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Birth Families or Adoptive Families?: Accepting Adoption
| Article
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10296 |
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Section : |
CURRENT ISSUES
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| Issue
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12 / 1993 |
1,986 Words |
| Author
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Mary Beth Seader
Mary Beth Seader is vice president for policy and practice at
the National Council for Adoption, in Washington, D.C. |
The cases of Baby Jessica (the toddler returned to her biological parents after two and a half years with prospective adoptive parents), Gregory K. (the 11-year-old who "divorced" his biological parents as the only way to secure a stable, permanent family), and, to a lesser extent, Kimberly Mays (the teen "switched at birth" who sued to remain with the father who raised her) brought to public attention the current crisis in the child welfare system. Too often, the system treats children as property and ignores their basic emotional needs--needs that would enable them to become healthy, functioning human beings.
Public policy changes following this new public awareness can either bring long-overdue protection for children or spell disaster, depending on how deep and thorough the debate is about the complex issues involved in parental rights and child welfare. The major public policy concerns that must be addressed are (1) informed decision making in choosing a resolution to a problem pregnancy; (2) termination of parental rights of unknown, uninvolved, abusive, or negligent parents; and (3) child protection.
Adoption's Major Concerns
Make Informed Decisions concerning a Problem Pregnancy:
Provide professional counseling for birth mother, birth father, and adopting parent(s);
Make a legally binding decision about the child--with no squirm room;
Make that decision as soon as possible after birth.
Hold the Birth Father Accountable:
Set a definite time period for the birth father to step forward;
Make the birth father financially and legally responsible for his child.
Protect the Child:
Provide security against parental abuse, abandonment, or neglect;
Give rights to custodial parents if the state fails a child.
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