Burlington United Methodist Family Services exists to help people explore adoption-related options. They also help people understand exactly how the adoption process works.

"Many prospective adoptive parents fear having the biological parents change their minds at the last minute. 'That's not as common as people believe,' Brown said. 'The biological parents have 72 hours after a baby is born. After that, they can't change their minds...'"

Other common myths that Burlington tries to address are the beliefs that adoption is too complicated and that it's too expensive. Read more at Register-Herald.com.

Labels: options, myths

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Last Sunday, an adoption organization in Virginia - ValleyAdopt - sponsored a celebration honoring the Chinese New Year. The event was attended by families who have adopted, or are adopting, children from outside the United States.

"Part reunion and part support, the event is the largest of several that the group holds each year, chances for parents to get together, share stories and enjoy their children. For the kids, it's also an opportunity to interact with people who look like them - and who don't ask the awkward questions that the outside world sometimes does."

ValleyAdopt was started about seven years ago, as a support to adoptive families. The group now includes nearly 100 members who stay in touch throughout the year via the Internet. Read more at NewsLeader.com.

Labels: international, communication, support

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Homecoming Adoption, Inc, an adoption agency run by attorneys in Orlando, Florida, is under investigation by the Department of Children and Family Services. The agency has had several complaints filed against it in the last three years, and some of the couples who filed them are speaking out publicly, in hopes of warning other potential adoptive families.

"'We are not sure where our money (has gone) and how much of it has been used,' David Daynes said. 'When we call the agency and say we want to find out when you paid the people in Guatemala and how much you paid them, they don't answer our questions.'"

Attorney Shane DeBoar of the DCF says the company has been playing a "shell game" to try and avoid investigation. In 2006, Homecoming Adoptions had its adoption license revoked. Read more at Local6.com.

Labels: awareness, agencies, legitimacy

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"Juno," the warm-hearted comedy about a pregnant teenager who chooses to place her child for adoption, is receiving less-than-warm responses from people in the adoption community. Their primary concern is that movie implies adoption is an easy, only mildly sad decision for the biological mother.

"'[Juno] gives the impression that one can hand a baby off to strangers, have a few tears at the time the baby is born, and then the next day get on with your life as if nothing happened. That is of great, great concern to me,' says Mirah Riben, a board member at Origins-USA, a national organization for birth mothers, or women who place their children for adoption."

Though biological mothers admit that the movie has positive points, they almost unanimously agreed that it oversimplifies the very difficult and often painful process of choosing an adoptive family for your baby. Read more at Sun-Sentinel.com.

Labels: awareness, media

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As a refugee from Myanmar, Kate recalls what it was like when soldiers forced their way into her grandmother's home. Though she was able to flee to a friend's house, her grandmother didn't make it. Now, at age 16, Kate has found a safe, permanent home with a couple from San Jose, California.

"Kate is one of a trickle of refugee orphans finding homes with Bay Area families through a special program of Catholic Charities, one of two agencies that contracts with the U.N. High Commissioner on Refugees to place the children... If an adoption always includes risk and reward, these adoptions offer a double dose of both."

Orphaned refugee children face unique challenges when adopted out of their horrific circumstances. Not only is language an issue, but many of these children dropped out of school at an early age or never attended school at all. But many adoptive parents are willing to face those challenges and give these kids a future they could never have hoped for in their native countries. Read more at ContraCostaTimes.com.

Labels: refugees, challenges, trauma

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It's a commonly-known fact that the healthiest "food" for an infant in breast milk. It's also well-known that breastfeeding can help create a special bond between mother and child. What is less commonly known is that breastfeeding is possible between a mother and her adopted infant.

"It is not only possible, it is fairly easy and the chances are you will produce a significant amount of milk. It is not complicated, but it is different than breastfeeding a baby with whom you have been pregnant for 9 months."

An adoptive mother may not be able to produce all the milk her baby needs, but she can produce enough to enable her and her baby to enjoy the experience of breastfeeding. Read more at Adopting.org.

Labels: bonding, adoptive_mother, breastfeeding

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At the end of the month, the United States will enter into an agreement known as the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. It's an agreement between 70 countries that will regulate the adoption processes between them.

"The regulations also try to ensure adopted children are not exploited. It's a process [Jamie] Chmielewski says will give comfort to parents like [Stefanie] Leist who is now looking to adopt her fourth child from China... With the regulations ensuring consistency, Chmielewski says she expects the numbers of people adopting from countries like China to only grow from here."

The Hague Convention requires all participating countries to give accreditation to adoption agencies that assist in international adoptions. Requirements for the accreditation are spelled out in the Convention. Read more at 13MAZ.com.

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Labels: agencies, inter-country_adoption, rules

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A family, who recently completed the adoption process and returned from the Ukraine with a new addition to their family, has created a blog where they bust some of the myths about adoption in general and, more specifically, about adoption in the Ukraine.

"Despite reading and talking with others about the adoption process, I still did not understand correctly about the wait after the court hearing... Once the paperwork is submitted to the judge, a court date will be set (likely for 10 days past submission)... The judge makes a ruling on the court date, but the child will not be allowed to leave the orphanage for another 10 days... "

The family also offers insight into the country's culture, the environment in the orphanages they visited, and the conditions of the hotels in which they stayed. Read more at TravelPod.com

Labels: cultures, myths, European

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Much has been reported recently about Dutch diplomat Raymond Poeteray and his wife, who have relinquished their parental rights for a daughter whom they adopted from Hong Kong six years ago. The couple sited the girl's emotional problems and inability to adapt to Dutch culture as reasons for their decision.

"After six years of raising a child, this is like giving away your own flesh and blood. Should there be a no-return policy on adoptions?... When parents no longer want a child, there is no good way to handle the situation."

The author of this opinion piece in a New Brunswick paper uses the Poeterays situation to remind others how serious the decision is to adopt. It's not something that should be entered into lightly, because significant damaged can be caused to the child if things don't work out. Read more at DailyTargum.com

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Labels: parental_rights, responsibilities, risks

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Mark Lloyd-Selby is a senior social work practitioner who offers a personal perspective on how adoption cases are handled in the United Kingdom. His letter is written in response to an article by Kate Hilpern title Unfit to be a Mother, in which she questions the adoption system.

"Within Hilpern's article Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming presents the results [of new adoption performance indicators] as being rather different from the intention: 'What you wind up with is social workers under pressure to achieve targets.'... Neither my colleagues nor myself are aware of the targets Hemming refers to."

Selby goes on to assure readers that social workers can't be "steamrollered" into supporting an adoption. Read more at Guardian.co.uk.

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Labels: childrens_rights, adoption_rights, social_workers

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The European Court of Human Rights has condemned France for discriminating against a lesbian teacher who wanted to adopt a child. Her adoption request was denied.

"[Caroline] Mercary said the ruling effectively prohibits France from refusing adoption requests on sexual orientation grounds."

The court's ruling also granted the woman about $35,000 in damages and court costs. France has denied that her sexual orientation played a part in their initial decision. Read more at English.People.com.

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Labels: international, court, descrimination

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A new study is being conducted through the Sociology Department at Brigham Young University to research the experiences of families who adopt children of a different race. By studying their experiences, the research team hopes to develop recommendations for helping (in particular) white parents who adopt black babies.

"[Dr. Cardell] Jacobson has found that parents who research black culture and history may be better equipped to help socialize their black children. According to Jacobson, one of the main questions that parents considering interracial adoption should consider is whether or not they have the skills as a white parent to help their child deal with racism."

Jacobson also suggests that parents considering interracial adoption find an adoption agency that works to educate parents on the unique issues that interracial families can face. Those interested in participating in the study can go to www.racialadoptionstudy.com.

Labels: cultures, interracial, studies

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