This is a well-written and balanced article on the complex topic of adoption dissolution.  It doesn’t – and maybe can’t – delve deeply into the nuances of the issues. Likely, there are too many privacy and legal issues to untangle many of those nuances in just one article.

Organizations like Second Chance Adoptions (mentioned in the article) are providing a needed service and it seems that sharing the profile information on the waiting children is how they will most likely attract new potential families. The information shared publicly is always positive about the child, although if you know what you are looking for you can read between the lines. The practice is not without its critics, however. It should be noted that sharing these public profiles is considered best practice in foster care as well.

No matter how balanced this article attempts to be, discussions of adoption dissolution always leave us here at Creating a Family with a feeling of frustration, in addition to sadness. It feels as if people point to the second chance adoption as the problem when in fact, we think the main problem is:

  • we need to do a better job of weeding out families who should not adopt those children who have experienced deep trauma, and
  • we need to do a better job preparing families for these adoptions and in supporting them after they adopt.

This is the essence of why Creating a Family exists.

The full article is an interesting read and worth your time if the topic interests you like it does us.