U.S. Consulate overseas found himself in need of support once he arrived in the U.S. Without resources or a clear plan, the Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR) gave ISS-USA the green light to arrange for shelter, medical care, and a connection to case management services, to help David get back on his feet again.
Working Between States
A social work team in Connecticut is working to reunite 3-year-old Dana with her father in Florida. However, concerns arose about their lack of a prior relationship, and Dana’s speech and motor delays made it crucial to ensure continuity of her treatment. To support the transition, ISS-USA conducted a community resource assessment, helping to create a service plan that connects Dana and her father with local resources tailored to their needs, ensuring a stable and supportive placement.
International Social Service, USA
We are the U.S. member of a global child protection and social service network. We connect vulnerable children, adults, and families, separated by a border, to the services and support they need.
ISS-USA coordinates services for U.S. and non U.S. citizens returning to their countries of origin, conducts home studies, finds relatives in other countries, obtains documents such as birth certificates and adoption paperwork, provides post-placement monitoring, and acts as advocates for children reuniting with families all over the globe.
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Know what these words mean? Drop your answers below! π
For every right guess, consider giving $8 online to help families overcome language and legal barriers.
Give hope - donate today!
Your support makes stories like Mariaβs possible. Every contribution helps families overcome the barriers of distance, law, and circumstance. And this year, for every $4 you give online, the Jessie Ball DuPont fund adds $1, multiplying your impact and helping even more families find their way home.
https://lght.ly/97e14lh
πISS-USA Guessing Game time!
For every correct answer, match it with an $8 online donation to help a family reconnect.
https://lght.ly/2b47k7g
π’ WE ARE HIRING!
Join ISS-USA as our first legal services coordinator and help reconnect families across borders. Work remotely and have a real impact on children`s lives.
Interested? Check the job description below!
https://lght.ly/3c5a6k
Each month, ISS-USA helps connect families and protect children across borders. In October, our team continued this vital workβopening new cases, supporting children, and collaborating with partners around the world to keep families together. π
πWeβre excited to launch our S.A.I.F. and Sound Campaign, running from November 1 through December 31. Over the next two months, weβll share powerful stories of families who have been reunited through the support of the Stephney Allen Impact Fund β and invite you to be part of making more reunions possible.
πThe Stephney Allen Impact Fund ensures that families facing separation across borders are not burdened by the costs of reunification services. Instead, they can focus on what matters most: being together again.
This year, your generosity goes even further. For every $4 donated online, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund will contribute an additional $1 β up to $10,000. That means your gift creates an even greater impact for families waiting to be reunited.π¨βπ©βπ§βπ¦
Join us this season as we make more families S.A.I.F. and Sound. Donate Today! π
https://www.iss-usa.org/donate/
π Principle 7 of Cross-Border Family Solutions Month: Accountability
Without accountability, systems cannot learn and evolve to better support children and their families. Accountability means closing existing gaps by improving data collection, information management, and reporting systems β so that no child slips through the cracks.
In honor of this principle, ISS-USA invites you to join the Data Party! π
Two of our board members, TβPring R. Westbrook and Allison K. Holmes, co-authors of Data Party, believe that everyone serving children should have the tools and confidence to transform their organizations through data.
We believe every child deserves to find their way to family, and there is so much more governments and civil society can do to make this a reality.
π Learn more about Data Party and how to strengthen accountability systems for children and families here:
https://lght.ly/7b8d5a5
β° Pre-order the book here:
https://lght.ly/466g9lb
#CrossBorderFamilySolutionsMonth #Accountability #DataParty #ChildWelfare
