Infant adoption, child adoption, domestic adoption - Home Study Preparation: Research Adoption Type

06/19/07

Home Study Preparation: Research Adoption Type

Posted by : Faith Allen in Hoping to Adopt Blog at 03:53 pm , 453 words, 198 views
Categories: Preparing for

Green and Red Leaves (c) Lynda Bernhardt

1. Learn all you can about the type of adoption you are seeking.

While a home study helps to educate you about the adoption process, it is a good idea to research the type of adoption you are seeking before you begin your home study. Each type of adoption has different issues to consider.

Older Child Adoption (Foster Care and International)

If you are adopting an older child, you will want to research the risks of adopting a child with reactive attachment disorder (RAD). Be sure that you feel equipped to handle the special needs associated with adopting a child with RAD before committing to the adoption.

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I know a couple who initially planned to adopt a three-year-old child out of foster care. The couple was matched with a child who had RAD, but this information was not included in the file. Fortunately, the hopeful adoptive parents had done their homework and were able to identify the warning signs of RAD. They had the child evaluated and, sure enough, the therapist found that this child’s behavior met the criteria for a RAD diagnosis.

This couple knew that they were not equipped to raise a child with RAD and declined the match. If they had not researched RAD ahead of time, they probably would have adopted a child who had special needs that they were not ready to handle. Be sure to protect yourself in the same way that this couple did.

Private Domestic Adoption

If you are pursuing a private domestic adoption, you should research the pros and cons of open, semi-open, and closed adoptions. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation about private adoption in the media.

Many hopeful adoptive parents assume that they want a closed adoption because that is all they have ever heard about. However, after researching the pros and cons for each adoption type, many couples conclude that more openness better meets their needs. Some couples might research all options and decide that closed is the best choice for them. Since closed adoptions are not as popular as they used to be, doing your homework can help you to better articulate your reasons for pursuing a closed adoption.

International Adoption

If you plan to pursue an international adoption, you will want to learn all you can about the country you have chosen. The laws affecting international adoption are often in flux, so you will want to educate yourself about any challenges that might be on the horizon by choosing to adopt out of a particular country.

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: Hazel06 [Member]

On RAD

I am not sure how this couple pegged their near match. From what I have read and researched RAD tends to not rear it's ugly head until The parents really get to know the child. In the absence of full disclosure, I am not sure i would recognize all the symptoms unless they were so overt as to not be able to miss them.

Permalink 06/19/07 @ 15:42

Comment from: Faith Allen [Member]

· http://hoping.adoptionblogs.com/

I think that in the case of this child, the symptoms were pretty apparent. Despite this, nothing was written in his profile. This couple was told that this information would not be included because it would kill any chances of the child being adopted.

I think this is a BIG mistake because people need to go into an adoption of a child w/RAD knowing what they are getting into. Not every person can handle parenting a child with RAD.

This couple went on to adopt a child without emotional issues, and they are so grateful that they waited for the right match for them.

- Faith

Permalink 06/19/07 @ 15:57

Comment from: miriam [Member]

· http://www.growingjwards.blogspot.com

It seems to me it would be as much for the protection of the child to include the possible RAD tendencies (if there hasn't been time for a full diagnosis) in the file.

I honestly don't understand a system that would sell children short in this way. Why not include the possible diagnosis but also offer courses in how to maximize life opportunities and live well with a child facing that challenge?

This kind of falsifying is absolutely scaring people away from the domestic system, and for good reason.

Permalink 06/19/07 @ 20:44

Comment from: Faith Allen [Member]

· http://hoping.adoptionblogs.com/

I completely agree, as does this couple. This experience DID scare them away from adopting out of foster care. They signed with a facilitator and adopted a newborn about a year later.

Nothing good comes from matching up a child with series issues with a couple who don't know what they are getting into. Yes, it might take longer to find this child a home with a RAD diagnosis in his file, but better to wait for the RIGHT home than to find him a home faster that is the wrong fit. A disruption would only make things worse.

- Faith

Permalink 06/20/07 @ 05:06

Comment from: blessedbyadoption [Member]

I think the most important thing to do is to do your homework when adopting a child from the foster care system. While doing a slow transition with the child you hope to adopt go back and read Parenting the Hurt Child as well as Attaching in Adoption. Be on the look out for RADish symptoms and have more than one heart to heart with the foster parents who are parenting the child as well as those who have parented him/her during their foster care experience. I would also contact a psychologist who works with children in the system and get your own evaluation done. Most of it will be parent report and as long as the current foster parents are honest then you should get an accurate report. Also, slow transitions are key. You need to have many visits with this child including over night visits. They may tell you to stay close to home and not overwhelm the child with outings so they can trust learn to trust you before going out in a public setting, but you need to go to McDonald's, church, museum, etc. and see how the child interacts. Also, if you have pets, be in tune to how they react with the child and see how the child reacts to them as well.

There are signs of attachment disorders you can see early on in a child. It is important that couples be honest with themselves and take note of behaviors and ask themselves "can I really handle this if it never gets any better than this? before placement or before the adoption is final.

Permalink 06/20/07 @ 17:10

Comment from: Faith Allen [Member]

· http://hoping.adoptionblogs.com/

Thank you so much for that information. It should be very helpful to anyone considering adopting out of foster care.

The couple I mentioned was in the process of doing the slow transition when they noticed the red flags. Thank goodness that did not just dive right in.

- Faith

Permalink 06/20/07 @ 17:28

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