International Adoption: A Case Study

Cross-cultural adoption is positive and serves children’s best interest especially when faced with state sponsored care (Policy Statement, 2008). There is research indicating that those raised within state sponsored care are more likely to have negative self-image, behavior, emotional, and physical maladaptation (Policy Statement, 2008). Between the ages of 3 and 7 children are more likely to notice emotional responses associated with racial groups and evaluate what that means to them (Baxter, 2017, para. 5). If there is no dialogue regarding race, children will be confused on how to express their feelings towards race or they may be too preoccupied with racial categories and develop anxiety (Baxter, 2017, para. 5).

Question #1: As noted in the reading, Marcovitch et al. (1997) found relatively low rates of secure attachment among children adopted from Romanian orphanages and their adoptive mothers. Specifically, they found that 30% of the adopted children were securely attached, compared to 42% of a comparison sample of biologically related (raised at home) mother−child pairs. [Full reference: Marcovitch, S. G., Gold, A., Washington, J., Wasson, C., Krekewich, K., & Handley-Derry, M. (1997). Determinants of behavioral problems in Romanian children adopted in Ontario. International Journal of

Around the age of two to six activity, nonstop questions, and fears. Throughout adolescents’ lifetime they will experience separation and identity formation. Finally, at adolescence the questions will come, who am I and where am I going. The hope of the research on this topic is to better understand the stages and effects of attachment in adopted children and the need to develop better solutions to each stage and effect. Do you think that the age of a child at the time of adoption affects their ability to bond? Do male children attach easier to the caregiver than female children? Does culture have an effect on a child’s ability to bond? Does a child of a particularly race have a more difficult time bonding with parents of a race other than there own? By examining this particular topic of Attachment in Adopt Children it will hopefully open up a better understand of some of the particular disorders and stages the children at any age during and after adoption go though. It will help caregivers and family have a better in site as to what the child might be going

Millions of children are living without parents around the world and they need help. Over 153 million youths around the world are without one or both parents, and 7 million of them are in institutional care (qtd. in “Children’s Statistics”). Worldwide, minors are suffering from living without a family and a stable relief system. International adoption, although often in the limelight, is on a slight decline and domestic adoption is increasing. Despite the fact that the percentage of people considering any form of adoption has decreased from 2007 to 2013, the percentage of foster care adoptions has experienced more growth than international and private adoptions (“BAAF Adoption

Adoptive Families are special; they have a desire to grow their families by reaching out to children that need homes. These families face many unique challenges, but also receive many rewards, associated with the decision to adopt. These challenges continue for many families, through the process of adoption, legal finalization, and for many years post-adoption. The challenges are different in many ways from those faced by biological parents. Adoptive parents not only face the normal challenges faced from raising a child, but also the psychological issues of the child/ren adopted. Some children placed for adoption have social, psychological, or physical problems that many adoptive families may not be able to address. Previous research has shown an association between post adoption services and successful adoptive placements. “Post adoption services often respond to the effects that separation, loss, and trauma can have on children and youth who have been adopted. They can facilitate adjustment processes; promote child, youth, and family well-being; and support family preservation” (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2012). It is because of these issues, and many others, that placement agency must consider when providing wrap around services for families.

When looking at adoption there is a large variety of studies that can be done with adoptive children and their development. How does the child attach to his or her adoptive parents? How does the child view themselves in regards to a family unit when siblings are involved? How do the parents view the child’s placement in the family after a certain period of time has passed? All of these variables can be observed in study after study. But for sake of this paper, we are going to take a look at what researchers found in Romanian orphanages and how these children connected and attached with their adoptive mothers and parents. We will also look at a study

P: Rutter et al also conducted an experiment into privation. A group of about 100 Romanian orphans were studied and assessed at the ages of 4, 6 and 11 years old. They were adopted by British families and showed normal emotional development; however after 6 months many of them showed disinhibited attachment (where infants can show overfriendliness and don’t discriminate between who they choose as attachment figures) and problems with peers. This supports Bowlby’s theory, because of the lack of a primary attachment figure and its effect on later relationships and attachments. However, when compared to an entire population its difficult to generalise these results and apply them as a general trend.

The adoptive family may ignore or make little effort to incorporate into the family the cultural heritage of the adopted child (Adamec,136). This decision to leave the culture behind, outside the family, does not suggest that the child is neither accepted nor loved or cherished as their own. However, when the adoptive family also adopts and embraces the cultural identity of the child's birth culture, it enriches not only the adopted child but also the entire family and extended family as well. Another factor is attachment is the child’s age when they were adopted. The older the child when adopted, the risk of social maladjustment was found to be higher (Simon, 188). Most children when adopted at younger ages have a better chance to adjustment normally, than children adopted over the age of ten. An infant learns to trust quicker, than a ten-year old child does, but all of this depends on each case. Developmental theorist Eric Erikson, discusses trust issues in his theory of development. Erikson's first stage of development is “Trust versus Mistrust”, which states “if needs are dependably met, infants develop a sense of basic trust” (Myers, 149). For an adopted child, placing the child early in a key ingredient to successful attachment of child to parent and vice versa (Cox, 1). Such an attachment, which is strong among the majority of families throughout the paper, is an important

There is no place in the world that is without children who are in need of assistance, whether they be adoption or not. In China any child that is abandoned or lost is considered an orphan (Andrew 124). In Russia nearly every mentally or physically handicapped child is sent to “baby homes”, an orphanage for newborns to three year olds (Characteristics of Children). In Guatemala political, social, and economical forces have prevented many biological parents to care for their children (Yemm). Everywhere the predicament of children, who have no control over their own lives, has been brought to many figures of authority to plead their cause. The United States has a particularly strong bond with China, when it comes to adoption. This is because

Another article explored discussed studies on openness in child welfare adoption. A longitudinal study that was conducted examined the contact between adoptive and biological families in 231 foster care adoptions. Studies found that 44% of adoptive parents reported some form of communication with the child’s biological family within the first phase. By the second and third phases, such communication between the child’s biological families decreased. Results

The birth of a girl has never been a cause for celebration in China, and

The necessity of adoption in the world is astounding. Currently, there is an estimated 143 million orphans worldwide (Wingert, vol.151). As of 2007, there were 513,000 children living in foster care within the United States alone (Rousseau 21:14). International adoption in the United States was jumpstarted post World War II as a way of helping those children who were left homeless, after war had taken their parents. Although there are thousands of healthy children awaiting adoption in the United States, several American couples still turn to foreign adoption when seeking potential children. Americans often fail to realize the need for intervention within their own country and their duty to take care of domestic affairs before venturing to

This reseach report was based off three studies dealing with adoptees and their families; both biolgical and adoption. The object of the study was to see how participant’s developmental effects and adoption experiences from childhood to starting adulthood are connected with sibling relationship dynamics. They expected that the results would indicate that the changes to starting adults may relate to the changes in birth family contact from some adopted siblings. Each of the studies had a different hypothesis based on their study, study one hypothesized that there would be a decrease in adoptee’s contact with birth family as the adoptee got older. Study two, hypothesized that the target adopteess would be benefited when their siblings participated in

Since 1776, the United States of America has had a growing problem with orphans and childhood adoption. Orphanages become overpopulated while foster homes shelter up to 3 children on average. The foster care system has been viewed as positive reinforcement for American homes; yet the point of fostering children is consistently overlooked. Adoption is necessary for orphans, foster children, or children in abusive homes. The act of adopting a child comes with positive benefits and fiscal responsibility, such as government assistance and wiser spending. Children obtain a healthy childhood with a familiar sense of belonging. The drawback of this is the long governmental process of petitioning for adoption. Seeking the birthparents, if they are alive, retrieving consent, being fiscally responsible, and having a safe environment for the child to grow up in are all responsibilities to look forward to when adopting a child. The adoption rate in the United States of America needs to increase dramatically, as there are social benefits, mental health improvements, and economical advantages for families who adopt.

The necessity of adoption in the world is astounding. Currently, there is an estimated 143 million orphans worldwide (Wingert, vol.151). As of 2007, there were 513,000 children living in foster care within the United States alone (Rousseau 21:14).International adoption in the United States was jumpstarted post World War II as a way of helping those children who were left homeless, after war had taken their parents. Although there are thousands of healthy children awaiting adoption in the United States, several American couples still turn to foreign adoption when seeking potential children. Americans often fail to realize the need for intervention within their own country and their duty to take care of domestic