By Nathan Key, News-Topic Managing Editor

Adopting children is becoming more and more common across the country, and November is a month set aside to promote adoption and raise awareness about it through National Adoption Month.

The month highlights the process of adoptions - domestically, internationally and from foster care - and shows the need for adoptive parents. It's an effort to focus on children who need families.

“It's about making people aware,” said Doris Woodward, social work supervisor for Matthews-based Christian Adoption Services. “People are not educated enough about adoption. It's not something foreign. It's a beautiful thing.”

National Adoption Month was initiated as Adoption Week in 1976 by Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis. Soon thereafter, President Gerald Ford nationalized the week-long commemoration. In 1990, the week was expanded to a month because of the large number of participating states.

National Adoption Month also focuses on families looking to raise children. They could be doing so because they face fertility issues or simply because they have a desire to bring more children into their home and provide them with love and support.

There are a number of women, and even some couples, choosing to place children - newborns and older - for adoption, and the reasons they do so are many.

Pairing those birth parents with adoptive families is what adoption agencies and Social Services departments seek to do.

“It's not always easy for a mother to do; it's a sacrifice, but it's what's best for the child,” Woodward said. “Children need stability, and (adoption) is a way of providing that. It's emotional, physical, spiritual - it's the need to look beyond today and think about tomorrow.”

Often, myths surrounding adoption deter some would-be parents from wanting to take part in the process. Some of those include being separated from the child after becoming attached, emotional problems with the child and overzealous birth parents, to name a few.

While there are risks involved with adoption, the rewards are even greater for those families who receive placement and are able to raise a child, especially those with fertility issues who may have thought they never would have a chance to be parents.

Bill Griffin and his wife DeeDee chose adoption and were blessed with a son, Gabriel, in February 2005.

“(Adoption) has given us the opportunity to have a son, and he is absolutely the most wonderful thing we've ever experienced in our lives,” Bill Griffin said. “We believe in adoption, not only for us, but for other parents receiving a child and the child's well-being. It's been the best thing that has ever happened to us. It's an amazing thing.”

National Adoption Day also falls during November. It is celebrated the Saturday before Thanksgiving each year and raises awareness about children waiting in foster care for permanent families. It will be celebrated Nov. 17 this year.

According to a 2000 U.S. Census Bureau report, more than 2 percent of the children in the United States (2.6 million) are adopted, and one of six are of a different race than the family that adopts him/her.

Nearly 13 percent of adopted children are from foreign countries like China, Russia, Poland and the Philippines as international adoption grows in popularity.

Woodward said adoption is something people need not be frightened by or have reservations about. It's the joining of people to make life better for all involved.

“Adoption really is a beautiful thing for all three parties involved - the child, the birth family and the adoptive family,” she said. “I just wish more people would be mindful of adoption.”

For more information about National Adoption Month or adoption in general, contact the Caldwell County Department of Social Services at 828-426-8200, or Christian Adoption Services at 704-847-0038 or on the Web at www.christianadopt.org

Tags: Adoption by Country, Adoption by State, china adoption, Ethiopia Adoption

In the early hours of Dec 26th 2004 the Western world awoke to the unfolding horror that we came to know as the Asian Tsunami. Those of us still recovering from obscenely large amounts of food and drink from the previous day sat transfixed as we watched a horror story of biblical proportions unfold before our very eyes.

The United Nations estimated that the Asian Tsunami left more than five million people homeless, including about 1.5 million children most of whom became orphaned. The outpouring of emotion from around the world was of mixed benefit as far as the region was concerned in that yes we all dug deep into our pockets and yes we all lobbied our Politicians to something about it and yes bizarrely this tragedy may have had some knock on effect in the movement to alleviate Third World debt and poverty but the blessings were mixed as far as the people on the ground were concerned.

Since the disaster, adoption agencies around the world have been fielding phone calls from well-meaning families wanting to adopt a child from one of the countries hit.

Adoption experts say the best thing people can do is to donate money to causes that directly help the children. They say it's wrong to take a traumatized child away from the environment that they have grown up in. "Adoptions, especially inter-country ones, are inappropriate during the emergency phase as children are better placed being cared for by their wider families and the communities they know," said the charity Save the Children in a statement released Jan. 6, 2005. International Adoption needs to be well planned "The last thing they need to do is be rushed away to some foreign land," said Cory Barron of Children's Hope International, an American adoption agency. "We have to think of the child first."

Adoption by some well meaning couple in the west flying half way round the world bearing large sums of money to whisk the child away to a life totally alien to everything it has known isn't always what is in the best interests of the child.

It is worth bearing in mind the following facts after any tragedy like this:

* Children will be experiencing an immense sense of loss and grief. * They will need to know what they feel is normal and that they're not going crazy. * They need to be with people they know and to feel as safe as possible. * They need to establish a daily routine as soon as possible to reduce their fears. * They should play with other children to have time away from their fears and allowed to have creative expression such as materials to draw. * Those separated from family members need to be registered as soon as possible and reunified quickly. * Putting children in a temporary care facility or an orphanage should be the last resort.

Around 200 children were orphaned and many more lost one parent when the Tsunami struck the district of Nagappattinam in Tamil Nadu state, the worst-affected region in India.

The local administration has handled scores of queries from individuals and organisations wanting to adopt the children.

But fears of human trafficking have made the government tread with caution. The emphasis now is on rehabilitating these children in the local communities. Suryakala, a district social welfare officer in Nagappattinam, says many children they talked to preferred to remain here rather than move out of the area.

The local administration has asked those interested in adoption to send in applications. But they are in no hurry to move these children out.

Around 60 children have been put up in an orphanage run by the Zion Church in Nagappattinam.

Parvathi lost her parents but has returned to the school to take her examinations. She visits her relatives once a month and says she prefers to stay in Nagappattinam.

Local charities and social activists have lobbied hard with the government not to "give away" these children for adoption. Aftab, a young activist, says he learned a lot from the aftermath of the Gujarat earthquake in 2000. He says that in the past two months there have been several instances of representatives of organisations trying to "forcibly" take away orphans. Nagappattinam was one of India's worst-hit areas" The local community objected and expressed its willingness to take care of such children," says Aftab. "None of these children want to be moved out," he says. The local administration, Aftab says, is still not clear about what it wants to do with them.

He has met representatives of different villages who back the idea not to move them out.

"Why should these children be sent to orphanages and homes far from here?" he asks.

Efforts by individuals like Aftab seem to have had an impact.

The local administrator's office has decided against any hasty decision.

One official summed up the dilemma faced by the government: "The issue of children is a delicate matter in any community… one wrong step and we will invite the wrath of the people."

Adoption experts are hoping the outpouring of interest in adoptions from the tsunami disaster might translate into adoptions elsewhere. The real tragedy is that the tsunami doesn't even dent the numbers of orphans worldwide, the real numbers are unfathomable. Most adoption specialists say the number of orphans globally may be somewhere in the range of 40 to 60 million–13 million in sub-Saharan Africa alone due to the AIDS crisis there, and many more in Russia, China and Latin America. Only a fraction of those children are in official adoption pools.

"We are hopeful that the tsunami-affected countries will eventually have an open mind to international adoption," says Thomas Atwood, President of the US National Council for Adoption. "But we're also hopeful that parents will look to adopt children in other parts of the world. There are thousands of children available for adoption right now. For those whose hearts have been tugged by the tsunami, perhaps this is a step in their journey towards another child."

So perhaps even after the darkest and most terrible of tragedies there can be some positive long term benefits and these are that whilst a large number of people may ignore the need or desire to adopt from within their own communities in favour of adoption with an International dimension this raising of the Adoption Profile and the inherent potential problems may well bring some of those new to Adoption back to considering Adoption from within their communities. The other benefit that can be taken from this whole affair may be the overall increase in the awareness of the concept of Adoption itself. If this in turn leads to more children being partnered with Adoptive Families then that can only be considered good.

Stephen Morgan is the principal advisor for International Adoption Information, an independent advisory organisation in social and child welfare. http://www.internationaladoptioninformation.com, http://www.internationaladoptionusa.info. and http://www.internationaladoptionresourcecentre.com

About the Author

Stephen is the principal advisor for International Adoption Information, an independent advisory organisation in social and child welfare. http://www.internationaladoptioninformation.com

Tags: adoption agency, Adoption by Country, Adoption General Information, international adoption, Orphans and Orphanages

By Jeff Gammage

Tags: Adoption by Country, guatemala adoption

Although the decision to give up a child is always heart-wrenching, it can be a "win-win" solution to two painful problems. Adoption is a legal process that gives adoptive parents rights and aresponsibilities and the adoptive child social, legal and emotional rights as a family member.

Putting a child up for adoption allows the child?s birth mother to continue with schooling or career, and she has a chance to create a stable home life before taking on the responsibility of motherhood.

More and more adoptions are including the birth mother as a permanent part of the child?s future, which makes the decision easier for the biological parents, but may make it more difficult for the adopting parents.

Of the approximately 120,000 children that are adopted by U.S. citizens every year, about half are adopted by people who are not related to the child. The other half re by grandparents, step parents, or other family members.

Both biological and adoptive parents should carefully consider the decision. If you are thinking that adoption may be the best solution for your baby, you should decide how much contact, if any, you would like to have with your child in the future. If you would like to stay connected, find an adoption agency that specializes in open adoptions. Find out from the agency or attorney if you will be able to choose your baby?s new parents, or determine their race, age or economic status.

If you want to adopt a child, you will also need to make many difficult decisions, and take a good look at your own situation and expectations. Can you afford a child with special needs, for instance, or would you be comfortable adopting an older child from the foster care system? Some prospective parents believe an older child would bring joy to their home, but others have carefully looked at their feelings, and know they could only bond with an infant.

Parenting does require financial security and a safe, stable home. However, a child doesn't need "perfect" parents and adoption agencies don't make unreasonable requirements. You will not be automatically disqualified if you are single, divorced, parenting other children, or because you have a disability. Some adoption agencies will consider working with gay and lesbian families. You do not need to own your own home or be wealthy or highly educated.

You do need to have tons of love available. A half-ton of patience would help, too.

If you are trying to adopt an infant, especially a Caucasian infant, you may find additional restrictions because of such a high demand. If you are interested in adopting a Native American child and are not yourself a Native American, you may be disqualified. Some agencies encourage cross-race adoptions, while others do not.

Adoption agencies are located in almost every city, and some attorneys specialize in adoption law. Referrals are recommended.

Both biological and adopting parents should carefully research the adoption process before contacting an agency or an attorney. The more you know about how adoptions work, the more sure you can be of having your needs met.

Both biological and adopting parents should also consider finding a support group, so you?ll have others in your situation to talk to. This is one of the biggest decisions in your life, and it?s common to have no family members or friends who have ever made this decision. It helps relieve the stress if you join a group of people who understand exactly what you?re going through.

If you?re a teen mother, or if your pregnancy was unexpected and unplanned, adoption agencies will have many prospective parents on their waiting lists. The waiting time for adopting parents is likely to be much. Since many unwed mothers are now choosing to terminate their pregnancy or to keep the child, prospective adoptive parents can expect to wait up to two to three years.

Biological parents will probably have their medical costs paid by the adoption agency. Adopting parents may find programs that help cover the expense of adoption. The Federal Adoption Tax Credit was $10,630 in 2005. Some employers are also offering financial assistance to adopting parents. Employers may offer loans, family leave, and health benefits.

Tags: Adoption General Information, Orphans and Orphanages

Adoption services and agencies are one of the most remarkable services in the world, because of the emotions involved. These are places where families who have been longing for years to have a child of their own are matched with children who have been orphaned by circumstances and in need of what they can call a family of their own. Adoption services have brought so much relief and happiness to an untold number of people worldwide. Adopting a child is always a joyful thing to both the adoptive parents and the adopted child but it's not all roses. The adoption process can also be a frustrating and confusing experience; therefore, it is always very important to make the right choice of adoption agency. There are several things that should be considered before deciding that an adoption agency is good enough for you.

Adoption agencies are usually licensed by the state authority and are subjected to rigorous inspections and regulations, which are carried out periodically, to ensure optimum services. Most agencies have staff scattered in different countries of the world who are on the agency's regular payroll. These staff members are required to aid international adoption. Such an arrangement is better than hiring individuals who only work in cooperation with the agency. An agency with international staff strength is bound to be more effective. This an important question to ask when dealing with an adoption agency, especially one that claims to be international in operation.

Another thing to consider when going in search of an adoption service is your budget. The whole process make a hole in your pocket, especially when you are not so buoyant financially. Depending on your pocket, your choice of service could vary. For those with a large budget, a private sector agency would be the best option. These agencies would help you research potential children available for adoption based on your criteria, however, the limitation to the use of such service is the price involved. Most families will not be able to afford such services in addition to adoption fees, travel costs, and other costs associated with adopting a child. A more budget-friendly option is the not-for-profit sources and social service agencies.

Nevertheless, whatever your budget and choice of adoption service, before opting for an adoption service, you will have to consider what you know about the agency. Where are they located and what service would they provide to you? Are they affiliated with government agencies, healthcare services or churches? The more that you know about the service, the better you can be prepared. To get first hand information on whatever service you want to use, you may have to first contact your state's licensing office to see if the agency's license is up to date. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) would be a good place to see if the agency has had any serious case files against it. You could also surf the Internet and make contacts with individuals who have used this particular agency's service in the past and hear what they think of it. You will find several chat rooms and news bulletin board that allow such communication and contacts.

Alternatively, you could request a list of previous clients from the agency itself, arrange to meet them and hear what they think of the agency and how satisfied they were with their service. No information is too much to protect you from the heartbreak that accompanies a failed adoption attempt.

In addition, an adoption agency should not mind telling you how they operate. You need to know what process they follow in connecting you with the baby you want to adopt. You have to know how the children and parents are selected and what you need to do to be qualified for the service. You also need to know what the agency does for legal matters. How involved do they want to be, legally? For instance, what happens when the birth mother decides to change her mind? Will the adoption agency handle the legal paperwork for you, or are they going to leave you to your fate. You have to know the roles of the birth parents in the whole process, to avoid interference from them when the adoption process is over. You deserve privacy and freedom with your adopted child, just like any other parent. You will also have to know where the babies are coming from and how they were gotten; to be sure it's completely legal.

You will need this, and much more information, to choose the right adoption service and to ensure that you will be getting an excellent service and a flawless and joyful adoption experienc

About the Author

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Adoption

Tags: adoption agency, Adoption General Information