Adoption boundaries have steadily extended since the World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War, where many children became orphans. As a response to them winners, especially Americans, started to adopt children from the war-torn countries (Wilkinson 1995, 174). Thus, it was a start point for international adoption. Intercountry (international or transnational) adoption is defined as adoption, where child is removed to the adoptees’ country. In recent times motives to adopt internationally are explained as charity of wealthier and more developed nations, a wish to help countries, which are fighting with economic problems, and also insufficient numbers of babies within the country. The rate of international adoption increased dramatically, rising more concerns about its ethics. While some people see international adoption as a positive intervention, which provides good opportunities to parentless children and to adoptive parents as well, other people see it as child trafficking, supporting this fact by evidences of child exploitation and abusing for sexual motives. Some countries, such as Romania, Vietnam, and Kazakhstan, started closing boundaries for international adoption for unknown time period. (Reference)So, the aim of this essay is to examine if international adoption is a positive intervention or not. Firstly, arguments for intercountry adoption will be presented. Then, the essay will progress to the presentation of the arguments against international adoption. Finally, it will attempt to evaluate arguments critically, and find if international adoption is good or bad intervention. It will be argued that considering child’s interests in the first place international adoption has more positive than negative effects.
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UNAIDS, 2002. Children on the Brink: A Joint Report on Orphan Estimates and Program Strategies. http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNACP860.pdf (accessed April 20, 2011 )
UNICEF's position on Inter-country adoption. n.d. http://www.unicef.org/media/media_41118.html (accessed April 21, 2011)
Wardle, L.N., Bruce, C. and J. R. Clark. 2008. The Hague Convention on intercountry adoption and American implementing law: implications for international adoptions by gay and lesbian couples or partners. IND. INT’L & COMP. L. REV. 18(1): 115-126. EBSCO host databases. http://search.ebscohost.com (accessed February 10, 2011)
Wilkinson, H.S. 1995. Psychological process and issues in international adoption. The American Journal of Family Therapy 23(2): 173-183. EBSCO host databases. http://search.ebscohost.com (accessed February 10, 2011)
The author argues that since the passage of the Adoption and Safe Family Act of 1997, adoption rates have increased and adoption has been promoted as the “normative ideal”.
Adoption is a process where by a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the biological parent or parents. Unlike guardianship or other systems designed for the care of the young, adoption is intended to effect a permanent change in status and as such requires societal recognition, either through legal or religious sanction. Adoption has changed considerably over the centuries with its focus shifting from adult adoption and inheritance issues toward children and family creation; its structure moving from recognition of continuity between the adopted and kin toward allowing relationships of lessened intensity. In modern times, adoption is a primary vehicle serving the needs of homeless, neglected, abused and runaway children (Wikipedia, “Adoption”).
Adoption is in place to balance, to nurture and create a structural environment of safety in which the child can thrive and develop into a productive individual contributing to society. Also, it allows older children to abandon old maladaptive behaviors and make their first steps toward the construction of new behaviors influenced by their new environment. In years past, parents who adopted a child as an infant often debated whether to tell him or her about the adoption. Many children grew up not knowing they were adopted, and the birth mother’s identity was kept secret from those who did know (Ashford, LeCroy and Lortie 249). This paper provides facts on widely acceptance option of open adoption rather than the traditional practice of closed adoption. Adoption separates real biological family members, removing the adopter heritage whether the adoption is open or closed. Open adoption can lead to problems, but there are proven facts that open adoption is the best option for all parties working together in the best interest of the children.
Foster Care System and Adoptions can be very beneficial to children, but it can also be a huge risk. It is very beneficial needed in the community; otherwise where would some children be? Although it’s also huge risk because it’s taking someone’s child away and one may never know how the biological parent may react. However, the beneficial portion outweighs the risk portion.
Wegar, K. (1995). Adoption and Mental Health: A Theoretical Critique of the Psychopathological Model. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 65(4), 540-548.
The topic of child welfare is quite a broad one. There are numerous programs and policies that have been put in place to protect children. One of these policies is that of Adoption. Adoption was put into place to provide alternate care for children who cannot live with their biological families for various reasons. One of the more controversial issues surrounding adoption is that of Transracial adoption. Transracial Adoption is the joining of racially different parents and children (Silverman, 1993).
Poverty is a cause of adoption of children today. Some of the people in the vast population of developing countries are languishing in poverty. The gap between the poor and the rich is widening with time and this has led to increase in poverty levels in various parts of the world. This is where Canadian individuals, unable to have children of their own, or wanting to make a difference in a child’s life become parents and saviors.
According to American academy and adolescent psychiatry, about 120,000 children are adopted in the United States alone. That is a lot of children that need to find a new home to stay in. Not only do adoptions affect the child after they are adopted, no matter the age; but adoption also affects the parents giving their child up for adoption. There are many types of adoptions. Along with that, there are many reasons for giving the child up for adoption. There are three main perspectives that I will be talking about. One function would be the structural functionalism. How society cooperates. The second would be the conflict perspective. The third would be symbolic interactionism approach. There are many different aspects of adoption, making it
Politics and laws are one of the biggest factors keeping gay and lesbian couples from adopting children. This is to discourage or prevent gay and lesbians from even trying to adopt. It has been proven that m...
Adoption is the complete and permanent transfer of parental rights and obligations, usually from one set of legal parents to adoptive parents(Ademec 27). Not until the late 19th century did the U.S. legislative body grant legal status to adoptive parents. This is when children and parents started to gain rights and support from the government. Through the years new laws have been passed and amended to keep the system fair to all adoptive parents. In 1994, Congress passed the Multiethnic Placement Act, making it illegal to delay the placement a child to find a racially matching family. In 1996 the Multiethnic Placement Act was amended to say, “One can not use race as a routine consideration in child placement”(Lewin sec.A). Before 1994, it was difficult to place a black child with white adopters. Last year 5,000 children were adopted from Europe, and 6,000 from Asia, while 183 came from Africa.(Lewin sec. A). The number of out-of-country adoptions are so high because of the requirements and regulations one must follow in the U.S. The requirements include being 21, and include being committed and loving. The home income must be adequate enough to support the family. Passing all of the medical exams and filling out the personal information is mandatory. But the main reason people adopt from overseas is because it is much quicker. A person can adopt a child from another country in a matter of months. In the U.S. the wait can exceed 5 years, which is why some people choose international adoption.
Many countries experience different forms, and different people experience it in different ways. For example, a phrase referred to as “birth mother trafficking,” by Taylor Brown of University or North Carolina and Jini Roby of Birmingham Young University, happens very frequently (71). Chad Turner shares an account of birth mother trafficking in Samoa, where mothers were approached in a market place and were convinced to give away their children to the American adoption agency, Focus on Children (97). Along with the other forms of emotional tacticss used by adoption agencies to get children, they scare their victims into abiding by their wishes. This is why children hesitate to tell their adoptive parents what actually happened to them, or biological parents are reluctant to fight for their children back. The fear tactics used are damaging to all parties involved. Anti-adoption groups exist in many of these countries, and were once viewed as the “bad guys” by those trying to adopt. Looking further into their views, they oppose the evil practices and trafficking involved in intercountry adoption. Adoption agencies are a huge market in third world countries, and they have tremendous power and
Many people grow up in loving families and cannot imagine not having their parents and siblings around, but each year, 18,000 or more American born babies are put up for adoption (Newlin Carney). That means at least 18,000 children face the harsh truth of maybe not having a family to grow up in. Childhood is a very important part of one’s life and helps shape who one is. These children that are eligible to be adopted just need loving parents, good homes, and stability. And who is to say the high price of adopting is not ho...
In recent years, same-sex relationships have become more encompassing in US society. State legislation is changing such as accepting gay marriages, enforcing anti-discrimination laws, and legal gay adoptions; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is becoming public. Gay-headed families, like heterosexuals, are diverse and varying in different forms. Whether a created family is from previous heterosexual relationships, artificial insemination, or adoption, it deserves the same legal rights heterosexual families enjoy. Full adoption rights needs to be legalized in all states to provide a stable family life for children because sexual orientation does not determine parenting skills, children placed with homosexual parents have better well-being than those in foster care, and there are thousands of children waiting for good homes.
Voight, Kevin. “international adoption: saving orphans or child trafficking”. Cnn news. 18 September 2013. Web. 24 march 2014. www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/world/international-adoption-saving-orphans-trafficking/.
Homosexuality is becoming more and more accepted and integrated into today’s society, however, when it comes to homosexuals establishing families, a problem is posed. In most states, homosexuals can adopt children like any other married or single adult. There are many arguments to this controversial topic; some people believe that it should be legal nationally, while others would prefer that is was banned everywhere, or at least in their individual states. There are logical reasons to allow gays to adopt children, but for some, these reasons are not enough. The main issue really is, what is in the best interest of the child? This type of problem isn’t really one with causes, effects, and solutions, but one with pros and cons. Like any other adoption situation, a parent prove themselves to be responsible and capable enough to raise a child on their own, or with a spouse.