Foreign adoptions?

Question

Aren't there countless children in America who need homes? Why is there such a craze to go out of the United States? Is it that these people only want babies, couldn't love a little older child?

Answer 1

dune is right on this one... thumbs up for her answer

Answer 2

I agree with DuneFl, we adopted our daughter from China 2 yrs ago, and one of the reasons is b/c it's an ultimate closed adoption.  The US adoption process is so lengthy, so tedious, and just as expensive as International adoption. (we have 2 teen bio boys as well)

Our coordinator is an adoption attorney in the US as well as for our agency; she explained to us that with all the US fees involved, plus her fee of course, it would be so much more to adopt privately in the US.  

There are many people who adopt children internationally that are a waiting child with a special need, to include older children so it is not that everyone just wants a baby, though it is the recommended age.  The US foster care system is not an inviting process either.  A family is even more scrutinized then with international adoption--understandably so as they are advocates for the children who more than likely have emotional concerns to consider.  Don't misunderstand, going through an international adoption was not easy either, and certainly every paperwork, back ground check, fingerpriting, financial record, and personal questions from social workers were asked....I just found it much more duanting in the US foster system than abroad.    

If you simply look at the adoption agencies that deal with birth mother adoption in the US, it is the same cost and much more involved than internationally.  And adoptive parents must wait to be CHOSEN by a birth mother.  Some are so picky as to say, "I don't like they way their hair looks, or I want a couple that is more slender."  90% of these situations want an open adoption where the adoptive family is required to send photos, with letter updates each year, and some go as far as having visiting privileges with the child they relinquished for someone else to raise.  For international adoption you send photos, and the dossier, & you don't wait to be chosen but wait for a child to be matched for you (a child that is already waiting for a family) which is a lot less time to wait.  With that said, there are many couples who do an open adoption and it works for them.  Personally, we choose China b/c it is the ultimate closed adoption--due to the One-child policy in China.  We are ever so thankful that he birth mother gave her life, and left her at the gate of the orphanage, rather than abort her--which is illegal in China anyway.  

There are sooo many dynamics involved in adoption, and it is a wonderful journey of family building.  However, it isn't as simple as outsiders want to make it out to be.  Check out that great article on Associated Content that I posted in the sources section.  I also put other websites you can look over and see exactly what I am saying.   Hope this helps your question.

Answer 3

its a "craze" because there are thousands and thousands of people on the waiting list for adoption.  it may not seem like it, but there's a definite shortage.  at least in the u.s.

Answer 4

Most non-stepparent adoption in the US are from the child welfare system at about 50k. Half that are International adoptions at about 23k.

There is no shortage of people adopting kids in the US. There are also many reasons one might choose International adoption.

Answer 5

i say save our own kids. i dont realy even beleive in sending releife $ and food when they spend ther $ on war. keep our $ and adoption craze limited to america and stop problems here before helping other countries

Answer 6

Anyone who asks this question has NOT dealt with the U.S. system. Check it out. It SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!! Private adoption is a fortune. The mom's rights are SO protected...you can pay thousands of dollars in her rent, medical bills, etc. then she refuses to give the baby up...you are out your money. Foster kids come with SUCH emotional damage, courts that put the rights of crackhead mom above the rights of the innocent child. Birthparents showing up YEARS later and being handed the child back that was LONG ago adopted. When the U.S. fixes the system, I promise that adoptive parents will FLOOD to adopt children of all ages/races. It's not the kids that are causing people to go overseas, it's the system.