Way too strict

I don't have that much experience with adoption. I do know that the guidelines are very strict, and I can appreciate why they are, because a child's welfare is at stake. In fact, I wish it was possible to put stricter guidelines in place for people to raise their own natural children. You have to get a license to drive a car, but any fool with functioning reproductive organs can have a child! I think that there are so many children out there who need someone to love them, that maybe you are right about all of the hoops a prospective adoptive parent must jump through. Maybe there could be some kind of compromise situation, where an adoptive parent starts as a foster parent of sorts to the child, where there would still be greater controls in place to monitor and to take the child back if needed. Whatever will get children into truly loving homes has to be good, right? But then you hear one story about an adoptive parent who abused the child and it's easy to wonder if even the superstrict guidelines are strict enough. The welfare of the child is what's important.

Hmmm... Going overboard? Sounds like something the goverment would do. Yea I know its a short response but its that simple. They overdo everything.

As I was growing up my neighbors adopted 2 kids... the process was long.... one of the boys is now 21-22 while the other is just 14 or 15. So there was a long gap in between. Of course they never looked back and said that is was hard because they love them with all their hearts but it was a long hard process. I remember when they came home. It was over 2 years after the first set of papers... but they had told me that they waited that long because they were adopting babies. Maybe if you are just wanting a kid of any kind it would be shorter. One may never know. Are you doing it or something?

I feel the same about it as you do As it should be all the Checks done and then the Visits and that should be it I guess if they are a bit suspicious then yes do further Checks

I completely agree!!!!! Why are they SO strict on the families who WANT a child, yet there are no stipulations for the people who are irresponsibly having children and tossing them away.

I agree. We have friends that have been going through the adoption process for 3 years now (they will actually be bringing home 2 kids in a couple of months). It'sinsane how many hoops they have to jump through to do it. It makes you wonder how many people just give up after a certain amount of time. Is it any wonde we have so many kids looking for a permanent home?

I am all for being strict, it is the expense of it all that concerns me. If you don't make at least 100,00/year you probably don't have a shot. I understand kids need financial security but middle class people should have a shot as well. You don't have to be rich to be a good parent.

I don't know what things are like in the United States, but here in Australia it is almost impossible to adopt a healthy baby. A major part of the problem is that there aren't many babies put out for adoption any more. They are murdered before they are born. Because there are so few healthy babies available, it seems natural that the most suitable parents be found for them. With so many abusers in society today, the strict process of application seems in order. I am thankful for the five wonderful sons I had, but if I had not been able to have children, I would have endured as much as necessary to be able to adopt, and would have been thankful for the strict measures in place.

hi you know they just want to make sure the kids are going to good homes and stuff. they are just doing there job. but you are right, the procedure should not be sooo strict - as maybe due to that some couples might even change their minds - which would be awful. i really admire those who adopt.

I understand that is a long, hard process to adopt a child here in the USA. I wish that it were that long and hard of a process for someone to have a baby the natural way, lol! I mean, if only everyone had to have some kind of a parenting test before they were allowed to conceive, the world would be a much better place. I feel that society would be so much better off! So why we place such strict rules and regulations on adopting but not on bringing a child _into_ this world, I sure don't know. *laugh* THe number of inept or just plain not ready to be a parent families that are out there who don't realy have the time or care to give to their kids that is really needed is just sad, and has lead to a lot of the rude and ill-mannered kids around.

I don't really know anything about this topic, but if they do all of that work, it must be for a good reason. They don't want to be giving a child to just anyone. They also probably want to see if the couple will go through all of that trouble for the child.

No its not fare to put works on children we adopt.

I too would like our laws to have some common sense. If a family would like to open their home and adopt a child then I think they should be given the chance to adopt. Red tape can protect our children but it can also be a terrible waste of time. Protect our children, love our children. I am sure it can be done.

Maybe that is why, here in India, which have a population of more than a billion, and highest rate of childbirth, only 2000-3000 children are adopted anually. It feels so wrong.

I think that it must be strict. There is so much going on to inocent children, that they must be so very careful. However I think the fee is way off the charts. I don't think there should be prices put on this. It's like shopping for something. They are humans, in need of a loving home. All that should be done is a complete and intricate investigation of the parents to be.

I agree that the strictness puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on those innocent people who genuinely want children, but sadly there are still enough cases of abuse that this kind of screening is necessary. I don't likt it, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Two visits enough????????? I dont agree with you at all!!! Do you know how many crimes are commited by the realtives or maids of the victim? If a person cannot judge their relatives or maid who have stayed with them for years.. how can you expect people to judge unknowns in 2 visits. I totally agree with strict rules for adoption.

I believe it is fair, if you really want children then you will go through the work and stress because you know that they really want the child and are willing to care for it that is why they went through all the papers and work and stress because they indeed want a child along with the stress and work that comes with it.

I think they are strict for a reason, to make sure the right parents will come around to take in these kids. The rules are there mainly for saftey purposes, nothing more.

A child's life is at stake. I would walk through broken glass to be sure that child will be taken care of in the correct manner and that the child is going to a good envirment and place to grow up safe. If that takes a lot of jumping through hoops it's worth it in the end.