I've been trying like mad to garner information from 2008 presidential candidates on adoption-related issues and where they stand, but have had no luck at all in getting direct answers to direct questions. Apparently today's political climate has campaigns wary of some alignments, and with me on this side of the world and HQs on the other I lack the opportunity to plop myself and my questions down in front of someone who would rather answer than have me taking up space, so, I'm left to glean what I can from harvests less focused.

Rudy Giulliani's campaign has done some adoption addressing recently, though, one that's... more

Jan Baker's post on family preservation prompted me to closely examine two stories in the news out of Britain today.

Both the article in the Telegraph and one in the Daily Mail focus on an increasing number of babies being removed from biological families, taken into care and made available for adoption.

Saying that there has been... more

Before I get into today's news topic, I'd like to take a page from Heather's blogstyle book and begin with a few statements in bold:

I AM FULLY IN FAVOR OF REFORMING ADOPTION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THE ADOPTION PROCESS THAT ARE DOWNRIGHT UNSAVORY. SOME ADOPTIONS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. IN ADOPTION, AS IN MOST THINGS, MONEY IS AT THE ROOT OF EVIL.

Now, I'll get to this story out of India titled, "The Business of Adoption".

This... more

A new movie out of India is taking on the adoption theme in true Bollywood fashion. With a hunchbacked, black-toothed ghoul of an orphanage director , babies and toddlers going to families while the older kids are forced to sleep on threadbare mats and eat "unappetising yellow rice", it's only cricket that can save the day.

Not A cricket. The game of cricket; the mind-numblingly boring pastime that works people in some parts of the world into a frenzy and apparently provides the a gateway to the better life.

A magic cricket bat, no little drama, a life lesson or two, and everyone lives happily... more

Although the US State Department has had an announcement of a suspension of Nepalese adoptions posted since mid-May, the news appears to just be getting around in some quarters.

Reporting that Nepal has suspended international adoptions, the Ministry of Children is quoted as saying, "“Child adoption from Nepal has been temporarily stopped... more

Jenna has brought our attention to the North Carolina news of House Bill 455 and even interviewed Roberta MacDonald, who is chairwoman of the North Carolina Adoption Reform Coalition.

Originally the bill would have allowed adult adoptees in North Carolina rights to their original birth certificate. After it became clear that the bill as written would probably not be passed modifications were made to the bill which as written now would allow a licensed adoption agency to contact a birth... more

The study from Duke University and Johns Hopkins on embryos I wrote about recently ... the one stating that only 22% of those with spare embryos would consider releasing any for adoption -- implantation into someone else -- and that thousands are left with nowhere to go ... is being looked at askance by the conservative, Bible-based group Focus on the Family.

The article, titled, "Pro-Lifers Need... more

Maine has become the sixth state in the nation to pass legislation allowing adult adoptees to access their original birth certificates. LD 10984 will become law on the 1st of January 2009.

For information on other states, and countries, where adoptees have rights to their birth information, see the OBC for Me site.

As mentioned yesterday on the International Adoption Blog, the fee increases for international adoption processes... more

Educating others in an effort to reform adoption goes far beyond teaching proper lingo and keeping the media honest. Sharing our hard-earned wisdom also means reaching out to others who may just be finding themselves thinking of putting a toe over into the adoption world as, as always, forearmed is forewarned.

Participating in forums like the one here on Adoption.com where newbies are free to browse information, ask questions and solicit comments is a great way to work toward people starting out on the right foot with... more

The first step toward real reforms in adoption is educating yourself, since the responsibility for ethical behavior is always, at its heart, a personal thing.

Since, however, adoption doesn't happen in a vacuum the road to deep and meaningful reform must pass through the entire community, and not only the adoption community.

Misinformation about adoption is rife in the world. Incorrect assumptions are made about every note of the triad chord and most of the details that are involved in the process of adopting. Birth parents, adoptive parents and adoptees are all cast... more