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The adoption journey is a beautiful miracle, but many adoptions are riddled with devastating challenges when the proper precautions are not employed. It is imperative that prospective Adoptive Parents considering adoption are aware of and guard against the risks of adoptions. The top 5 risks associated with Adoption, according to the #1 Law Center accomplishing over 300 successful placements in 2009, include:

1. Agency Closing/Financial Loss - Making the financial commitment to adopt a baby is a huge step for Adoptive Parents. This investment can be a mistake if the wrong entity is employed. Today, the futures of many independent adoption agencies are wrought with uncertainty. Adoption agencies in the United States are finding themselves in dire financial circumstances and are closing in unprecedented numbers. In many cases, agency closings have been announced without any warning, leaving Adoptive Parents without the fees paid and with no hope of the agency ever completing their adoption. These desperate times have also led to lawsuits and criminal investigations, as some struggling agencies are now employing more desperate business practices just to stay afloat. Chuck Johnson, President and CEO of National Council for Adoption has stated, "I don't think anyone thought we'd see the number of closings that we have. We've heard of agencies still collecting fees from families and then announcing they're going out of business the next week." Many of the entities which have gone out of business have been smaller entities with a limited staff and limited advertising. For Adoptive Parents to guard against this risk, there are a number of factors to consider including: the size of the adoption entity, national reputation, strength of marketing presence, longevity in business and recent history of success. Another important factor to consider is the entity’s advertising presence. If evidence is found that the entity is making a significant investment in marketing and advertising, the likelihood of closing is significantly reduced because marketing and advertising efforts are some of the first budget items eliminated when an organization is in financial crisis.

   
   
   

2. Undisclosed Medical/Psychological or Health Challenges – There are many medical concerns to be aware of when adopting a child. Some adopted children suffer with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) as a result of events in their early life that may include neglect, abuse or substandard care. Due to these events, many children are unable to attach to a primary caregiver and go through the normal development that children must go through in order to function in relationships. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), international adoptees are usually underimmunized and are at increased risk for infections such as measles and hepatitis A, due to often-crowded living conditions, malnutrition, lack of clean water and exposure to endemic diseases that are not common in the United States. The CDC also states that the major challenges in health care regarding international adoptees include – absence of a medical history, unavailability of biological family history, questionable reliability of immunization records, variation in pre-adoption living standards, different disease epidemiology in countries of origin and increased risk for developmental delays. Ask your prospective adoption entity about what background

   
   
   

3. Birthparent Scams and Disruptions – Birthparent adoption scams are devised and employed by pregnant women intentionally to take money from desperate prospective Adoptive Parents. A disruption is the term used when a Birthmother decides to keep her baby after engaging in the adoption process. Some Birthmothers will engage in the adoption process for financial gain with no intention of ever placing their child. Some genuinely plan to place, but left without guidance and support, struggle with the final decision. Some can go to the extreme of promising their baby to several Adoptive Parents and will demand money for hospital bills, medical emergencies, rent, food, maternity clothes and other needs, from all. It can be easy for prospective Adoptive Parents to fall prey to these deceptions because they can’t help but lack objectivity and because they are not as sensitive to cues that reveal dishonest intentions. Birthparents looking to take advantage of Adoptive Parents are more likely to target Adoptive Parents who are not represented by a professional adoption entity which is why prospective Adoptive Parents need professional oversight to protect their interests. If highly experienced and trained professionals are not involved to screen backgrounds, evaluate and identify subtle Birthmother behaviors, prospective Adoptive Parents may be caught completely off guard and ultimately exhaust their finances for an adoption that will never happen. In both a Birthparent scam situation and in an unintentional disruption, the Adoptive Parents may not find out that the Birthmother has chosen to parent until they reach the hospital.

   
   
   

4. Failed Adoption – One of the most catastrophic risks of adoption is a failed adoption. This fear among prospective Adoptive Parents stems from the reality that there are cases wherein Birthparents have returned and reclaimed their children after the child has already been living in the Adoptive Parents’ home. Failed adoptions are most commonly the result of improper handling of the legal aspects of the adoption; rights have not been properly terminated and/or Birthfathers have not been pursued, located, informed and given the opportunity to exercise their rights. If both Birthparents’ rights are not terminated in strict compliance with the governing laws where the adoption is finalized, the adoption is not legal and binding and can be contested. The best way to guard against this risk is to hire a credible, experienced and successful law center that will work with you to develop the proper legal pathway.
   
   

5. Endless wait times - Prospective Adoptive Parents are quoted a vast minimum and maximum range when it comes to adoption wait times. There are multiple factors that contribute to adoption wait times and it can be distressing for prospective Adoptive Parents to wait years for an adoption opportunity, which often leads to anxiety, health concerns, and sleepless nights, ultimately impacting health and wellness. Ensuring that wait times do not mount into years of painful waiting begins with employing an adoption entity who successfully attracts Birthparents. Small agencies that do not make a significant investment in multiple forms of advertising and outreach are essentially waiting for Birthparents to walk through their doors. Larger entities with strong and widespread Birthparent marketing efforts and a substantial advertising presence will be more successful in attracting a larger number of Birthparents, which means these entities can provide reduced

Adoption Network Law Center is the largest law center, with approximately 50 employees, specializing in domestic newborn adoptions and they successfully accomplished over 300 adoptions in 2009. The entire team at Adoption Network Law Center is passionately committed to: Saving Babies. Building Families. Visit us at www.AdoptionNetwork.com or call us today at 1-800-FOR-ADOPT.