Why do people, including celebrities adopt children in foreign countries instead of adopting in america?

December 4, 2009 by Adoption Information and Laws  
Filed under More Adoption Answers

Can you answer Leo’s question about Adoption?:

We have tons of children here that need a good home, but for someone reason celebrities and even people that are not well known, adopt children overseas in other countries. I feel like if you want to adopt a child and give it a great home, why don’t you get one from over in america. You can find a asian american child over her, just like you can find any other type. I assume they want to have children of different races but we have children that need homes here that are different races.

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Comments

9 Responses to “Why do people, including celebrities adopt children in foreign countries instead of adopting in america?”

  1. Nay07 on December 5th, 2009 3:03 am

    Adoption Feedback: its a lot easier as there are less guidelines to follow, its easier for same sex couples, single people and older people to get the opportunity.
    However i think that celebrities should improve the awareness o orphans in their own country as most of them fit the guidelines.

  2. chrisbrosnan1989 on December 5th, 2009 1:29 pm

    Adoption Feedback: I think the same about this issue (I’m not American, I’m British, but still I agree with your points 100%) and I find it very disturbing that there seems to be almost a trend setting by celebrities of adopting a foreign child as if they are something of an exotic accessory or novelty item, rather than a child. Yes, they give these children good homes and good lives, but as you say there are many children in their own countries who need a home and family too, and the ethnicity of the child in question shouldn’t matter.

  3. Sam on December 8th, 2009 5:06 am

    Adoption Feedback: aside from the regulations & rules being easier.

    kids in America are in foster homes. Maybe not the life of luxury but homes none the less.

    In many impoverished countries they are warehoused in understaffed, underfunded orphanages. If you saw 50-75 infants in one giant room together rocking themselves because they know that no one is there to rock them you would understand.

    Many celebs go to aid & help raise funds for these causes & see it first hand. It’s hard not to want to save a kid or two while you are there.

    Bottom line all the kids are in need of a family. The kids in the Ukraine & Africa are just as deserving of this as American kids.

  4. Erin L on December 10th, 2009 3:28 pm

    Adoption Feedback: This is such a commonly asked question and the answers are usually so inaccurate.

    1. Adopting internationally is NOT NOT NOT easier procedurally. You have to go through the same homestudy process as domestic adoption, PLUS meet the requirements of USCIS (U.S. immigration) AND the foreign government.

    2. There are actually not a lot of infants available for adoption in the U.S. There are a lot of older children available for adoption. They deserve advocating for, and they deserve families, but many people simply won’t consider adopting an older child, or they do consider it but don’t feel able to meet the needs of an older child. Right or wrong, many people want to adopt infants, so the availablility of infants internationally is a draw to international adoption.

    3. While there are many serious ethical considerations in international adoption, and parents need to take great pains to make sure they adopt ethically, I don’t accept the premise that children of any one nationality deserve a family more than any other.

    4. Please don’t take some celebrity adoptions, such as Madonna, as typical of international adoption. Don’t even get me started on her adoption! But it does make people who don’t have an understanding of international adoption think that people can just go somewhere and come back with a kid, hense the misconception that there are no rules and procedures for international adoption.

  5. Becca on December 12th, 2009 2:45 pm

    Adoption Feedback: Why not do a search here before asking this question. It has been asked many, many times before and ones like me that did adopt from another country are probably sick of repeating themselves.

  6. 7rin on December 14th, 2009 4:53 pm

    Adoption Feedback: Adopting in America WOULD BE adopting in a foreign country for some of us though. Not all of us are American, nor do all of us live in America.

  7. VoiceOfReason on December 17th, 2009 11:59 pm

    Adoption Feedback: Have you ever SEEN an African orphanage?? At least in America there are standards of care! The kids here are physically fine-fed/clothed etc.

  8. Lish on December 18th, 2009 6:22 am

    Adoption Feedback: Cos they are in vogue right now.

  9. Grace on December 20th, 2009 1:48 pm

    Adoption Feedback: i guess its just where ever you feel drawn to. I personally don’t think it matters where the child comes from, it will still be one less child without a home in the world.

    i hate it when people make those comments though, if you’re so concerned, why don’t you adopt a kid from america then?

    no offense to you though, as you are just asking a question, however I don’t think that there is a answer to it.

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