International Adoption
We’ve all heard of the once famous power couple, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. They are well Known for having a big family because of international adoption. They’ve adopted three of their kids from places like cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam. However, international adoption has been a controversial issue in which many people argue if it should be banned. Each year more than 40,000 children had been adopted all across the globe (Londen et al. 2007). On the other hand, many want to prevent children from a transition of devastation to hope, and security. They forget that these children are in shelters or the streets, more prone to abuse and neglect. It is important to bring importance to this issue because international
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Shelters in poor countries, do not provide what is needed for a child, and they don’t receive the most possible care or health (McCreery et. al 2009). In a recent study it demonstrates , “Almost half (49%) of all guatemalan children suffer chronic malnutrition, the second highest in the world” (McCreery et. al 2009). Furthermore, it is apparent that Guatemala can’t afford enough food for children, and they are better off being adopted where they will get the best care. Since, the diets that children receive are barely enough for them to grow healthy and strong, they will suffer in the long run with higher risks of getting sick. However, this can be prevented with the use of intercountry adoption, where it is highly more likely the adopted parents can provide them their physiological needs. In addition, “ Private shelters do not adhere to internationally-recognized standards and 50% do not have qualified staff to meet the needs of children in their care” (McCreery et. al 2009). Likewise, it is evident that children are better taken care of when adopted because their well being is put at a higher priority. Since, Guatemala shelters are scarce in money and aren't able to pay off their employees, it will result in little supervision and lack of resources for the children. In general, children in shelters are not receiving the accustomed treatment and health benefits by their providers. Moreover, children in poor countries are being faced with issues dealing with lack of money:
Many are living in institutions, and many on the streets, and almost all these children will either die in these situations, or if they survive, will emerge into adulthood so damaged by their childhood experience, and so deprived of parenting, educational and other essential childhood opportunities,that they will be unable to function in the worlds of family and work (Bartholet
One boy and one girl were adopted from a country with thousands of kids orphaned due to over 30 years of conflict (“Afghanistan”, “Ali Muhammad”). This may be because of the strictness as to who may adopt children in Afghanistan. There aren’t any age, residency, or marriage requirements for adopting a child in Afghanistan. Potential parents must be able to demonstrate a sufficient resources to raise and educate a child. Non-muslims are not allowed to adopt muslim children and potential parents must demonstrate to the child’s family in Afghanistan that they intend to raise the child with Islamic traditions and norms. Potential parents may be rejected if they have been convicted of crimes against public morality or chastity, have a bad reputation, do not have a legitimate income, have previously lost custody of the child, have been denied custody by the father or paternal grandfather of the child, or if they have any judicial
This is because children that are being adopted spend time in an institution while waiting to be adopted. These institutions do not always attend to a child’s intellectual development, physical health, emotional well-being and basic needs such as food, water, shelter and clothing (Reed & Walker, n.d.). This then leads to the cognitive delays, behavioral problems, emotional detachment, and poor health problems listed above. Children might have cognitive delays such as language development because the children most likely did not have consistent caregivers who could give one on one attention to the child ("International Adoptions," n.d.). Many children that are in these institutions exhibit problems such as behavioral problems because they could have had many different care takers, high child to caretaker ratios, or a lack of response from a caregiver ("Behavior Problems in Children," n.d.). Along with cognitive delays and behavior problems, children are commonly emotionally detached because of the lack of caregivers and the amount of attention each child gets from the caregiver. A last reason how international adoption can jeopardize children is the health problems children can have. Children that are kept in institutions while they are waiting to be adopted could have poor health because some
When an individual or family decides to adopt children or a child through intercountry adoption the individuals/ families must make certain that they are following all rules and guidelines set forth by the HCIA if applicable, to the country in which the individual or family is adopting. It is equally important for the adopting country to make certain that the child is being adopted for the right reasons, however it is something that it hard to gauge as a Social Work or adoption agency. Globally Social Worker has a vast set of responsibilities as practitioners of social justice. Intercountry adoption is just one sector in which Social Workers play a vital role, in the field of Social Work this is why aiding in developing policies are so important.
Thus, one can conclude that this can be a terrifying prospect for would-be-parents to contemplate, and adoptive parents who wish to reduce this possibility may prefer international adoption or may otherwise work only to identify candidate children who have already been placed in an orphanage or foster program. In addition, some adoptive parents find that international restrictions on who may adopt (with regard to age, finances, etc.) may be less severe, making it more likely their
Watching my best-friends family waiting for 2 ½ years for their amazing little boy to be brought home from Africa was one of the hardest things things I have ever done. Imagine being a kid waiting for someone to finally adopt you and love you for you; feeling worthless and unwanted. Thousands and thousands of children everyday feel like that and not many people can do anything about it.
Over 400,000 American children are in foster car as of 2012 and the numbers grow everyday. Adopting through foster care is a less expensive and extremely helpful way of adopting kids in line with Susan Johnston’s report on adoption through foster care. There are in fact kids all over the world who are in need of a new start. In and article form the Harvard Political it is states, “Meanwhile, some estimate the number of Chinese orphans to be almost one million as of 2014”(Young). The growing population of orphans around the world had led to the need of institutionalization. The Journal written By Robert be McCall illustrates the many different ways in which Institutionalization early on in life can affect a child mental and physical state and development. These kinds of conditions add to the fact that the amount it costs to adopt makes it difficult to help those children who do not deserve to be stuck in a warzone, unqualified institution or in foster care for the rest of they childhood.
International adoption rates have increased dramatically since 1971, with 330,000 children being adopted from countries outside of the United States (US Department of State, 2005). With this increase in adoptions, there has also been an increase in the diversity of American families. Children are being adopted from 100 different countries, specifically China, Russia, South Korea, and Guatemala (US Department of State, 2005), so the face of the all-American family is beginning to shift. Researchers have since begun analyzing the parenting styles of these adoptive parents and inquired how color-blindness and social culturization effects the well-being of the adoptees.
In most cases these children end up dying from diseases that are cheap and simple to prevent, and are increasingly orphaned by AIDS or chased to the streets by overburdened relations. Even in the best of conditions, they may be forcibly weaned and rejected by their mothers, who need to ration their own caloric and energy needs, especially if they are pregnant again. In contrast, once the Euroamerican child is “past the gauntlet of birth trauma, illness and deliberate termination” he is pampered and showered with love by its kins throughout his or her life. As they develop, they are segregated and protected from adult society or work until they become
My sister Katie feels like she “doesn’t belong” with my family. As kids, we used to play dress up with one another and Katie would always ask my mom to make her have blonde hair just as I did. My mom would then put a yellow towel on her head so that she could pretend she did. As a child I could not understand why Katie would want to do such a silly thing to try and look as I did. In my eyes we were both the same and nothing else mattered. As we got older, it became more apparent to me how different we really were. I am Caucasian and she is Native American. I have blonde hair and blue eyes while she has black hair and brown eyes. Not only did we look very different but our personalities differed as well. Katie was always much more fussy
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
In the last four decades, the concept of the American family has undergone a radical transformation, reflecting society¡¯s growing openness. Among all segments of society, there is a greater acceptance of a variety of family structures ¨C from single parenting to blended families to same sex parenting of children. The introduction of openness into the process of adoption offers new opportunities for children in need of a parent or parents and prospective parents wishing to create or expand their families. Meeting the requirements to become eligible to adopt no longer means being constrained by the conventions of an earlier generation.
International adoption is the process of adopting a child from one country to come live in another (1). This process is generally very expensive and there are many legal snags. The monetary drain usually scares away most prospectors, but if it doesn’t, then the religious beliefs in regions like the Middle East can still skew a plan (1)/(3). Last, even if the adopter gets through those issues, they may hurt the orphan, as family members or close friends could still have guardianship of the child (2). This builds on the fact that adopting a child out of their home country during a crisis isn’t the healthiest for them (3).All in all, this process is generally
Adoption is metamorphosing into a radical new process that is both sweeping the nation and changing it. But this process is not an easy one, there are many steps to go through. Through research it is made a lot easier. Adoption is a also a highly visible example of a social institution that has benefits from and been reshaped by both the Internet and the exponential growth of alternative lifestyles, from single to transracial to gay. It is accelerating our transformation into a more multicultural society; even as it helps redefine out understanding of “family.” The process includes three main steps including a type of adoption, the techniques for location a baby for adoption, arranging
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.