| How do you know if international adoption is for your | | | | number has been relatively stable for years, hovering |
| family? Well, there is no perfect definition of | | | | between 9,800 and 11,500 adoptions. |
| someone who would be a good potential adoptive | | | | That number will rise and while it won't skyrocket, |
| parent, but answering the questions will help clarify | | | | international adoption will continue to grow - slowly - |
| whether international child adoption is for you. It's not | | | | and become more common. It's not as difficult to do |
| for everyone. | | | | as it used to be; more countries now have the |
| If your reason for adopting a child, anywhere, is to | | | | mechanism to place abandoned children with families |
| rescue him or her, this is not a good enough reason. | | | | that want them, and our increasingly diverse society |
| If you are adopting a child to save your marriage, | | | | is more receptive to children who are from different |
| know that it usually only compounds the marital | | | | countries. |
| problems. If you are interested in adopting a child | | | | Orphanages worldwide are filled with children who |
| that has a certain IQ or learning capacity, no adoption | | | | need parents. There are at least 700,000 in |
| is not for you. | | | | orphanages in former Communist countries that need |
| But if you have a warm and mature love for children | | | | adoptive families. These figures do not include the |
| and have the desire and flexibility to love, accept, | | | | enormous numbers of children in Asian or Latin |
| and raise a child not born to you, international child | | | | American orphanages. |
| adoption could be you. If you are interested in | | | | There is a tremendous need for International |
| making a family, which would include an infant, | | | | adoptions and whilst it may not be the panacea for |
| toddler, or alder child, then international adoption is a | | | | all child welfare needs it certainly does assist on a |
| viable option. If you are interested in giving a future | | | | great number of instances. |
| to a child who otherwise might not have one, | | | | Hopefully the increased and raised profile International |
| international adoption could be for you. | | | | Adoption has had recently through the current set of |
| If you think international adoption is hard or near | | | | adoptions by the Rich and Famous will have some |
| impossible, just think of this: close to ten thousand | | | | positive effect and keep this much needed aspect of |
| children born outside of the United States are | | | | Social Child welfare in the public eye. |
| adopted each year by U.S. families. The annual | | | | |