[p4pxa]

I know we all want to adopt a child for the right reasons and a child that is unwanted or unable to be cared for by the parent due to poverty is certainly a child that should be adopted. But what can one do to safeguard themselves from fraud or unacceptable practices that are appearing in the paper and on television regarding Guatemala adoption? I think there are many good agencies out there, but I am concerned about the questionable adoptions that are going on. I just want to know that I am not taking a baby that was wanted from a parent who may have been coerced due to poverty or other inappropriate reasons. If anyone has advice, please share it with me. I know there are many children who do need homes in Guatemala, I just want one of those children.

[saranbr]

I would suggest you research your agency VERY carefully. Have an open discussion with them about these issues, perhaps consider an abandonment case-- the kids are a bit older but my guess is that there may be a little less risk for corruption.

However....poverty is a very real issue and not an "unethical" reason for a birth mom to decide to give up her child for adoption. While a corrupt someone may take advantage of the situation, there will be many very legitimate cases of giving up due to poverty. That can only be expected in a poor nation without the social welfare system our country and other developed nations have to support unwed, poor birth mothers.

[Mary Mulcahy]

THe previous poster gave some good advice. I think the key is to research your agency and the attorney they are using along with facilitators. Here are some things I find unethical with Guatemalan adoptions:
1. Having the birth / first mother sign all documents at one time. This makes it very difficult for her to change her mind. I think its important for the birth/first mom to have an opportunity to change her mind at any time up to the final sign off.
2. Agencies and or attorneys that charge a higher fee for girls versus boys. This is just wrong.
3. Agencies, attorneys and or facilitators that make the birth/first mother pay back for medical fees and care for the child when they try to claim them or stop the adoption.
4. Any agency that makes unrealistic claims to families
5. Agencies that don't allow potential adoptive families to visit.
6. Agencies that promise a child to one family and then go on to try to double dip from another family. You remember the family that lost the twins.
7. Agencies, attorenys that ask for additional funds to speed things up or for medical care. AGencies and attorneys that do not pay or neglect to give foster families the needed supplies.
You know the list goes on. But if a family keeps working with an agency that does any of the above, they are promoting unethical adoptions and the closing of IA.
Mary, mom to two

[Guatmom2006]

Do your research as the posters have said above, but do remember that sensationalism sells. No one will deny that there possible unethical people working in the adoption business, everywhere, not just in Guatemala, but there are many more good and decent people who are doing it for the right reasons.

[TheDad]

As someone who does believe in absolute rights and wrongs, the entire adoption process - domestic and international - appears very relative at times. The Guatemalan adoptions are amazingly personal and warm for the child and parents yet are considered "old school" and susceptible to corruption by the UN and other groups.

I have been to the "new way" of adoption - orphanges - and the children, in general, are not treated as well as in Guatemalan foster homes. But it said that there is less chance for corruption with state run orphages and adoptions.

Most Americans are not orphanage-minded. We don't really have them domestically anymore. At least not in the way they are run overseas. Yet it has become the standard.

A few years back we tried to adopt a sick child from one of these UN sponsored child care facilities after meeting the little one while working overseas. There was so much red tape we were told to let it go by the orphange.

With the Guatemalan system adoptions are faster and really happen.

Are there problems with the Guat adoption proceess? I'm sure there are. Are they as widespread and as awful as the media has presented it lately? I don't know. I haven't seen it. And we poked around a bit.

What I do know is that there is always more to what you read in the papers.

Our family decided to pray together and agree that the direction we were taking was the right one. We didn't step forward until we really knew in our hearts. We know now for sure that we did the right thing.

I hope you find out what's best for your family.

This forum is a good place to do some research as well.

[CareBears82]

My friend and her DH did their homework on the agencies. They also chose a toddler that his mom had tried to raise him. She just could not afford it and chose to give him a better life in America. She had always dreamed of living in America and was extreamly happy knowing her son would get chances she never had.

[waitingpatiently]

I worried about the same ethical concerns until I read an article that there were 5,000 children on the street in 1999. Begging for money, prostituting, sniffing glue to take away their hunger pains, abused by corrupt police. I have supported a child since 1996 through a christian agency, he is the only one in his family of 5 children who goes to school.

I have come to the conclusion that wherever there is money involved; there is a good chance something in the system is corrupt! That's the way the world is. Hopefully we have gotten some of these kids off the streets!!!

[tybeemuffin]

You might want to consider using a Non-Profit agency. I would think that a Non-Profit would have no incentive to do an unethical adoption. Maybe that's being a little nieve, but it makes sense to me. I have a great agency that is non-profit. PM me if you would like the name.

Good luck with your decision!

[laura-jean]

It is hard and there are some adoption agencies, birth families, and attys etc. that are unethical. It is true.

Most are good and you can post a name of an atty or facilitator here and just ask for feedback and PM's good or bad. That will help you a lot. I suggest doing that.

I am sooooo glad there is talk here about orphanages on this thread. It is a great way to adopt. There are many children in orphanages that need homes too not just the newborns.

I was never offered and didn't know much about children in orphanages and the system of that type of adoption.

Pray and research and go with what fits your family and what you have peace about.

I have wonderful contacts if you need any.

Best Wishes,

Laura Jean

[Jonni]

Something to help put your mind at ease - every one of these adoption files is looked over AT LEAST THREE TIMES by the US Embassy and they have a chance to do a more thorough investigation at every one of those steps, and they often do. And that's just the US side! Even if an unethical attorney is at work, there's the entire Guatemalan process in place with multiple sign-offs, Family Court interviews, and PGN review to help ferret that out as well.

Jonni

[guatwis]

You've already received some great replies, and I also wanted to add another "safeguard" which has given me peace. We were able to meet both our childrens' birth moms, and that gave me a firm reasurrance that they had made the decision on their own. I know that meeting the birth mom isn't always possible, and seems to be quite rare with most agencies. But for us this was important, and I will be forever grateful to these women for their courage, and have an amazing treasure of video & photos of us with them and the children we share with them.

Our agency does run their own private orphanage, and it is not what you'd typically expect from an orphanage setting -- caregiver to child ratio of about 4-1, colorful murals on walls, beautiful bedding and decorations, CD boomboxes in every room playing soothing music, and they even have a birth mother program complete with housing and counselling and care before they give birth. I originally liked the idea of Guatemala because of foster care, but I wouldn't want it any other way for our children. For our family this worked best for us, and I am completely satisfied that our agency operates with honesty and a heart for the children AND their birth moms.

There are many good and ethical agencies out there, I guess you just have to know what questions to ask -- I might add that before adoption I was completely in the dark, did all the internet research, was still confused, and it's only by the grace of God that we came upon this agency!

Best wishes,
J.T.

[arthymom]

While waiting for our I-171H, we had many concerns and nearly pulled out of Guatemala.

I think that there are both ethical and unethical practices and it is hard to figure out what is really going on.

We considered an orphanage for a while. That may be a route for you to look into.

We are now at peace with our decision, but it took some time. Good luck soulsearching.