Adoption Essay, Example Composition
Writing on Adoption
Essay 1: Pros and Cons of Adoption
Before a couple
decides to adopt a child, they should first determine whether the
adoption is to be done internationally or domestically. It is not
possible to determine which form of adoption is better or which is
faster because each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
It also depends a lot on what is more suitable for the adoptive
families. While some may prefer domestic adoption as it is generally
less costly, others may prefer to adopt internationally for other
reasons.
It is important to note that domestic adoption is generally more
affordable than international adoption because you cut down on
travel cost and additional paperwork that need to be prepared.
Sometimes, the adoptive parents are also required to 'donate' an
additional sum of money to the orphanage where the child is from. As
compared to international adoption, it is less time and money spent
on the adoption process if it is carried out domestically because it
is usually the case studies officers and representatives from the
adoption agency who will be carrying them out.
One other advantage of adopting domestically is the higher chance of
parents getting a newborn baby or a younger infant. Should the
adoption be done internationally, it will usually take quite some
time before the infant is united with his or her adopting family due
to the paperwork that must be done and by that time, the child will
already be a few months old. Some parents prefer to adopt infants,
especially very young ones, because it will be easier to bond with
the child from young. An exception of a long waiting time would be
if the countries are very near to each other. It is possible for
parents to adopt newborn babies from a neighbouring country though.
Requirements for domestic adoption in some countries are quite
strict and qualifications for adopting families are also high. This
is one of the cons of domestic adoption that somehow lead adopting
families to adopt internationally. However, it depends on the
country involved because the criteria for some international
adoption can also be set very high for foreign adoptive parents.
Another important disadvantage of domestic adoption is the
possibility that the biological mother may change her mind or refuse
to give up her child for adoption at the last minute. This may cause
the adoption process to delay or even be terminated if the
biological mother changes her final decision. This happens more
often during the final stage of the adoption process where the
adopting family is expecting a child but is disappointed when the
adoption process is unable to pull through.
It is also possible that there are fewer children available for
domestic adoption especially if an adopting family prefers to adopt
a child from a minority group. This is one of the major advantages
of international adoption, where there are many children of
different races available.
There's another way to adopt domestically and that is through closed
or confidential adoption. No contact is allowed between the adopting
and the biological families in this kind of adoption. This may be a
more suitable choice especially for adoptive parents who do not wish
for their adopted child to look up his or her biological parents.
There is less likelihood of the adopted child's identity being
disclosed or even if it is disclosed, the chances of locating the
biological families are slimmer.
Although there are many pros and cons of adoption whether it is done
domestically or internationally, if adoptive parents have an open
mind and heart they will be able to overcome any problem and will
succeed in finding their child one day. When that happens, they will
know that all the problems they have gone through are definitely
worthwhile.
Essay 2: Future of Adoption
The world of adoption is changing quickly. There continue to be
abandoned children in numerous countries, and, infertility seems to
be increasing. Will parents and children continue to find each other
as they have in the past? For many reasons, the face of adoption in
Canada is changing and doors are closing for adoptive parents. What
role can Sunrise play in shaping the future of adoption in Canada?
What are the factors that are closing doors for adopting parents?
Increased Support for Birth Mothers
In Canada, the number of newborn babies placed in local adoptions
has decreased dramatically, falling to five percent of the former
totals over the past thirty years. The reasons for this include
increased financial support for young mothers, greater acceptability
of single parenthood, and peer pressure on teenage moms to keep
their babies. Many other countries are experiencing similar changes
in social programs and societal norms. As a result, fewer babies are
available for adoption in other countries.
Increased Worldwide Demand
Increasingly parents throughout the world are considering
adoption. This increased demand is causing some countries to
close their doors to international adoption. Countries have
longer and longer waiting lists. While the adoption doors may
remain open, it will only be for a few because of the small number
of children available. With very few exceptions, gone are the days
of "adoption programs" with specific countries. We seem to be
heading towards adoption gridlock where the number of parents
wanting to adopt exceeds the children eligible to be adopted.
International Treaties
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Hague
Convention on International Adoption are changing the
landscape of inter-country adoptions. The complex procedures
of these international agreements are intended to provide protection
for the child, birth parents and adopting parents from corrupt
practices. The combined result of these international treaties is
that the placing country must first try to find a home for the child
in their own country. The first option for the child is to be
re-integrated with family, or placed with extended family. Local
adoption is the next option. Out-of-country adoption is
to be considered a last resort. In almost every country that has
implemented the Hague Convention, the result has been a reduction or
elimination of inter-country adoption.
Closures by the Government
The Directors of Adoption for the provincial governments are
in frequent communication with counterparts in other provinces and
with the federal authorities. As a result of these discussions, the
provinces have stopped allowing adoptions from countries
where ethical problems have arisen in adoptions.
Closures by Agencies
In order to protect adopting parents and to attempt to provide them
with a safe and predictable experience, some licensed agencies have
closed programs from certain countries. This is a result of concerns
about ethical practices in some cases, and in others it is due to
worries about the health of children.
What is the Future of Adoption in Canada?
The inescapable conclusion is that if parents want to adopt, their
horizons may have to broaden. Waiting periods will lengthen, the
children adopted will be older, and the children may have special
needs and challenges. As a result, some prospective adopting parents
will look into adoption, see the options and decide not to
pursue it (as sometimes happens already). Others will adopt locally,
or from small, but overwhelmed programs. Many parents, however, may
have to go through doors that haven't been frequently used up to
now.
Adoption is already a hard road for many people, and it takes
courage to be an adopting parent. There will be a greater need for
both pre-adoption and post-adoption support for
Canadian adopting parents. The governments of most provinces have
made it clear that they will only provide that support for parents
adopting Canada's waiting children in foster care. The licensed
adoption agencies, the Adoptive Families Association and the
Society of Special Needs Adoptive Parents will need to do more work
in the next decade to provide this support.
Every day 35,000 children under the age of five die of
health-related reasons. In the face of this awful statistic, why is
the world increasingly shutting down adoption? (See What
About the World's Orphans? .)
Over the past 10 years, Sunrise has visited orphanages throughout
the world. The children we meet in the orphanages are desperate to
have a family of their own. We are looking for parents to adopt
these children. While opportunities for children of many countries
to find families are currently decreasing, they are not completely
gone. There are two rays of hope left. Firstly, we can try to help
countries support their children to be adopted in their own country,
or even stay in their original families. When that is not possible,
we can help to provide a loving and safe home for one of the world's
homeless children.
This is the future of adoption. We need families who want to
step up to the plate and help us to accomplish both of these goals.
It is a huge task, but together we can make a real difference in the
lives of children and families. We can also create a true win/win
solution. Children can have a safe and loving place to grow up in a
family, and parents can experience the joy of family life by
adoption.
Essay 3: More Pros and Cons about
Adoption
When you make a decision to adopt, you have the option whether the
adoption will be confidential, open, or semi-open.
Confidential or closed adoption (sometimes called secret
adoption) means neither the adoptive families nor the birth
parents recognize each other. This does not indicate that they know
nothing about each other. It is just that they do not have
information that can identify each other. When an older child
already knows his or her birth parents, his or her adoption
cannot be made confidential.
Semi-open adoption is a type of adoption that is a
combination of traditional closed adoption and open adoption.
Direct contact after the child has been placed with the adoptive
family, is still possible through letters and pictures, however this
is handled by a third party, such as the adoption agency.
Open adoption means that the adoptive families and the birth
parents both know each other's full names. They speak prior to or
even after the adoption. They may agree to visit each other
once in a while and/or exchange photos and letters directly, without
using a third party.
Many adoptive parents do not realize that they have more options.
They can opt for semi-open or open adoption rather than the
traditional closed adoption. Adoptive families usually prefer
closed adoption at first but once they meet the birth parents
and bonded with them, they would later opt to open adoption for the
reason that it is more beneficial for them.
The meaning of open adoption is different from between agencies and
from one lawyer to another. It is important that the adoptive
families ask questions related to this matter. The pros and cons of
open adoption is been a continuously debate among social
workers and lawyers. Some believe that open adoption is a better
choice for everyone involved while others are convinced that it is
catastrophic.
Pros and Cons of Open Adoption
Pros:
Your child will never have to look for his or her birth parents.
The adopted child can easily set up a relationship with birth
parents.
You may feel more at rest about the adoption knowing exactly
who the birth parents is.
The adopted child will have no difficulty in accessing his or her
medical records.
The adopted child will have access to background on his or her
roots.
Cons:
Your child may never wish to search for his or her birth parents.
The birth parents may want to get in touch more or less than the
adopted child wants.
An unstable birth parent could cause problems.
You may see yourself as not a "real mother."
The birth mother and adoptive parents might have a conflict in terms
of child rearing. The birth mother may expect too much from the
adoptive parents. On the other hand, adoptive parents may want the
birth mother to be less involved in their child's life.
Adoptive families should bear in mind that whatever decision you
make, make sure you are comfortable with any responsibility you need
to do in the future.
