Understanding The Problems Of International Adoption

Added: 06/23/2007

International adoptions are on the rise and it is causing international adoption to become a lucrative business world wide. Due to the increase in demand and ever changing regulations of individual countries, problems of international adoption may cause some couples to change their mind about entering into the process. What are some of the problems of international adoption and what can one do to avoid them?

Deciding to have a baby is a major, life changing decision. It is not one that should be entered into lightly. Couples who decide to have a baby but then discover that they can’t are then faced with more difficult decisions. Adoption is an option that some couples may consider. However, the reduction of children available for adoption in the United States is causing couples to look overseas. Thousands of children from overseas countries such as Russia and China are being adopted every year. Due to the increased numbers of international adoptions, problems do occur. So, what are some of the problems of international adoption?

One of the most alarming problems of international adoption is child trafficking. Child trafficking is defined as the buying, selling, or illegal transportation of children. In some countries, children are being abducted from their homes and then sold to adoptive families as orphans. In other instances the child’s parents will sell the child to a child trafficker who then sells the child to an adoptive family as an orphan. Regardless the circumstances it is terrible situation that is being closely monitored by government organizations.

Other problems of international adoption relate to the adoptive child’s sense of belonging in a new country. Will the adoptive child, new to the United States, fit in and be accepted? Studies are being conducted to determine the impact of international adoption on the children.

International adoption is a legal matter between a private couple and a foreign court. It is a lengthy and complicated procedure and many requirements need to be met before the adoption can be considered legal. Sometimes understanding the process itself is one of the problems of international adoption. It is advised that couples interested in international adoption work with reputable agencies, facilitators, or attorneys. These people are educated in how the process works and what types of documentation are required to begin the process. Countries do change their adoption regulations. It is important to work with individuals who are up to date on the requirements of the country one is thinking of adopting from.

International adoption has become a lucrative business over the past years due to the high demand. Because of the high demand, scams are beginning to surface. Scam artists are yet another of the problems of international adoption. One of the common scams is offering a supposedly healthy child for adoption who is later found to be seriously ill. The diagnosis usually comes late in the process after payments have been made. Another scam to try to avoid is when prepayment is made for the adoption of a child that is nonexistent or an ineligible child. Working with reputable agencies will help adoptive parents protect themselves from such scams.

The reward of bringing a child into your home to love and care for the rest of your life may far outweigh the potential problems of international adoption. If considering international adoption, one should do his or her homework. The Office of Children’s Issues in the Bureau of Consular Affairs provides brochures describing the process of international adoption. The more educated one is, the more rewarding the process will be.

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