Adoption 101: Ethiopia Adoption Program
Survey for U.S. Adoption Service Providers Placing Children from Ethiopia
The number of adoptions and the number of service providers in Ethiopia has greatly increased in the last few years, and uncertainty about existing laws and inconsistent policy among various agencies has caused confusion within the adoption community. Ethica receives numerous requests for information about agency practices in Ethiopia.
In the interest of advancing transparency in adoptions in Ethiopia, in February 2010, Ethica invited the 24 U.S. agencies that are licensed by the Ethiopian Government to provide information about their Ethiopia program by taking part in a survey. Agencies were asked to complete all or any portion that they wished of a series of questions about their Ethiopian adoption program. The deadline to provide responses was extended to March 25, 2010.
Ethica thanks those Adoption Service Providers who took the time to respond to the survey. Ethica also thanks our volunteer, Andrea, for her tremendous effort in administering the survey. Survey responses (.pdf) are listed below by agency name and responses are published as submitted.
- Adoption Advocates International
- All God’s Children International
- America World Adoption Association
- Bethany Christian Services
- Celebrate Children, Intl
- Children’s Home Society and Family Services
- Children’s Hope International
- Children’s House International
- WACAP
- Wide Horizons for Children
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What does Ethica plan to do with this information other than make it public?
The biggest issue I see in looking very quickly at these responses is the variety of "definitions" of what "ethical" ,means in adoption. This to me is the root of the issue and must be addressed. Without a definition – a clear descriptive list of specific guidelines required in order for an adoption to be ethical, it's all meaningless self-promotion, like a food product calling itself "healthy."
Any adoption business – even agencies such WACAP who placed Artyem with Tory Hansen, or Bethany Christian which support crisis pregnancy centers that offer only one option to expectant mothers – can, and do claim to be ethical.
Is there an agency who would say we're not ethical?
It is incumbent to define what constitutes ethical practice, and that definition needs to go far beyond assuring transparency and accountability of funds being exchanged in exchange for children.
For many of us, true ethical adoption cannot co0exist with any payments exchanging hands, other than basic filing fees. Any fees to support businesses reliant on the redistribution of children is too easily corruptible and reliant on coercive tactics to ensure the adoption takes place and the fee is secured.
Towards this end, I encourage all to read:
http://familypreservation.blogspot.com/2010/06/ca…
Mirah Riben, "The Stork Market: America's Multi-Billion Dollar Unregulated Adoption Industry"