Question about how to ensure a legal, legit adoption?

Question

I read alot of questions and answers on here about women who have had babies stolen from them and the horrible adoption practices that take place. For the record, I totally agree with adoption reform and adopting from fostercare. However, what steps do you suggest taking when adopting an infant to ensure that it is a totally legal adoption, with no pressure, no stealing, etc etc. How do you suggest to people who are adopting an infant from America, or another country to handle the adoption so they can be sure it was an "ethical" adoption.

Answer 1

I second Maybe's post but would like to add.......

Go into adoption with the mentality its not "for keeps" and honor it. That should solve any issues.  

Answer 2

Ask the mother before you take her baby; "If you won the lottery, would you keep your baby?"

Answer 3

You investigate the program and take the time to educate yourself about the issues. Review the data and do give the opinions and personal tales a look but discard the ridiculous ones and remember to compare outlying tales against the silent majority.  

Answer 4

Just go through your county's Department of Human Resources. There are plenty of children that need to be adopted out. And you will not be on a long waiting list (depending on your preferences) for a specific gender or age. Where I live, there is a group that fosters children as well as adopts them out called AGAPE. They are a wonderful organization here. They also work with pregnant teens that wish to give their babies up for adoption instead of aborting them. In some cases you even get to meet the mother of the baby you'll be getting.  There are many ways to adopt without having to worry about getting someone's stolen baby. That really doesn't happen as often as you would think. Just go through a good system and there's no worries!

Answer 5

The Adopting Internationally site has a comprehensive list of ways to prevent corruption.  Read it carefully, much of this list is also applicable to domestic adoption.

This is a summary versin of the list, go to the link below for the detailed version (for those who truly want to learn more about this issue).

1.Become educated about what's going on generally in international adoption.

2.Research the adoption related laws and regulations of a few sending countries.



3.Do ongoing research to understand the cultural/economic/political, etc. context in the few sending countries you've selected.

4. Keep tabs on whether your agency and the other adoption agencies practicing in the countries you have chosen, are abiding by the rules.

5. Be aware of the role that foreign fees and foreign orphanage donations play in incentivizing the corrupt sourcing of children for adoption.

6. Hold non-profits and others accountable for how money is spent in the sending countries.

7. Encourage agencies to carefully vet and then hold their own foreign partners responsible for their actions.

8. Join online groups like Adoption_Agency_Research and learn and participate.

9. Find ways to make a difference in terms of the root causes of the "need" for adoption.

10. Educate yourself on the adoption related laws and regulations of your own country.

11. Research the adoption practices of other receiving countries as a way of understanding your own country's practices. In what ways do other receiving countries "do it better" or worse?

12. Educate yourself on the international documents that are applicable to international adoption.



13. During adoption crises, avoid the temptation to work against investigations, enforcement, and reforms.

14. Work to mature the way adoption is understood in our society.



15. Speak up.



16. Speak to prospective adoptive parent formally and informally to help them understand adoption from other perspectives, to help them understand adoption corruption, and to help them find ethical agencies.

17. Tell, and encourage others to tell, the "bad" adoption stories. Read the bad adoption stories yourself.

18. Pool your resources and use your unique talents.



19. Work for legislative and executive remedies.