INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC CHILD ADOPTION LAWS, PROCEDURES, STATISTICS, AND EFFECTS ON ADOPTEES AND ADOPTIVE PARENTS

Child adoption laws, procedure and duration for finalization of adoption vary between and within countries, and adoption agencies. There are different types of adoption. Birth and adoptive parents have various reasons for choosing adoption. Information on adoption were accessed from documents and websites of adoption agencies and government departments in charge of adoption in the different regions of the world research articles and in-depth interview of social workers. Reasons for adoption include voluntary relinquishment by birth parent who feel unable to adequately take care of the child, gender preference, societal stigma of single parenthood, death of parents, removal of children from their homes by Government Social Services as a result of maltreatment by their biological parents and one child policy in China when it existed. Other reasons are infertility, empty nest syndrome, to avoid passing on inheritable diseases to birth child, or out of health concerns relating to pregnancy and childbirth. Adoption can be domestic or international closed (confidential), open or semi-open private or public agency newborn or embryo adoption. Generally, adoption procedure includes the dossier or paperwork, home study, referral and court hearing. Most countries permit couples to adopt, but do not permit single individuals because of the need for a mother and a father figure. Some countries, however, allow single adults to adopt same sex children. Some countries have age limits and minimum standards of education, financial capability and health status for adoptive parents. Adoption fees also vary widely. It may be free or cost a lot of money. Some transracial and international adoptees feel less integrated into their families, including difficulties associated with the lack of resemblance to their adoptive parents, resulting in low self-esteem. However, a series of meta-analyses found no difference in self-esteem between adoptees and non-adopted comparisons.Prospective adoptive parents should find out about the adoption laws and procedures for the country of origin of their proposed adoptive child.