You get to change one thing in domestic adoption. What is it and why?

Question

There seems to be so many issues. I'm trying to figure out what needs to be changed first, otherwise it seems overwhelming to me.

Answer 1

Outlaw trolling for babies, which is openly advocated by the National Council for Adoption (NCFA).  The NCFA and their member agencies seek to "increase the number of infants available for adoption" and they say "infant adoption is ripe for growth."  This shows their true intentions, which is to increase the supply of infants for adoption.

They seek to achieve this growth through marketing campaigns which  use "positive adoption language" such as "birthmother = good mother" and other brainwashing techniques.  

Young, frightened mothers are the target of these baby brokers...beware!

Answer 2

Federalize the entire process.

Standardize the financial aspects.

Do not seal the records.

Have both nautral and adoptive parents' names on the birth certificates.

Answer 3

The return of equal access rights for adopted citizens in the 44 states that currently do not have this.  This would give them back the same right to their own birth records that non-adopted citizens can take for granted, thus eliminating discrimination by the state toward adopted persons.

Answer 4

The one thing I would change FIRST?  The Money!

Truly, there are *many* things I would change about domestic adoption, but the insane amount of money that adoption agencies (private, not charity-based) make and the amount of money adoption attorneys make...and all the ways that the crazy, money-driven system can lead to corruption...is why I would choose that first.

I've said it in another post, too.  No uninvolved third party should be involved in an adoption situation (and this is coming from a social worker -- me).  If it is absolutely necessary for a third party to be involved *for the child's sake*, they should NOT make money for being involved.

My position is *philosophically* against adoption.  It's not natural.  A few people who've read my words on that have also missed the fact that I realize *in practice* that, in an imperfect world, adoption will probably always be necessary.  When it is TRULY in the best interest of the child, I am for it.

Bottom line -- Nobody should make money from, because of, through, in, around...adoption.  That's what I would change.  Many good changes would flow naturally from that change, in my opinion.

Answer 5

Make it a crime to directly solicit expectant parents, by anyone.

Answer 6

No prebirth "hustling"(matching).  

Its just another way Paps put themselves between a mother and her decision. Paps and the agencies should not be anywhere near a mother until she has had sufficient time to bond and her hormones have leveled off so she can clearly access the "big picture". Its manipulative and unethical to interfere with that process. Paps should be ashamed of themselves for taking advantage of vulnerable girls.

Answer 7

OPEN RECORDS.

Answer 8

no prebirth matching. it sets up false expectations and can be coercive.

Answer 9

There are so many things I would change. No pre birth matching, no soliciting, standard practices across states ...

The biggest one for me is keeping agencies out of hospitals. Nothing should be signed until a woman is off medication and totally recovered from giving birth. Pushing papers in a woman's face just hours after she has gone through something so life changing and mind altering is just plain evil.

The revocation proccess needs to be regulated too. Agencies that make money off adoptions should not be in charge of handling the paperwork when parents revoek their consent to adoption. It leads to illegal and unethical practices. Some agencies have been know to just hide the paperwork or "forget" to turn it in until the revocation period has run out.

That was more than one but I ouldn't decide which was the most important.