All About Adoption

By Jack Green

Introduction

Adoption is when the birth parents of a child sever all legal ties to their child, and the parental rights are legally given over to the new adoptive family, who are strangers. Apart from adopting a child from your own country, intercountry adoption is also available as there are also many children from international countries who need a family. In the UK and the USA, children are usually given up for adoption because they have been mistreated; other reasons are due to teenage pregnancy, or because the birth parents are no longer able to look after the child, or they have given up the child because it isn't the right sex, it has some form of disability, or because they simply don't want a child.

There are many different reasons for wanting to adopt - if couples are unable to conceive, if they want to help others by adopting, and now there are same-sex couples who prefer to adopt. The adoption process varies from one country to another. The ethics for eligibility can differ in each country which can include the age limit, the requirements for same-sex adoption couples, and whether a single person is able to adopt. Placing a child into care and up for adoption is free in the United States. Adopting fees for the parents vary in different countries, and even in some, to charge an adoption fee would be illegal. In the United States, for adoptions you are given a $10,000 tax credit.

The new parents face many concerns in adoption. The child's family history and their family medical history may be unknown, or kept secret until the child starts to ask questions about where they come from. This usually happens when a child is old enough to ask the right questions, or when they feel the need to 'find themselves'. There are always misconceptions about children who have been fostered and this is usually fuelled by the media. Some children are thought of as not being able to develop properly or will become problem, but that is not always the case, as children can fare well when given a new, loving home and go on to lead successful lives. However, many children lose out and some reach the eighteen when they are too old to be adopted and are legally adults. They fall out of the system.

Not everyone chooses to understand or support adoption, although Americans are experienced in it. The history of adoption can be traced as far back as the 18th Century B.C. During Ancient times it was more popular to adopt adults rather than children so that they could carry on the family heritage or to protect the family's property rights. Men and women single or married had the right to adopt. Modern adoption laws are based on the heritage in 18th Century B.C. of the Hammurabi Code. Adopting adults was the focus in Ancient Times as a means for someone to follow in one's footsteps; whilst the Middle Ages set some ground rules with their focus on the adoption of children. Certain laws were placed in order to protect children, so by this time adoptions were dealt with by the court systems. It was in 1851, in Massachusetts, that the first state adoption took place. Rev. Charles Loring Brace was the founder of the New York Children's Aid Society in 1853, which helped orphaned and abandoned children. He wanted to rescue these children and transport them to good Christian homes. They were placed on Brace's 'Emigration Plan' onto regular trains called the 'Orphan Trains' for families to view at each station, until they were taken up by one of many of the wealthy farming families. Times have changed, although we still want the best for our children, although it is still sometimes difficult to know what that is. Adoption is one of the best things to have happened over the centuries, to give children without a home a good chance to find one.

Why You Should Choose Adoption

All you need to know about adoption; is it the right choice for you and your partner, or your family if you already have children. For many people unable to have children of their own, adoption is the only answer to their prayers. It answers all the hopes and dreams of ever having a child they can call their own. Many people all over the world are not able to have children due to health reasons or who have tried I.V.F. (In Vitro Fertilization) treatment and been unsuccessful. Some have tried may fertility treatments and still been unable to conceive. To experience so much disappointment is heartbreaking when a couple is desperate for a child. To be told by their doctor, that they will be unable to have children naturally is enough to shatter anyone's dreams. If a couple cannot reproduce adoption is their only alternative and not a decision to be taken lightly. It takes a lot of time, research and discussions with health professionals for a couple to decide on whether this is the right option for them.

For many couples, adoption provides them with any hope of raising a child they can call their own. Sometimes it is enough to find happiness in other people's children, related or not. The opportunity of becoming a family is a privilege and being parents can bring a lot of happiness and joy. Couples usually start by adopting one child, and then some years later, they may decide to adopt another. There are other reasons for choosing adoption; some couples can conceive and reproduce, but opt for the alternative to adopt. Families used to consist of many children, up to five or more children.

These days due to the cost of living and with couples both working, today families usually consist of one, two or even three children. It is only a few who choose to have larger families. To be financially secure, having a family and working is usually important. A mother will usually take maternity leave, then return to work either part-time or full-time, however they feel as there are also childcare fees to consider. By choosing to adopt, a couple are providing a home for one of millions of children in care around the world; children who are looking for a loving home and parents to love them. Luckily, for these children, couples who actively seek to adopt realize this need and choose this path, rather than reproducing their own. It is truly a selfless act when a couple decide to adopt and a lot of admiration for deciding to take on a child that is not genetically their own.

Families that already have both parents and their own children, also choose to adopt a child. They are financially well off and wish to provide for another child who is looking for a family. Parents and their children alike, sometimes have the compassion on seeing those children that are in need. What better way to provide a home for them where they are truly wanted, helping someone who is less fortunate. The families are committed to welcoming a child locally, nationally and sometimes internationally into their loving, stable family environment. Some parents have children that have grown up, and feel they are not ready to give up being a parent; they are healthy and young enough to carry on bringing up another young child. Adoption for anyone is a selfless and wonderful act full of compassion and love. For many unable to conceive it brings their only hope of ever having children of their own; for others it's a choice to help someone who is less fortunate and needs their love and support. Adopting a child, and sharing the love they feel brings happiness and the dreams of a bright future ahead.

Adoption Statistics

To know the bigger picture regarding what the nature and process of adoption is all about; adoption statistics are more than just numbers for people looking to adopt and those hoping to study the patterns and history of this vital way to building a family and therefore the nation, in turn. Many Americans have been touched by this process of adoption and just a decade ago, in 1997, Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute conducted a survey to report over 60 per cent of US families had experienced adoption in some form or the other. In some instances, the participant was a product of an adoption, in others, one or more family members or a friend had been adopted or had placed a child for the same process. Thus, we find that this interesting study reveals a major portion of American families have been affected in some way by adoption. The other aspect of adoption relates to the female demographics: women who place their unborn kids up for adoption. This is known as prenatal adoption and usually such women tend to have an inverse relationship with their socioeconomic status (SES) and academic level; sometimes, the decision is influenced by that of the birth mother and at others, by those within her family who are linked to these factors. E.g. a woman with a mother having finished at least a year college is statistically 3 times more likely to place a child for adoption than one a woman whose mother did not graduate high school, reveal studies. Research claims that the latter come families less supportive of giving the child up for adoption which the former are lucky to have, but females from lower SES and academic backgrounds may equally be decisive about giving their children for adoption felt one California research firm.

Some of these adoption statistics and opinions may be somewhat outdated but as with other issues, the commercials have not been tampered with or changed much, giving us reasonable information that is accurate and revealing about the estimated cost of adoption: the adoption agency hired to find a child is the chief cost incurred by prospective parents. Hiring a local agency for a domestic adoption (public agency) may cost around $2500 or even less than that to nominal amounts, especially the non-profit ones, whereas if handed over to a private agency, the cost of adoption can range from $4000 to $30,000 because these are not subsidized by the state and also offer support services later.

However, the important thing to remember when discussing adoption statistics is that these numbers are only a small element of the adoption procedure and to be used merely to gain an insight into the past of adoptive processes and trends; they are not meant to be yardstick for future figures - go by insight.

Adoption Dos & Don’ts

We cover some essential do's and don'ts regarding adoption in this article and we hope these will help the thousands of couples looking to adopt a child and build a family unit. It is necessary to comply with these state outlined adoption rules so as to make the adoption process a legal and successful one, therefore learning about the basics of proper adoption procedures is a big help for prospective parents and they should educate themselves about these to avoid disappointments and debacles later. Some of the adoption rules are very strict and not following them to the 't' may cause the couple to forfeit their chances at a promising adoption, so prospective parents looking to adopt a child are advised strongly to learn about the rules and play by them too, in order to obtain lawful and above-board privilege to adopt from the state concerned.

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Texte: Jack Green
Bildmaterialien: Jack Green
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 26.11.2014
ISBN: 978-3-7368-5933-3

Alle Rechte vorbehalten