This went on the list after reading a blog post by Jen Hatmaker on orphan prevention. Her family has adopted two children from overseas and she learned a lot about what that means in reality. So many organizations are unsanctioned and doing some very backhanded and devastating practices. There are organizations that will pull children from dysfunctional homes, homes with single parents, or pay parents to give up their children, with or without the understanding that they will never see them again. These children are orphans, but not what they call true orphans, who are missing both parents. But even then many times these children have close relatives that could have taken these children in (and willingly) if they had been given the chance or notified, but they are shunted into the adoption channel. The statistics of numbers of orphans world wide is staggering and cannot be address with adopting only. If more time and resources were put towards orphan prevention, the problem could be more readily addressed. Orphan prevention can include working with families for reunification, funding and support for single parents, and extended family outreach.
This fall, I heard about an organization here in Bethel that works with children in foster care for that exact purpose. The CASA program (court appointed special advocate) assigns an adult to a child in need to monitor the progression through the court system. The main goal is always unification with the family if at all possible. If not, then a permanent placement with family. The last and final solution would be adoption by an outside family.
I have become a CASA volunteer and have learned so much about the system that works right here in town.
orignal blog post by Jen Hatmaker Examining Adoption Ethics: Part One
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