Different Adoption Practices

There are three general adoption categories. These are private adoption, public
adoption, and international adoption.

What is a public adoption?

Public adoption is a type of adoption wherein a natural parent puts up his or
her child for adoption through the use of a public agency. Alternatively, the government
may also take away custody of a child for his or her natural parents, especially
when the parents are incapacitated physically or mentally. Because of the circumstances
that surround the public adoption process, the children here often have many unresolved
emotional and mental problems. Most children in the public adoption process are
also older than those available in the private adoption process; about age five
and above.

What is a private adoption?

Private adoption is a type of adoption wherein a biological parent decides to
put up his or her child for adoption, but wants to retain influence over who the
adoptive parents are going to be. Private adoption is usually carried out through
personal advertisements. Prospective parents place an ad for a child, and the natural
parent can respond, making his or her choice based on the characteristics of the
potential adoptive parents. Private adoption is usually resorted to by teenage mothers
who do not have the capacity to support their own child. If this is the case, the
adoptive parents usually will take care of all the costs connected to the birth
and legal transfer of the child.

What is international adoption?

As the name implies, international adoption is a type of adoption wherein adoptive
parents find a child originally from another country. This type of adoption has
a strong humanitarian component, as many children outside the West lack adequate
food, clothing and shelter. While a bit more expensive than the other adoption modes,
more people are looking into it as time goes by.

Jeanette Pollock is a freelance author and website owner of
justadoptiontips.com.
Visit Jeanette's site to learn more about

adoption practices.

Why International Adoption?

Everyone has been touched by international adoption.

International Adoption is an amazing culmination of events. Adoption from countries like Russia, China, Guatemala, Ukraine and Kazakhstan all result in children and parents coming together to become a family with the help of an adoption agency or service.

Couples who feel “called” to adoption. Some struggle for years with infertility and treatments, many feel a burning desire to become ‘mom’ or ‘dad’ and others are drawn to the inspirational opportunity to provide for a child.

Each of us takes a slightly different path to adoption. Some a decisive journey, others a twisting path of growth and discovery and others an accidental visit to a web site.

Chinese adoption stories often mention an ancient proverb. "An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but never break."

Many people come to international adoption because of friends, acquaintances and coworkers. Many people's journey involves infertility. Some have an unexplained desire to adopt internationally. But all come with an open heart, ready for the unknown and full of love.

At a recent dinner at a Chinese restaurant with friends who had adopted from China, a new father made the observation that no matter what effort and energy went in to an international adoption, all children of foreign adoption are loved.

Whether a gay adoption, single adoption or a married couple, the more people that love you the better. And that is what adoption is; bringing people together to love each other.

John Wall is an adoptive father and the creator and webmaster of International Adoption Stories - http://www.internationaladoptionstories.com. The site features adoption information and stories as well as agency information from Russia, Kazakhstan, Guatemala and China. Including information on adoption costs and financing, medical and health advice, parenting tips and news.