Beyond Good Intentions: Reshaping Private Domestic Adoption Practices

As adoption professionals, we have witnessed the profound impact that ethical adoption practices can have on children, birth parents, and adoptive families. Conversely, we've also seen how unethical practices can result in lasting harm. For many years, we hesitated to address these concerns openly, fearing that they might overshadow the many positive outcomes that adoption can provide. However, progress requires honesty. If we want to protect the integrity of the adoption process, we have to begin by acknowledging where improvements are needed. 

That's why we created AdoptChange, an initiative born from the collective experiences and wisdom of adoptive parents, birth parents, adoptees, social workers, and attorneys. We're not just critical observers but active participants in the adoption community, driven by a shared vision of a more ethical, transparent, and compassionate domestic adoption landscape.

Our mission? To reshape private domestic adoption practices, moving beyond good intentions to create real, lasting change. Through education, advocacy, and transparency, AdoptChange is working toward a future where every adoption story represents informed and child-centered decisions. 

The High Stakes of Unethical Adoption Practices

The potential consequences of unethical practices in adoption are far-reaching and profound:

• • A child’s well-being may be compromised by decisions driven by profit rather than care.
  • Vulnerable expectant parents may be pressured or misinformed during one of the most significant moments of their lives.
  • Adoptive parents may unknowingly participate in a process that causes long-term harm.
  • Hopeful adoptive parents can be exploited through excessive fees or misleading promises.
  • Public trust in adoption can erode, reducing confidence in a system designed to protect children and families.

These issues affect not only individual families but also the broader perception of adoption as a compassionate and trustworthy process. Addressing them is essential to preserving adoption’s role as a viable pregnancy choice for expectant parents and a path to family building for adoptive parents.

Our Core Objectives

1. Combat Unethical Practices

• Eliminate unlicensed and unregulated adoption brokers in private domestic adoption.

2. Enhance Transparency

• Facilitate access to ethical adoption agencies and attorneys for expectant mothers and adoptive parents. 

3. Drive Legal Reforms

Advocate for federal and state legislation that: 

• • Prohibits unlicensed adoption brokers
  • Ensures that adoption providers are licensed where services are offered
  • Provides adequate safeguards for placing and adoptive parents

4. Elevate Industry Standards

Promote best practices among adoption providers through comprehensive education, focusing on: 

• • Separate legal representation for placing parents
  • Fair and transparent fee structures
  • Informed consent re post-adoption contact
  • Comprehensive post-placement support

By pursuing these objectives, AdoptChange aims to create a more ethical, transparent, and supportive environment for all those involved in the domestic adoption process.

A Solutions-Based Approach

AdoptChange takes a proactive stance in addressing challenges within domestic private adoption by offering practical solutions and resources:

Transparency: Adoption Provider Search Tool

We developed the Adoption Provider Search Tool, a comprehensive database of over 1,000 licensed and unlicensed adoption providers nationwide. This searchable resource offers crucial information about providers, including location, licensure status, corporate status, website domains, and leadership details.

Education: State Law Overviews

Our interactive state law maps offer visual guides on various adoption-related topics, including:

• • Unlicensed adoption intermediaries
  • Adoption advertising regulations
  • Post-adoption contact agreements
  • Dual representation policies
  • Adoption consent and revocation laws
  • Putative Father Registries
  • Adoption agency licensing requirements

Legislative Reform: State and Federal Legislation

We are advocating for legislative improvements at both the federal and state levels:

Federal Initiatives:

• Prohibiting unlicensed adoption brokers and deceptive advertising
  
• Federal collection of private, non-identifying adoption data

State-Level Engagement:

• Organize working groups to create comprehensive, stakeholder-driven advocacy plans, including enforcement
• Support stakeholders in amending and/or enacting state adoption laws. 
• Educate judicial officers and child welfare agencies regarding ethical adoption practices,

Join the Movement for Change!

We invite you to support our mission for ethical adoption practices. Whether you're an adoptive parent, a birth parent, an adoptee, or someone who cares about adoption, your voice and support can make a difference.

Visit our Take Action page to learn how you can participate in this effort. Adoption is a life-altering journey; together, we can work towards a future where every adoption is guided by compassion, transparency, and unwavering ethical standards.