Comments on: Hard To Place Children & Questionable Agencies http://www.adoptionintegrity.com/2007/05/17/hard-to-place-children-questionable-agencies/ A collaborative blog advocating ethics in adoption Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:28:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Voices for Vietnam Adoption Integrity » Blog Archive » Artificial Twinning http://www.adoptionintegrity.com/2007/05/17/hard-to-place-children-questionable-agencies/#comment-15 Voices for Vietnam Adoption Integrity » Blog Archive » Artificial Twinning Tue, 22 May 2007 19:05:47 +0000 http://www.adoptionintegrity.com/2007/05/17/hard-to-place-children-questionable-agencies/#comment-15 [...] is bigger than the babies themselves. And then re-read my blog entry from the other day about Waiting Children & Unethical Agencies. If it looks too good to be true, it probably [...] [...] is bigger than the babies themselves. And then re-read my blog entry from the other day about Waiting Children & Unethical Agencies. If it looks too good to be true, it probably [...]

]]> By: Rachel http://www.adoptionintegrity.com/2007/05/17/hard-to-place-children-questionable-agencies/#comment-10 Rachel Thu, 17 May 2007 19:48:39 +0000 http://www.adoptionintegrity.com/2007/05/17/hard-to-place-children-questionable-agencies/#comment-10 Would I adopt a "hard to place" child uising a questionable agency? No. When I think of unethical practices two main scenarios come to mind (although I know there are many more)... 1. Bribes - to make paperwork move faster or to get people to turn a blind eye to unethical practices 2. Child-trafficking and/or coercion to supply the demand Scenario # 1...paperwork processing for older or special needs children are no different than a healthy infant girl. If an agency is relying on bribes to move paperwork, this is probably happening regardless of the age and health of the child. Scenario # 2...there are PAPs who want to adopt only older children and special needs children. Just because we see most parents requesting young, healthy babies does not mean there is not a demand for older children, too. Long story short, adopting an older or special needs child does not guarantee an ethical adoption. It would be incredibly difficult to say no to a child simply because they are being placed via a questionable agency. I am such a bleeding heart, especially when it comes to children. This is definitely a subject that can pit morals against ethics. From a moral standpoint do I want to give this child a home and family and love? Yes. Ethically should I? Probably not. But taking a step back and looking at the big picture, my morals side with keeping this whole process on the up and up and helping all the kids who would be left behind if the program shut down. So, no in my opinion there is never going to be a situation where using an unethical agency is OK. Would I adopt a “hard to place” child uising a questionable agency? No.

When I think of unethical practices two main scenarios come to mind (although I know there are many more)…
1. Bribes - to make paperwork move faster or to get people to turn a blind eye to unethical practices
2. Child-trafficking and/or coercion to supply the demand

Scenario # 1…paperwork processing for older or special needs children are no different than a healthy infant girl. If an agency is relying on bribes to move paperwork, this is probably happening regardless of the age and health of the child.

Scenario # 2…there are PAPs who want to adopt only older children and special needs children. Just because we see most parents requesting young, healthy babies does not mean there is not a demand for older children, too.

Long story short, adopting an older or special needs child does not guarantee an ethical adoption.

It would be incredibly difficult to say no to a child simply because they are being placed via a questionable agency. I am such a bleeding heart, especially when it comes to children. This is definitely a subject that can pit morals against ethics. From a moral standpoint do I want to give this child a home and family and love? Yes. Ethically should I? Probably not. But taking a step back and looking at the big picture, my morals side with keeping this whole process on the up and up and helping all the kids who would be left behind if the program shut down. So, no in my opinion there is never going to be a situation where using an unethical agency is OK.

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