Do you get to choose the ethnicity of the child?

Question

When you adopt do you have a choice on the ethnicity of the child/baby or do you get what your given?

Answer 1

Depending whether you are adopting through an agency or foster care system, you are normally matched up with a child that is compatible with you, you do normally have say in gender and race.

Answer 2

you have a choice

Answer 3

You definitely get to choose the race of the child. It's part of 'knowing your family" which is one of the 12 rules in adopting. For example, you may be a white family that is interested in children of all races but if you have very close family members that you know are racist, you probably don't want to adopt a little black child because doing so may ruin your relationship with that family member.  However, if you are a white family and you have a racially diverse group of friends and you live in a racially diverse neighborhood and you feel you could parent a child outside of your race then your home study will reflect that.

Answer 4

Adoption is subject to all sorts of rules and interracial adoptions are frowned upon by social services as they argue it deprives the child of its racial hetetage - this is racial discrimination I know but its the case.

you can ask but he chances of getting this are very low unless you adopt OUT of the UK

Answer 5

You always have a choice.  However, in foster care, if you say you are open to a child of any race, you don't know what the child that needs you will be (ethnicity wise).

I think it's wonderful to have mixed race families.  I don't, but not because I wasn't open to it.  God just had other plans for what our family would look like.

Answer 6

Yes, you can.  You just express your choice to the social worker you use for your homestudy.

Answer 7

It depends on the country/agency many will probably let you give your preference.

Like Brazil one can not choose the race of the child(ren) they adopted. You’re just matched up with a child or siblings group that the government feels fits with you and you fit with them and then you can accept or decline.

Answer 8

It depends on the agency you go with. Some deal with foreign adoption from all over and you can state you'd like a child from "xyz" country. Others work strictly within their country (or even the state of a country) and you are offered a child that is currently available.  

Answer 9

Yes, they let you chose the ethnicity of your child, but if the child is of a different race, then I think that you would be required to take some classes.

http://life.familyeducation.com/adoption...

http://www.theadoptionguide.com/options/...

Answer 10

Yes.

Look at it this way.  As the adoptive parent(s) you always have the 'right' to say yes or no to adopting a particular child.  The idea is that you use this 'right' to decide if the child is a good fit for your family.  However, there is nothing to say you cannot also make your decision based on anything, you do not have justify your decision.  Social workers and placement agents know this, and so are smart enough to ask if things like race, age, s*x, etc are important factors for potential parents.

In terms of a 'white' parent adopting a minority.  While it is understand the some people feel ethnic background is important, most social workers and placement agents also feel that a good home for the child is MORE important.  Your friend should not have a problem.  Note, she will be asked during the home study a) why a preference for a black child?  And b) what would you do to provide for the 'ethnic' experience of the child?

Answer 11

That depends on the program but if your friend wants to adopt a black child she can select a program that will allow her to do that.

The largest group of US children waiting for adoption are black boys aged 8 and up. Foster care adoption would certainly allow her to select a black child if she successfully completes the home study program.

Answer 12

Yes you do

Answer 13

Yes you do

Answer 14

not as a rule black children go to black family's  same as white go to white its so they get a ethnic  identity

  in uk that is  dont no about the rest .... but dose tend to make a differance if disabled  sorry to say

Answer 15

You usually can have a preference and you don't have to adopt a baby you don't want to but don't do it because of race, all babies, black, white, or purple deserve a good home.

Answer 16

Yes, you do.

Answer 17

Of course you do. Why wouldnt you???

Answer 18

Generally you do not get a choice in the ethnicity of the child you will adopt. The way adoption works is that a child's needs are matched to a suitable adoptive parent, not vice-versa.

Generally white children will be placed with white parents and black children with black parents. The reason for this is that social services like to know that an adopted child will be raised with a knowledge of their culture.

An exception to this rule is where a couple adopting are of different ethnicities (ie one white, one black) then they may be offered either a black, white or mixed-raced child.

In rare circumstances a white family may be able to adopt a black (or other minority) child but this only normally happens when the child is disabled and no-one of its minority will adopt it.

Adoptive parents do get a choice of the child they choose to adopt, and get to meet the child before deciding if they want to go ahead with the adoption (bear in mind they may not get offered the age/s*x of child they want frequently)

Answer 19

It all depends on how you adopt...whether thru an agency or foster care.  We got to choose the age / race...etc that we wanted to foster to adopt.