Interracial Adoption
Adoption is the complete and permanent transfer of parental rights and obligations, usually from one set of legal parents to adoptive parents(Ademec 27). Not until the late 19th century did the U.S. legislative body grant legal status to adoptive parents. This is when children and parents started to gain rights and support from the government. Through the years new laws have been passed and amended to keep the system fair to all adoptive parents. In 1994, Congress passed the Multiethnic Placement Act, making it illegal to delay the placement a child to find a racially matching family. In 1996 the Multiethnic Placement Act was amended to say, “One can not use race as a routine consideration in child placement”(Lewin sec.A). Before 1994, it was difficult to place a black child with white adopters. Last year 5,000 children were adopted from Europe, and 6,000 from Asia, while 183 came from Africa.(Lewin sec. A). The number of out-of-country adoptions are so high because of the requirements and regulations one must follow in the U.S. The requirements include being 21, and include being committed and loving. The home income must be adequate enough to support the family. Passing all of the medical exams and filling out the personal information is mandatory. But the main reason people adopt from overseas is because it is much quicker. A person can adopt a child from another country in a matter of months. In the U.S. the wait can exceed 5 years, which is why some people choose international adoption. The cost of adoption mainly depends on what kind of child one wants to adopt. Where you are adopting from has a major impact on cost also. The price for a healthy white baby is generally in the $15, 000 price range, but can easily reach up to $25,000(Ademec 68). A black or biracial baby is substantially less in cost. Also a baby with health problems will generally be lower in cost(Ademec 68). When you first apply to an adoption agency, the first fees you will pay are the application fees. These fees range up to several hundred dollars or more. The next fees you will pay are the home study fees. The median price range runs around $1,500 to $2,000 dollar range. The most expensive fee for adoption is the placement fee, which will generally be priced from $10,000 and up(Ademec 69). But if the child is from another country, you will have to visit it. ...
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...ike. Abandoned children have no background information and it is often impossible to find biological parents. Adopting a transracial child is not for everyone. A lot of patience and love is needed to handle the criticism. There is a high monetary cost, but the reward in the end is priceless. A person must be completely non-bias for the relationship to work in a biracial family. A parent must be able to deal with a sometimes troubled or physically challenged child.
Works Cited
Adamec, Christine A. There Are Babies To Adopt.
New York: Kensington, 1987.
Adamec, Christine A. Is Adoption For You?
New York: John and Wiley Sons 1998.
Beauvais, Laura, and Raymond Godwin. The Complete Adoption Book.
Holbrook, MA Adams Media, 1997.
Bender, David, Bruno Leone. Adoption.
San Diego, CA: Greenvaven, 1995.
Erichsen, Jean Nelson and Heino R. Erichsen. How to Adopt Internationally.
Fort Worth, Tx. Mesa House, 1997
Gilman, Lois. The Adoption Resource Book.
New York, NY: Harper Collins, 1998
Lewin, Tamar. “Two Views of Growing Up When The Faces Dont Match.”
New York Times. (1998): Section A; Page 13;Col 2; National Desk
The Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 (MEPA) (P. L. 103-82), was enacted on October 20, 1994 by President Bill Clinton ("Multi-Ethnic Placement Act," n.d.). The MEPA was passed to prohibit any agency or individual receiving Federal assistance that is involved in the adoption or foster care programs from delaying or denying the placement of a child based on the race, color, or national origin (RCNO) of the child or the adoptive or the foster parent (Civic Impulse, 2017). According to the Department of Human Services Online Directives Information System, adoption is the social and legal process designed to establish a new legal family giving children the same rights and benefits of those who are born into a family (2016). According to the Department
Since the beginning of time, people have been adopting. Whether or not the adoption process is for everybody is a debatable topic. Adoption occurs all over the world and is the cause for an impact on not only the children being adopted, but also an impact on those who adopt. Whether it’s nationally on internationally adoption is everywhere and will continue to grow in popularity as the years go on.
While the idea of adoption sounds so perfect and great, one huge factor makes the adoption choice somewhat difficult. One would never think of putting a “price” on their own child yet adoption is extremely pricey. A couple looking to adopt better be prepared to spend roughly $35,000 (babycenter). Personally, that number shocked me. Who finds it necessary to put such a high cost on the love between parents and a child? What is more important, the fact that a child needs a good home and a family somewhere out there wants to become parents, or spending thousands of dollars to fulfill a need that is supposed to be priceless? The answer here is obvious, and there are multiple reasons as to why the cost of adoption should be lowered immensely.
Program UNIT will definitely back the Multiethnic Placement Act, commonly known as MEPA of 1994. This act was set forth to keep children of color from staying in the system longer than necessary because parents of their own race and cultural groups are not obtainable. Race should not be factored in when dealing with adoption but it is. Religions and education often are factors that determine whether adoption will transpire. Many studies show the higher up the education ladder you ...
The topic of child welfare is quite a broad one. There are numerous programs and policies that have been put in place to protect children. One of these policies is that of Adoption. Adoption was put into place to provide alternate care for children who cannot live with their biological families for various reasons. One of the more controversial issues surrounding adoption is that of Transracial adoption. Transracial Adoption is the joining of racially different parents and children (Silverman, 1993).
Transracial adoption is usually viewed by most as an appealing process. People who have adopted a child of another race or been adopted by parents of another race usually are grateful of the adoption and consider themselves truly fortunate. On the other hand, others believe transracial adoptions are harmful to not only the adoptee, but to the community the adoptee would be raised in.
Some people think that race should never be a consideration--that "perfect vision is color blind.” Others feel that in an imperfect world where color matters, transracial adoptions are a kind of genocide that leave children unprepared to survive in a racist society. Robert Dale Morrison, a professor at Harvard Law School, sums up what interracial adoption is all about, “The quickest cure for racism would be to have everyone in the country adopt a child of another race. No matter what your beliefs, when you hold a four-day-old infant, love him, and care for him, you don’t see skin color, you see a little person that is very much in need of your love.” If everyone thought this way, a child would not go unwanted. This issue on race and the wellbeing of a child due to the color of their skin and where they are from, would not be a major part of adoption
When a couple or individual decides to adopt a child, they know they are going to take on the responsibility of taking care of someone else’s child. Due to the biological parent(s) who can’t take care of that child anymore, because of either drug abuse, alcohol abuse, abuse to the child or if the parent(s) had died and there is no other care for the child. So that’s why this gives other couples who cannot have kids, the opportunity to promise themselves to be a great parent to a child in need. Though there are some bad things about adoption as well. Like adopting a child from another country of another race, because once that child is adopted into an American family, he or she will be cut off from their culture and never know about their history. Everyone should to know about their culture and history.
Adoption is such a great thing, and provides many children, with a family they have always wanted. There are local adoptions, domestic adoptions within families, and international adoptions. Even though adoption is a wonderful thing, there can be a negative side as well. There is always a risk of the children not bonding with the adoptive parents. These children, unfortunately, are at a higher risk for mental health disorders, and also, they are at risk for abandonment issues. There are community programs that aim to help adoptive parents, and the children.
Homosexuality is becoming more and more accepted and integrated into today’s society, however, when it comes to homosexuals establishing families, a problem is posed. In most states, homosexuals can adopt children like any other married or single adult. There are many arguments to this controversial topic; some people believe that it should be legal nationally, while others would prefer that is was banned everywhere, or at least in their individual states. There are logical reasons to allow gays to adopt children, but for some, these reasons are not enough. The main issue really is, what is in the best interest of the child? This type of problem isn’t really one with causes, effects, and solutions, but one with pros and cons. Like any other adoption situation, a parent prove themselves to be responsible and capable enough to raise a child on their own, or with a spouse.
“Adopting one child won 't change the world: but for that child, the world will change.” (Unknown)(Buzzle.com). Adoption can take place in multiple shapes, forms, and fashions. You can adopt from a local adoption agency, or adopt from an orphanage half way around the world. You can adopt a child whose parents are no longer living, or you could adopt from a young mother who is not ready to raise a child. You can adopt one child who has touched your heart from an orphanage in Uganda, or a set of triplets being moved around from house to house in foster care. There are still further motivations and reasons for adopting. What if you and your spouse are unable to become pregnant? The desire to be parents does not diminish with the lack of
If you have ever considered adopting a newborn, or a child under the age of three, then you have undoubtedly recognized that the price affiliated with this type of adoption is outrageously expensive. Some adoptions costing in the upper $40,000 range. When there are so many children in foster care already, why are the costs of adoption so extreme? How is the adoption process broken down into these fees? What do adoptive candidates have to go through in order to adopt a baby? Is the foster care system failing the children it currently serves? Why are more birth mothers choosing the unsightly demise of abortion rather than adoption? Do these women who choose abortion know all their options when it comes to their unborn child? Is there enough
International adoption stunts the growth of domestic adoption in the United States. While many kids are available for adoption in the U.S, more kids are being adopted internationally. The reason for this may be because “many people choose to adopt internationally because there is a less chance that the biological parents will try to find their children later in life; whereas if adopted in America, there is a greater chance that the biological parents will search for the child” (Databasewise.n.d.pp 1-2). Not only do the adoptive parents want to be sure that the biological parents do not find their biological child, but they also want to avoid confrontations that can eventually have volatile results. Since there is a great need for domestic adoption in the United States, many American citizens believe that people should be banned from adopting children overseas (carp.1998.pp 135). For example, recent studies have shown that the USA is faced with a very serious problem. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, between “1999-2006,an average of 129,884 children are in public foster care every year waiting to be adopted” (adoption alternativ...
It is more common for these adoptive families to be transracial. Therefore there are two different races within the family. Families of transracial adoptions have many unique qualities because they have two different cultures under one roof. The problem with transracial adoption is the cultural difference between the parents and the child. The family is not prepared to understand the child’s background or the child’s culture. Relatability is also something that the child needs in the household and this would something that this family would lack. Like we talked about in class the child would suffer because they do not have anyone in their family to relate to. A child’s self-esteem would most likely be lower than a child growing up in a same race family. The child does not see anyone in their family that looks like them so they feel as if they are not good enough. It is hard for a child to fully understand as to why they are different from their families and why they were not blessed to look like their family. This creates self-identity issues for the child because they do not know who they should identify with and cannot tell where they fit in. Promotion of acceptance amongst the family would be something that could help the child’s self-esteem and
The practice of adoption began over 4,000 years ago. All adoptions are arranged in 3 ways private, independent, and closed. Private adoptions are adoptions where you can place your child with anybody you choose with the courts approval. Independent adoptions are adoptions where a child’s placement is put arranged by a lawyer or doctor, in some cases the adoptive parents put in the expenses of the pregnancy and deliver of the couple their getting the child from. There are also black market groups that will illegally adopt your baby (with the birth mother’s permission) in some cases you will have nothing to do with your birth if and when the baby is handed over to the adopted parents. Closed adoption is where there is no information about either families, the birth parents or the adoptive parents, after the adopti...