June 23, 2014

Adoption News Roundup

Happy Monday! We hope you had a fabulous weekend.. Here’s a look at some of the adoption news that cropped up over the past week:

Did you know that the US is the highest adopter of Indian children? While there is controversy over the favoring of foreign families to national families, it has also been noted that US families tend to adopt more disabled Indian children than national families do.

Reuters published a pretty intriguing article about how US adoptees are finally winning rights by gaining increased access to their birth certificates. “Those who approved these laws didn’t think about what would happen when adopted children became adults. (They also) lied to birth mothers that they would forget their offspring. These are archaic laws that do not fit our society’s current social mores,” said Connecticut State Rep. David Alexander, an adoptee who helped draft language for the new law.”

…and it looks like those right are being extended to our friends abroad as well, as the Irish government is drafting legislation to give them more rights in terms of allowing them to seek information about their birth parents. “[Children’s Minister] Mr Flanagan wants to have an outline of the Adoption Information and Tracing Bill published before the Dail summer recess in late July. “I take the view that a person’s name and identity are fundamental rights. Everybody must be entitled in law to as much information as is possible,” Mr Flanagan told the Irish Independent.”

Tyree Grant: from foster care to a full college scholarship. What an unbelievably inspiring journey. Proof that when you really dedicate yourself – anything is possible.

This very proud aunt shares six things she’s learned about adoption through watching her sister’s experience and becoming an aunt to an 18-month old niece who joined her family through adoption. We see a lot of these features from people who have adopted themselves, but it’s very refreshing to see how someone who hasn’t adopted is impacted by adoption as well.

You are teaching your babies everyday…even if it doesn’t feel like it. Here are ten things you taught your baby today, courtesy of Parents magazine.