Foster Kid Adoptions

on May 14, 2009 at 2:32 PM

Madonna's having adoption drama. Why not adopt a foster kid right here?

Adoption is something that I can't stop thinking about. I'm not really ready for another child right now, but in my mind, I see myself with one more. When I think about pregnancy, I just don't think I can do it again. I love to see pregnant women and I remember what was totally amazing about it, but unfortunately I also remember how rough and tough pregnancy was on me.

When the thought of adoption comes to me though, I get overwhelmed, okay, turned off by the idea of going to another country to make it happen. Aren't there thousands of foster kids in this country? How come we don't hear more about them?

That's the same thing joaniet wants to know. She says that on TV all she hears about are Russian orphans.

Not that every single parentless child the world over doesn't deserve the love and security of a home--because they do--but really. Why is it that we almost never hear of any high-profile foster care adoptions right here in the US? Why don't we hear about any foster care adoptions? My theory is that perhaps American children in foster care (many of whom are African American) are older kids, or they are children with random family members who just may intervene.

vegaslilqt has another theory, however. "I think it has a lot to do with status," she says. It's not near as trendy for someone to say, "I took a child from foster care", as it is to say, "I saved this child from poverty in a Russian/Guatemalan/Chinese orphanage." Notice that we don't see any celebrities adopting from the foster care system, which is a shame because they have all of the resources in the world to help them! I think it's still much easier for them to "buy" a human being then to have their lives scrutinized by social services."

Hmmm.

Why do you think foster kid adoptions are not more publicized and encouraged?

Filed Under: child care

Comments (17)

little.knickers

on May 14, 2009 at 4:47 PM

I am a young mum and a full time social work student, when i've qualified, have worked for a few years and got my children through the first few years of school, I have every intention of fostering and possibly adopting.

It is so unfair that chance can mean a child is brought up in sub-standard care homes or in a detrimental family environment.

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MommyAddie

on May 14, 2009 at 4:59 PM

Most celebrities would not be able to adopt from foster care because their schedules and high profile would mean they couldn't be approved to be foster parents to begin with. In foster care adoptions confidentiality is most important and celebrities don't lead lives that would be compatible with that.

tharealty2

on May 14, 2009 at 5:16 PM

Celebrities can absolutely adopt, in fact their wealth makes it easier. To answer your question, I think the foster system as a whole is not publicized bc it is a mess too big for most people to fathom. There are not enough foster homes period, and of those even few appropriate foster home for any given child, and there are not enough workers to deal with the load, so children fall thru the cracks in so many different ways.

ajw05703

on May 14, 2009 at 5:35 PM

I was adopted as a baby. I know how fortunate I am. Unfortunately I am not in a financial postition to adopt or foster, (we only live in a two bedroom apartment) but I dream of doing it in my future. Those kids all deserve a better life.

mom2twobabes

on May 14, 2009 at 5:58 PM

To me, it doesnt matter where the child is adopted from......A child in need... is just that, a child in need! I couldnt care less where they are from.....

pjacademy

on May 14, 2009 at 6:29 PM

We are working on our 2nd adoption from India.

Kids in the US are usually considered "hard to place" sometimes because they are older or AA OR because they come with A LOT of baggage (so to speak).

We looked at the photolistings and there are some MAJOR issues being dealt with in the states.

Another reason we chose International we didn't want to foster we wanted to adopt and foster parents get to chose first. We were told we would have a hard time finding foster parents willing to give "their" kids up for adoption in the age range (keeping our birth order) we were looking at.

3gifts.from.god

on May 14, 2009 at 9:19 PM

I am in the middle of the fost to adopt drama, and I am pretty sure I know why celebrities don't ever adopt from the foster system. No agency in thier right mind would approve a celebrity as a fost adopt home. There is way too much publicity with celebrity adoptions, and confidentiality laws would too easily be broken under that kind of scrutiny. All that attention and drama would be awful for the poor kid who has already been through so much.

mommyheymommy

on May 14, 2009 at 9:37 PM

These types of questions make me so flippin mad!! As long as folks are helping kids that need families, why does it make so much difference regarding their country of birth. How dare we be critical, ecspecially if we have never adopted even ONE child in need??? There are celebs that adopt from the US if you care enough to research it before you start being critical! To name a few...Rosie O'Donnell, Steven Speilburg, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise, Michelle Pfieffer, Kirk Cameron...

I don't even know why we would waste time raking folks over the coals about something like this. If you want to adopt a child that needs parents...KUDOS!!! Who cares their country of birth! We are all citizens of this tiny planet, and we all need love!

on May 14, 2009 at 9:40 PM

btw...there are MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of kids around the WORLD that need familiesn (and that includes the thousands here in the US). Let's see some articles encouraging adoption and love without boundaries!!!!

Azanne

on May 14, 2009 at 9:46 PM

I would love to be a foster mother when I get older. I would also consider adopting these children if the oppurtunity presented itself. Espcially adopting the older ones who feel that no one wants them anymore.