Imagine not understanding what you are doing, not even fully knowing who is coming to get you, and where you are going is a mystery in itself. These are all thoughts and questions that might run through a childs mind who is being adopted by a family that lives in a different country. This is an international adoption, and it can be controversial in the U. S along with other countries for different reasons. International adoption has gone throughout history adjusting as it has to, but it’s not the only thing that has changed both what the parents go through and the children adapting have evolved as time goes on too.
No matter how much is done to make this process easier there are always challenges that remain to face everyone affiliated with the process. A major part of everything is the history of it, none the less this affects international adoption too. One item the history revolves around majorly is disaster, natural or man-made. This is shown by Wilkinson in one situation where “The World Wars produced many homeless children in Europe, who comprised more than 70% of all international adoptions in the US in 1957“ (174).
This relates to the statement history follows patterns by showing how many americans did follow what was going on in the world with their choice of country. It also is true in the case of the fall of the Soviet Union, that allowed for many more adoptions to happen out of Russia. The Korean War was another time that this was proven true from the start to the end of the war the number of orphans raised about 42,000 (Wilkinson 174). There is another factor that has affected where prospective parents adopt from. That is the reason for which the people are adopting.
The two main who go on with are humanitarian driven and for the point of making or expanding a family (Efrat ET AL. 616). Humanitarian usually lean towards the countries most in need, fulfilling some overall duty they feel like they are meant to do. While if it is completely for the reason of becoming or expanding a family, they are usually more deep in the research of what will work best (Efrat ET AL. 617). As history has a pattern that can differ, and with these patterns come the legal terms a family has to follow.
These terms are the overall legal process the prospective parents have to go through to eventually adopt a child. The number one thing that affects the parents is the overall cost of it all (Efrat 615). International adoption is not a cheap ordeal and it can be troublesome figuring out what they will do. After the money is sorted out, they start the process of making sure they are an acceptable applicant. A person or family have to meet five checks to even petition for adoption.
They are net strenuous to adhere, but “petitioners must be 1) a US citizen, by birth or through naturalization process; 2) 21 years of age, or 25 for a single parent; 3) free of criminal record; 4) financially stable; and 5) psychologically healthy and sound” (Wilkinson 181). When a person is planning on going through with international adoption they have had extensive research and would understand these are the points needed to be met. Once you have filed to go through with adoption there are more steps that have to be gone over. A social worker at some point in time will cover the hopeful families lifestyle.
Starting at the background, and going to the family relationships at the present. The workers have to view the stability of financials and marriage, if that is a factor in the certain case. Social workers will lastly look at the reasons for coming to international adoption as a choice, along with any preferences they might have towards the child (Wilkinson 181). What the hopeful candidates of adopting from another country have to go through are not the only steps in the midst of an international adoption, what the country has for laws along with what has to be done to guarantee the child meets the riteria are also focused on. Countries are always wanting to improve procedures for all parties (Crook 1). One major enforcement was what is called the Hague Convention, “the prevailing international agreement governing international adoption. The convention aims to increase transparency in international adoption and reduce the risk irregularities and abuse” (Efrat et al. 616).
This convention was ultimately set up for everyone in the involvement of the process, but may have pushed more away in the process. Overall the areas in which this is inforced has coincidently lower adoption rates (Efrat et al. 16). Despite the positive structures the Hague convention brings Efrat, from the Interdisciplinary Center, states that these hopeful parents pay more attention to the higher cost (619). For the better or the worse the only way the Hague Convention is relevant is if both countries involved have this as a process (Efrat et al. 620). Once both prospective parent and the country of choice are all figured out there are steps needed to be taken for the children’s sake. To allow a visa for a child to even get into the U. S. the agency involved must give U. S embassy documentary.
These paper must prove the child is a legal orphan, then and only then the process can be moved on with (Wilkinson 181). This is not the only change to come for international adoption certain cases bring up individual court cases for minor changes here and there (England and Wales 71). International Adoption sometimes can be lengthy to get through the first phases, but the hardships do not end there. Children, understandingly, can have hard times adapting to their new found country. No matter what age the child, leaving what they know is a stressful time.
All of these children will face some sort of changes not just physically, but emotionally as well (Wilkinson 176). Once they do get to their new home many more struggles come upon them. If a child is at the age before the adoption was able to talk, many times the language has changed. Not understanding what people are saying and others not understanding what is trying to be told can be very frustrating for everyone in the pathway. Notably after so long of trying to release feelings there is a breaking point for all.
More times than not the original country is a 3rd world country, being this way food supplies can sometimes be short resulting in malnutritioned children. Going from that to the U. S. , though not a bad thing, is still a huge new concept. Along with new food, how a family sleeps can be surprisingly diverse from other countries. In certain countries members may all sleep together, sometimes on the floor or a type of mat. Then going to U. S. , a child might be placed in their new room alone, unknowingly the new parents the new parents put the new member in a very uncomfortable position.
Fortunately all of these challenges can be overcome; however, there is one that can stick with ones self in some form the rest of their lives. This is grief, taken in all seperate ways can have the same negative effect. For those old enough the grief of leaving their birth family or country. Even for the ones who were babies that do not necessarily remember their birth family have why they were not good enough (Wilkinson 176-180). All of these factors weigh into how integrating into a new home and country flows. Some tougher than others, but in time will even itself out.
International Adoption does have history that seems to follow in the steps of what is going on it the world. As wonderful as it is creating new families, it can really be a tough time for the children transitioning to their new culture. This is a very viable choice for U. S adults to choose with going through a process to start a new chapter of a family, or to completely start off a family. It can be changed due to what is going on, and the regulations made in what has to be done in the journey. All in all International Adoption is something that has been there that helps parents, children, and even countries in need.