Advances in communication technology driven by the constant presence of the Internet are transforming many aspects of our society. Although most perspective adoptive parents and birth parents do not consider the Internet as a source for locating a child to adopt, the Internet is becoming an increasingly prevalent factor in the adoption process – for better or for worse. While the Internet allows access to a broader geographical reach to parents wishing to adopt and birth mothers searching for a potential match, use of the web to facilitate an adoption can be a risky proposition without an experienced adoption attorney to advise you.
While most people have received an email from a Nigerian prince who would like the email recipient to “hold their money,” it may seem unimaginable that scam artists and shady adoption agencies would engage in scams that rip off parents who are trying to locate a child for adoption. However, many hopeful adoptive parents give thousands of dollars to shadowy online adoption agencies only to find that years pass without a successful adoption.
These scams are made worse by the fact that many adoption agencies run online are not licensed. These agencies may offer “incentives” to birth parents like offers to pay for a college education or a luxury apartment that make the adoption suspect. These types of enticements are illegal in many states so if you are a prospective adoptive parent in a state that does not allow such compensation, you will be at a distinct disadvantage when working with this type of online agency. These types of tactics also may constitute incentives during a difficult financial period for a birth mother which increases the risk that she may later have second thoughts.
A study published by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute discusses the way the increased presence of the Internet is changing the adoption process including the potential adverse impact and ethical concerns. An important potential issue is that birth mothers may not receive proper counseling regarding other options so that they can make informed decisions. An unethical online agency may push a birth parent to give up their child to prospective parents to collect a fee without the birth parent’s options being fully explored. This can lead to heartbreak and legal complications for both the birth mother and the prospective adoptive parents if the birth mother subsequently changes her mind.
The bottom line is that an ethical adoption professional will explore all options and may even be able to assist you in locating a child through online postings. However, a licensed attorney who practices adoption law will have a track record for focusing on positive outcomes for everyone involved instead of completing an “online e-bay transaction.” Wichita, KS adoption attorney Thomas C. McDowell has been practicing law for over two decades. We provide legal representation in agency, foreign and step-parent adoption. We invite you to contact us for an initial consultation so call us today at (316) 269-0746.
