Should adoption based on income or love? Whats your point of view?

Question

Society bases adoption on income as ONE of the first questions they ask when you want to adopt. But yet, those who can have children, can have as many as they want, and those that are very good at it, have a lot of kids, which increases the dependency on Health and Welfare. (note how many "free" birth control clinics out there for those who can't afford it) It bothers me that kids would be considered better off with no family, or people who have enough love for 100 children (as myself), that can't adopt, than to be placed in a family with love to give.... so what if the couple doesn't meet the income criteria, so does half the United States that can have as many as they want and don't meet the income criteria either. Health and Welfare funds go to the children in state custody, Health and Welfare funds go to families/homes in need. If all other questions they ask meet the criteria, why should income be the depending factor that denies it! Whats more important money or love?

Answer 1

Love is the most important thing for a child, no matter if adopted or not.  When we adopted our 2 children, income was really the least important thing to both our attorney and our children's birth mother--  the social worker did ask to see our income etc- by the way, it was not in the high bracket by any means, as a matter of fact on the low side.

Answer 2

I agree with Mojitabean;

Love trumps all !

Answer 3

In a perfect world, love.

In reality, BOTH.

Answer 4

In my opinion,Love...because there are all kinds of biological parents out there with their biological children without a GREAT income....look at me and my husband  Us and our 2 daughters and with me being pregnant for the 3rd time are living off of 1300 every two weeks and when you add it all together and take out bill money,diapers,gas,food,formula,etc...its not much at all! But also in that aspect a family should have some source of income whether it be a CEO of a huge company or working at Mcdonalds for minimum wage. An income is an income despite where it comes from. I do think the adopting family should have some sort of money coming in but I do not agree with the high standards that they are putting on these already stressed out couples tryin to adopt a baby.

Answer 5

I think it should be based on both.  You don't want to place a child in a home where they will have to sleep on the floor or share a bed because there is not enough room.  Or possibly a home where they will end up on Medicaid and food stamps and be a financial burden to society.  Yes people can do this with bio kids and I think it is crime.  I know food stamps and Medicaid  are there for people who need help. I have been on both myself but no for ever. Not even for a full year.  I don't think people should keep having bio kids and bring them into that type of situation and definitely  don't think people should adopt and purposely bring a child into that situation.  Love is important but you do need to factor in money into family planning

With all of the above said. I don think  adoption is way to expensive to complete. But like i stated i do think  money needs to be calculated into aproving adopted families

Answer 6

There should be one standard price for adoption , and it should be the same no matter the race of the baby and there should be a cap to it, so that it never goes above a certain amount. As long as someone can provide the basics food, shelter, clothing, pay their basic bills that is really all that is important.

Answer 7

Neither.  Adoption should be based entirely on the best interests of the child.  If the best interests of the child would be for that child to stay with his/her mother, then that is what should happen.  If the best interests of the child are adoption, then a family should be chosen for the child based on their ability and desire to meet that child's needs (which, of course, include love).

Answer 8

I think we should have more affordable prices on adoption.  If the government is willing to pay for abortions they should be willing to at least help out on adoptions!

Answer 9

Love, but you must prove that you can pay for the basics of raising children, too.

Answer 10

foster care adoption is nearly always very low cost or free.

Answer 11

When we adopted our Special Needs Siblings from the Foster Care system our Income only needed to be enough to make sure we could meet our bills and feed our children... Actually there wasn't really a certain Income we had to meet--but there was a credit check and the state wanted to make sure we could "afford" two more children.....

We could have met the income requirements for any method of adoption and didn't select Foster Children because of any income requirements... We never even checked into the other methods of adoption I wasn't actually aware they had a spcific income requirement--but, I suppose it would matter under some circumstance.....  

When we adopted it was very clear the state was way more concerned with the Quality of home and kind of love we would offer our children.... maybe just because we have an above average income?

Answer 12

It's not about how much you have, but what you do with it. If I were putting my child up for adoption, I would be much more willing to give the baby to a family who made a small amount of money a year, but had no debt, then to a family who made six figures, but had mountains of debt.

I know a family where the husband made $20,000. They had no debt and his wife was a stay at home mom. They just drove used cars, didn't have cable, and didn't have the fanciest home or clothes. They were as happy as happy can be. People like them should be just as qualified as anybody who makes a 6 figure salary.

Answer 13

I dont't think an anual income should be what is considered. It's how you live with what you have. It needs to be considere if there s a financial strain that can be stressful for the family and the child. Even millionairs can have financial stress and just because someone looks like they have it together when really they have mountains of debt.

Answer 14

Neither.

Adoption should be based on who has an appropriate and safe lifestyle, unconditional love, the skills with which to raise a happy child, stability of relationships, income, employment and living situation, and the ability to prioritize and meet the child's needs,

It isn't an either/or situation, because it takes both, among other things, to successfully parent a child.

But if you ask birth mothers who voluntarily relinquish a child for adoption, the NUMBER ONE requirement they ask of the adoptive parents is for them to be financially well off.  And sincef birth mothers usually choose their own adoptive family for their child, then it stands to reason that most adoptive parents are middle income and above.

Answer 15

I didn't even read the rest of your question... the answer is obvious: Love

Answer 16

Income shouldn't be the basis for adoption.  It certainly wasn't in our case.  I think that's a misconception.  I mean if you choose to go with private adoption it is very expensive, so money is certainly a factor.  Money is also a factor in trying to get pregnant when you have fertility problems.  But, money should not be a reason for adoption.

Answer 17

Love and the ability and desire to parent are the number one criteria required to adopt. It's not the amount of income that matters. Only proof that you have a steady income (a job) to support and raise a family. If PAPs choose adopting other than foster care then obviously more money is required to pay for counseling and legal services needed to complete the process.

Answer 18

My first reaction is LOVE because adoption should be about the child and what is best for the child.  However, I do understand where income needs to be a factor in determining a suitable family for a child.  Many of the fees associated with adoption are to insure that the child is being placed into a safe environment (for example, background checks, fingerprints, home visits, etc.).  So I can see why income is considered a factor.  Should it be the only factor or the primary factor?  Absolutely not.  But are there a few things that should be considered?  Yes, in my opinion, to insure that the children are being placed in stable & safe permanent loving homes.

Answer 19

Income is part of it becaue you have to prove you can raise said child.  Love is not all that is required to parent.  To parent you have to have skills and abilities, these are not engrained but either natural or learned but especiallyh adopting older children love doesn't conquor all.  In fact sometimes you need income and love, and then the skills and support to back it up.

Answer 20

society in every country in the world, is based on money. Adoption should be done with love. My opinion

Answer 21

Honestly, both should be taken into consideration.

If raising a child was based on love alone, most women would not put their babies up for adoption.  I know I wouldn't be doing it.

But frankly, children are very expensive and therefore a person should have the financial means of taking care of them.  I don't think love is an issue most of the time. Don't get me wrong, it should be taken into consideration, but the fact that a couple is out there wanting a child and doing what they can to adopt shows they have that love.

Some adoptions are ridiculously expensive though.  Many agencies make out like bandits!