Where will adoptable American children go? (Amici dei Bambini wants to know.)
- The Evangelical Christian adoption movement: The orphan crisis that wasn't
- 16 on trial in Vietnam adoption scandal
- A Family for Every Child: International Adoption of American Children in the Netherlands
- Adopting new standards on adoption
- Adoption 'donations' encourage crime
- Adoption Myths, and Realities
- Adoption group is under shadow
- Adoption scandal has prompted only minor changes
- Adoption treaty sets up double standard in U.S.
- Adoption: Families urged to research, be patient
Good news for all concerned adopting Americans, looking to help less fortunate foreigners.... Amici dei Bambini (Italy) is going to help a growing number of very desperate people who want to be parents, and assist 'neglected and abandoned' children left to languish in horrific in-care conditions.
For those not familiar with Italy's version of "Friends of children", (not to be mistaken with the Seymour Kurtz adoption agency with a similar name), AiBi, established in 1986, is the initiative of a group of adoptive parents who saw the value and merits of adoption, as only one can when creating a not-for-profit service entity, specializing in adoption-services.
This group has ferociously advocated the virtues of international adoption and lobbied for the reopening of Romanian adoption-doors. PPL member Romanian-Reporter has posted quite a bit about this particular group of "friends".
Behold the way one determined foreign adoption agency views the American adoptable population -- children who need to be saved and rescued, through international adoption:
Over 65,000 children in foster care in the U.S. are placed in institutions or group homes, not in traditional foster homes. Neglect was reported for 54% of all children entering foster care by their parent or primary caregiver. Parental substance abuse was a circumstance present for 28% of the children entering care.
States spent a mere 1.2-1.3% of available federal funds on parent recruitment and training services even though 22% of children in foster care had adoption as their goal. Over 3 years is the average length of time a child waits to be adopted in foster care. Roughly 55% of these children have had 3 or more placements. An earlier study found that 33% of children had changed elementary schools 5 or more times, losing relationships and falling behind educationally.
[From: Adoption in the United States of America, February, 22. 2011 ]
Such sweet relief, for those adopters in America who wish to seek and save only 'worthy' children found in poverty-stricken lands. No longer will those advocating international adoption have to be bothered with the annoying stories about American children languishing in poor American care. Nope. Thanks to bold initiatives, American foster kids can look forward to the many fun changes foreigners with a future-plan will have for them. Ah, isn't it great to know so many will be looking at America's adoption market in a whole new light?
How a receiving country, like the USA, can become a sending country is beyond my comprehension, but I'm sure the adoption industry has a good rationale and reason for this major upset.
Perhaps the focus on infant adoption and support given to adoption agencies affiliated with Maternity (Home) Services can be shifted, for a little while, so the older American children put in a shabby care-system can get the attention, funding, and domestic familiarity they need. After all, if international adoption is going to be the answer and solution to poor, grossly negligent care-systems and failures in family-reunification, what is that telling each American child put in American foster-care?