MD4

Learning Resources

Required Resources

International Adoption Statistics

• Web Article: “U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Administration for Children & Families: Adoption Statistics”
  https://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/statistics/adoption.cfm#inter

• Web Article: “Total Adoptions to the United States”
  http://adoption.state.gov/about_us/statistics.php

Creating Policies and Regulations around International Adoptions

• Web Article: “UNICEF’s Position on Inter-country Adoptions”
  http://www.unicef.org/media/media_41118.html

• Web Article: “What is the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption”
  http://adoption.about.com/od/international/f/whathague.htm

Outcomes of International Policies and Regulations

• Web Article: “To Adopt, Please Press Hold”
  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/fashion/05adopt.html?pagewanted=all

• Web Article: “Guatemala Seeks to Slow Exodus of Babies to the United States”
  http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/10/03/guatemala.adoption/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

Understanding and Supporting Children’s Psychological Health

• Web Article: “Issues in International Adoptions”
  http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=10066&cn=11

• Web Article: “Key messages from research. The importance of attachment in the lives of foster children”. Retrieved from: http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/docswr/_assets/main/documents/research_attachment.pdf

• Web Article: “What is the Primal Wound? Understanding the Trauma of Infant-Maternal Separation” Retrieved from:
  http://www.healingresources.info/article_axness1.htm
  

Optional Resources

• Web Article: “Families Without Borders. (2003). UNICEF, Guatemalan adoption, and the best interests of the child: An informative study”. Retrieved from:
  http://poundpuplegacy.org/files/FWBstudyGuatemala.pdf

• Web Article: “Diversity and Public Policy Related to the Special Case of Intercountry Adoption”. Retrieved from:
  http://www.forumonpublicpolicy.com/archive07/miller-loessi.pdf

• Web Article: “Things That Can Go Wrong in Adoption: Unknown/Unexpected Health Conditions”. Retrieved from:
  http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=10065&cn=11

International Adoption: Strategies and Challenges

Adopting children from countries outside the United States has become an increasingly complex, cumbersome process for United States citizens, as new policies and regulations designed to address historical abuses to adoption practice have been implemented. The complexity of issues surrounding international adoption is further marked by its catalysts, including the prevalence of adoption practices in countries fraught with poor health and hygiene, poverty, and malnutrition. Further, adoption itself can present challenges for the child and his/her family, as issues of language, health, culture, and attachment can be very complex.

The articles and video in this module’s Learning Resources present an overview of present day adoption statistics, policies and regulations recently enacted around international adoptions, the outcomes of these policies and regulations, and challenges of language, health, culture, and attachment associated with adoption.

After reviewing each of these Module’s resources, consider the following:

• The potential impact of the drop in international adoptions, both within the United States and within poverty stricken countries
• The roles that UNICEF and the Hague Convention have played in international adoption today, and the impact of new policies and regulations on international adoption
• Challenges in the areas of language, health, culture, and attachment and their potential influence on children’s healthy development and well-being

By Day 7 of Week 10:

Post your response to at least three of the following:

• Your perspective on the state of international adoption today
• Your view of the complexities involved in international adoption practices, both historically and today
• Your perspective of how international adoption practices can impact children’s healthy development and well-being
• Your thinking, as a global citizen and early childhood advocate, about what we must consider with regard to limiting adoption and the ramifications on poverty-stricken countries, families, and children
• Why this information is relevant to your role as a child development professional