| The
complaint often heard from couples who have chosen to
adopt is that there aren't any children available.
That is only partially true. There is a tremendous
"shortage" of healthy white newborns
awaiting adoptive homes in the US. But
for the child looking for a family the prospects can
seem dismal. Children who are available in large
numbers do not often fit the description of the
sought-after-child. Most children who wait are called
"special needs" children. They are children
who possess some qualifying characteristic which sets
them apart from the "healthy white infant."
Many
of the children who wait are not waiting in the US for
their families. Many countries have allowed
inter-country adoption as an answer to the needs of
their waiting children. Inter-country adoption is an
effort to find HOMES for CHILDREN, and not children
for homes. These children are waiting for their most
basic need - that of a family. Their situation is
often desperate.
To
adopt a foreign child the process is just a little
complicated. First, contact a local agency who can do
your home study and is willing to network with an
inter-country agency for child placement. You must
satisfy the requirements of both agencies, as well as
the requirements of your state and those of the
country from which you wish to adopt. You must
complete a home study with your local agency.
After
the home study is completed you will wait for the
assignment of a child. Families who are the most
flexible tend to wait the shortest amount of time.
Those who are asking for children with special needs
move quickly.
With
the assignment made, you must file all the necessary
documents for Immigration and Naturalization Services.
Then you wait again until the child is cleared to
travel. Some countries require that the family travel
to that country for the adoption. Others allow the
child to be escorted to the US.
A
post-placement study is done according to the
requirements of your state. After this time the
adoption maybe finalized in court (made legally
final.) After the adoption is finalized your child may
become an American citizen.
The
placement process can take from a few months (in
miraculous cases) to two years. It depends on the
agency and the country. Costs can vary greatly, again
depending on the circumstances. Families do not
receive "discounts" if the child has a
medical need. The costs are for services rendered, and
not for "merchandise". There are some
programs that may help facilitate special needs
adoption, but one would have to ask the agency about
those programs.
Inter-country
adoption is an exciting adventure that clearly gives
as much to the adopting family as it does to the
child. It is a beautiful way to make a family. Many
thousands of happy families would agree.
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