So... If you could change just one thing about adoption as it is practiced in the US, what would it be?

Question

No " abolish adoption completely" answers allowed. There are situations in which adoption is completely appropriate.

You can have the power to change JUST ONE thing, either for first families, for children, for the adults they become, or for the parents raising adopted children.

Answer 1

Cost... I just know SOOO many loving families who could give some children a wonderful life but are unable to because of cost...

Answer 2

I would make it easier to adopt the "homegrowns" as it was put in an earlier post.  After trying to 3 domestic adoptions and us not getting a baby...the heartache was horrible and all of the lies and deceit that we found in some of the US adoptions we then turned to International adoption and it was a God send for us.  I would also change the costs to adopt...we would love to have several more but due to the cost we are so thankful for the 2 children that are ours!!!  They are the loves of our lives!!!

Answer 3

I would make all evil and abusive foster care people get beat by all the foster care kids they hurt..

Answer 4

really good question....

i've been thinking about this answer for a long time.

I think if I could only choose one thing, because thats really hard for me being that theres so much wrong with it. I would choose to focus on the United States ( my home country ) and remove the private agencies and lawyers out of the mix. ( like australias system ) beucase I think that would take a large percentage of the financial incentive behind placing children into adoptive homes that the agencies have, as well as remove the NCFA and their financial motives which ultimately would bring adoption back to focusing on the potential adoptee and would cause a dominoe effect to restoring our access to our records in the long run.

if that even made sense.

Answer 5

Wow - great question!  I had my answer all ready until I was bowled over by Gershom's answer.  I shall struggle feebly.

Counseling and legal representation for expectant parents must NOT be done by the same people whose paycheck depends on placement of the child.  It should be criminal for agency social workers and lawyers to represent both the adoptive family (who is paying them) and the expectant parents.

And don't get me started on the coercion potential in pre-birth "matching" - not to mention the "ick" factor of adoptive parents in the delivery room - and the ...  (okay I cheated).

Answer 6

I agree with Bill l.  To have the medical history on the birth parents

Answer 7

i would have the parents the man and the woman whatever fill out a detailed form that tells all about the medical history of the family's  that is about it.