Julee Koplin

English 1010
Jolynne Berrett
27 April 2015

Pros and Cons of Foreign Adoptions

Many American families are turning to international adoptions due to cost, infant
availability and philanthropic ideals. However, there are multiple opinions about whether
foreign adoptions are the best resolution for children in need around the world and families in the
United States that want to adopt a child. Some would argue that children in other countries need
more aide than those in the United States. It is also common for people to believe that foreign
adoptions are less expensive and are more streamlined process than domestic private adoptions.
Adopted children can develop Reactive Attachment Disorder and its believed that it is more
common in foreign born adopted children, which is hard for the child and adopting family have
to navigate. Another problem that has arisen in some foreign countries is profiting from
available children for adoption, even adopting out children that may have been taken away from
their families; making it a business venture instead of whats in the best interest of the child. As
in all things there are reasons for and against foreign adoptions.
It is believed by many that children in third world countries need more help than children
in America, and other western civilized countries. The western civilized countries have fewer
children available for adoption as opposed to the number of children in need of adoption in
foreign countries. Contraception, abortions and the trend of single parents deciding to keep and

raise their child in the United States are some reasons why there are a few reasons for that. In
addition many people struggle with infertility and are anxious to adopt. (Bartholet, Elizabeth)
Foreign countries are often plagued with natural disasters, wars, political unrest and economic
problems which create a larger need for adopters and more children in need of being adopted to a
permanent home. It is estimated that seven million menionos da rua (Portuguese for children
of the street) are homeless in the large cities in Brazil. Social factors such as Chinas OneChild Policy along with the citizens desire for a male child has led to abandonment of first born
female Chinese babies. Thousands of children in Korea were homeless due to the war and the
Korean culture believes that families primarily through blood lines which in turn decreases any
desire for them to adopt non-related children. (Wallace, Sara R.) Those in favor of international
adoptions say that it saves children from poor countries that dont have anyone or anywhere to be
taken care of properly. Contrary to that belief, others believe that children should be raised
within their own culture and native environment. Foreign adoptions provide such children with a
stable home and a family unit that otherwise would be unattainable.
It has been said that foreign adoptions are easier and less expensive than those processed
in the United State and so called private adoptions.

In 2004 the average cost for an adoption

of foster care children through a public agency was $0 to $2,500; an average cost of $5,000 to
$20,000 for private adoptions but could climb as high as $40,000. In contrast the range of the
cost for international adoptions is $7,000 to $30,000. The wait expectancy in 2004 for a healthy
American child through a private agency was between two and four years, whereas the expected
wait time for international adoptions ranged from ten months to two years. (Bernal, Raquel, et
al.) Many requirements for domestic adoptions that greatly limit the number of people meeting
the guidelines in order to adopt such as; age, marital status, financial statements and at times

even sexual orientation. In contrast most of these requirements are lifted in international
adoptions. The stringent requirements for domestic adoptions is partly due to the demand for
healthy infants available domestically and the more abundant number of children in need of
adoption internationally. Adoptions whether domestic or international have been argued to be a
sort of an unregulated marketplace in children. Agency fees, medical and travel expenses can
be construed as payments for children which some equate to selling children as in slavery.
Different characteristics and attributes define the demand which in turn demand different cost
structures depending on the desired traits. (Goodwin, Michele.) The Hague Convention hopes
to create and international legal policy to govern inter-country adoptions which will standardize
adoptions and alleviate the risk of countries demanding higher fees and extortion efforts.
Reactive Attachment Disorder is a real problem for some adoptive family and more
common in foreign adoptions.
Are foreign adoptions a way for other world countries to profit from orphaned children or
cause the selling or child trafficking of children for adoption to western civilized countries.
I think any adoption has its pros and cons both domestically and internationally. In
general people decide to adopt for many different reasons and if it so happens that a child from a
foreign country is what is decided or becomes available then there is no reason not to proceed
with the process of a foreign adoption. I have many different perspectives of adoption and
specifically both foreign and domestic adoptions. I grew up in a family of seven children, I
being the youngest. One of my brothers is adopted domestically from Florida when he was an
infant even before I was born, he is three years older than I am. My parents adopted him when
he was a two day old baby. My parents knew a local doctor and that doctor knew my parents
wanted another child and my Mom was having recurrent miscarriages so he proposed the

adoption to my parents and they happily accepted. Back in 1966 when my parents adopted my
brother it was a very easy process and it took a very short time and at a minimal cost. I grew up
not ever realizing a difference between him and myself so to me it was never a big deal that he
was adopted. My older a sister and her husband adopted a little girl from China after having six
children of their own. She and her husband had to jump through many hoops to and many cosgts
related to a home study, agency fees, translation of documents, travel, medical and psychological
assessments. And finally my husband and I adopted a little girl from Haiti that was born in 2004.
We decided after we got married, each of us having children from our previous marriages that we
wanted to blend our families together with a child. For many different reasons we decided that
adoption was the way we would accomplish that goal. We had personal ties to Haiti and my
husband worked closely with the construction of the orphanage our daughter was placed in after
being abandoned at the hospital when she was born. The process took approximately 18 months
and the costs were close to $20,000. As frustrating as the adoption process, lengthy time and
costs that it took to finally welcome our daughter home was I wasnt prepared for some of the
unseen difficulties and obstacles we would have in the years after and that we are experiencing
now. One such difficulty is not knowing any background social, physical and medical history of
the maternal and paternal families so I am limited in relaying information to school and health
professionals.

One other issue we have encountered is being bullied based on race issues and

our daughter not feeling empathy from us because we arent the same color as she is. I falsely
believed that since I didnt care about race or ethnicity that others wouldnt either. I learned
quickly that a white family with a black child stands out in a crowd and not always in a good
way. So in our family dynamic I have two biological children, three step-children and one
adopted child. Its hard for me to distinguish how different it feels to have an adopted child since

I have different relationships with all the kids in our family. The most important thing I have
learned from having children, acquiring children through marriage and finally adopting a child is
that no matter how children come into your life there are no guarantees what problems you will
encounter but you can bank on having obstacles to overcome with each one.

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