The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute is once again getting ready to honor Americans who qualify to be identified as 'Angels in Adoption', congressional constituents who have "... enriched the lives of foster children and orphans".

First, a bit about the CCAI for those not familiar with the organization:

Formed in 1985, it's a bipartisan caucus made up of members of Congress who are, "dedicated to improving adoption policy and practice, and to focusing public attention on the advantages of adoption."

Directors now are Senator Larry Craig,... more

A bit of celebrity adoption news starts the week.

Madonna's family is reported to be coming up to the time of home visits from Malawian adoption inspectors, according the the UK tabloid The Sun.

As par for the Sun's slippery course, they are quoting unnamed sources as saying, "This home study is a big deal -- and Madonna and Guy have been absolutely dreading it."

Oh, fercryinoutloud ...

And ... more

There's celebrating in Maine this weekend as access to original birth certificates becomes law in January, 2009 after a three-year effort by OBC for ME (Original Birth Certificates for Maine).

Maine will be the eighth state to give adoptees access to the information.

Birth mothers are the focus of this article from Minneapolis.

With stories of reunions and lifetimes of... more

There's a fight on in Washington over the State Children's Health Insurance Bill that readers might want to think about weighing in on. (The White House E-mail address: comments@whitehouse.gov)

My first thoughts in reading about the bill ... its benefits and its costs ... run toward an issue near and dear to many hearts here. It's not only children in general and their necessary health care I'm thinking of -- vital, no doubt, as it's far beyond the time in America when any child should suffer for lack of sufficient heath care -- but how much potential difference the peace of mind an assurance of access to proper medical might make to women... more

The good news starts at home today, right here at Adoption.com, as a story of teddy bears and waiting kids accounts for more than 1,100 of 50,000 of the cuddly friends made in "Build-a-Bear" workshops that Adoption.com obtained for local and international distribution. Hugs all around.

Christian music star and adoptee Mark Schultz has raised a quarter of a million dollars for orphans through his Across... more

“There is a general lack of understanding, capacity, resources, will and clarity surrounding the procedures and responsibilities of agencies in each sector.”

Child trafficking is of great concern to the country at issue in the news I'm writing about today from which the quote above was made and where the top five "source countries for trafficked children" are identified as China, Nigeria, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Eritrea, and the children once trafficked in are said to be forced to work in "cannabis factories, beg on the streets, turned into domestic “slaves” and... more

Lots of adoption information in the news today, some specific to countries while some relates to a wider spectrum touching adoption; information great and small, so to speak.

Starting with a website for international adoptive parents who would like their children to maintain or re-establish relationships with un-adopted siblings in birth countries.

"Save Orphaned Siblings" encourages " ... adoption when appropriate, but also work to raise awareness about the plight of orphaned siblings and how to create alternatives to adoption in order to foster sibling relationships, when adoption is not feasible."... more

This is by no means new news, but since we've been focusing here on some of the negative messages about adoption that roll around in the world, it seems a good time to relate an inspirational tale ... a true story of kismet and success in epic proportions.

Sometime during the summer of 1954, a college graduate student in California learned that she was pregnant. Not yet married to the father, also a grad student, an adoption plan was made.

Given the importance of education to these two, the mother was determined that her baby would go to an educated family ... college graduates, at least ... and she was matched with a lawyer and his wife.

The baby was born on the 24th... more

Continued from here.

I can easily recall the first early and tentative steps in my adoption journey and fully understand the potential impact slanderous allegations, vindictive accusations and well-rehearsed smear tactics can have on a tender, hopeful heart longing for nothing more than to love a child.

Prospective adoptive parents at the beginning of their path may feel compelled to give up before they start when suddenly and surprisingly brought virtually face to face with someone screaming, "Any child is better off dead than adopted!", and insisting that adopted children grow... more

From here ...

Often in the quest to educate themselves early in the adoption process, people come across points of view that seem to suggest that adoption itself is inherently a bad thing. This may present in the form of isolated cases of abuse by adoptive parents being extrapolated out to the nth degree in an attempt to convey an illusion that these are widespread and common, insinuations that the adoption... more