Adoption Program?

Question

Has anybody heard about an adoption program in the Philippines, where the kid (this one was 11) stays with the prospective parents for a month in the US. It works like a trial program, where if any party is not happy, the adoption does not go through. Sounds like a good program, but just wondering if it's a scam.

Answer 1

I don't know of such programs but adopting a child should not be like test driving a car ( I was going to say getting a puppy but who tries out a puppy and then returns it?)  Adoption is about forming a lifelong and unbreakable relationship and forming a family not about having a returns policy.

Answer 2

Did this just randomly arrive in your email, or did you seek this out? I never heard of this, but I do know that if you adopt in the US foster care system, the child is considered foster care for a 3-15 month trial period before the adoption is finalized.

Answer 3

This is called "sponsoring" a child, and is a common practice for some international agencies.  They will increase the chances of an older child being adopted by bringing them here to stay with a family who might be interested.  Then everyone evaluates the situation and sees if it is a good match.

You would need to qualify the same way any adoptive parent would to adopt through that agency, and pay the fees, etc.

The only thing I don't like about the program, is that the children have such a high expectation, and if it is not a good match, they have to return to the orphanage they came from in many cases.  So sad!

Answer 4

Hi, we adopted our daughter through international adoption as an infant.  I don't know about the Phillipines specifically, but I do know that there are programs from serveral countries where older children are placed with a family for a summer in the hopes that the family will want to adopt the child.  The family must be homestudy ready and want to adopt an older child, but it is not a commitment to the child.  Also, whether or not the family adopts the child, the child will go back to their country of origin after the summer program while the adoption process is completed with the family or while another family is found.  I don't know how I feel about such programs.  I would think this could be harmful psychologically to all involved.  To answer your question, I don't necessarily think it is a scam, but I don't know anything specific about the particular program you're talking about, so I'd research it well.

Answer 5

many adoption agencies use this technique to help older children in many different countries find homes   Look under adaptions in your local phone book and call a few agencies.  many Will tell you WHO call to start the process