Interview

I interviewed Sammi Spear on 3/20/09 at 2:30 pm in the Dining Commons. I wanted to interview her because I know she's adopted and I wanted to know here point of view on the adoption.
1. Do you remember being adopted?
No. She was adopted when she was born.
2.At what age were you told you were adopted?
At seven. She figured it out one day at her grandmothers house.
3.Do you mind telling people that you're adopted?
No, although she doesn't really tell people.
4.Did you have your name changed?
No.
5.Do you know your birth parents?
Yes.
6.Do you ever visit them?
No. She used to visit them at her grandmothers house. She wishes she could see them more.
7.Do you know the process of your adoption?
She was adopted through family. (family adoption)
8.Were you ever in foster care?
No.
9.How do you feel knowing you're adopted.
It doesn't bother her.
10.Do you know why you were put up for adoption?
She has no idea. She wishes she knew. She says that it's because her parents had no money at the time to care for her.

Response to statistics

I thought that many of the statisctis were very interesting. Especilly the one about mothers placeing thier children depending on how their own mother did in school. There wasn't anything on birth fathers, which to me isn't very surprising...I felt that finding these helped with my final reserch and finding numers to support my research.

Article #11 statistics

I found some statistics that I thought were interesting.

• It is estimated that about 1 million children in the US live with adoptive parents. 2-4% of families include an adopted child.
• 33% of children from foster care are adopted by single parents.
• single parents adopting continues to increase
• most single parents adopting are female, and to adopt an older child who they haven't fostered.
• applicants are self-selective.
• tend to adopt children with special needs
• tend to have more difficulty completing adoptions. 39% making 3 or 4 attempts compared to 18% couples.
• adjustment for children with single parents is the same for children with a couple
• children in single parent homes had fewer problems then those in a couple home.
• 2% of unmarried women place their children up for adoption
• Women who voluntarily place their children up for adoption most likely have greater educational goals
• Adoption planning women often come from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and from intact families that support the adoption
• women whose mother had at least one year of college were 3 times as likely to put their children up for adoption than those whose mother didn't finish high school
• numbers on adoption dropped once abortion was legalized
  
• very few pregnant teens choose to place their children for adoption
• 51% give birth 35% abortions 14% miscarry, 1% place child for adoption
  

Response to the cost of adoption

I never realized just how expensive adopting was. The most you have to pay is 30,000+ for domestic adoption. Foreign expenses are a whole different ballpark. I never realized that a lot of minor stuff comes out of your very own pocket. Travel fees, hotel expenses, attorney expenses, donations, etc. I guess that I'd figured that insurance or somebody paid for most of it. If you adopt public domestic you might not have to pay anything, with the most being $2,500. Thankfully, there are systems that can lower the costs and even pay you back. It may not fully pay you back but every bit counts towards helping to raise your adopted child.

Article #10 the price of adoption.

I found a really great site listing the average prices of adoption. This site listed information for Maine adoptions and was very helpful.The prices they listed are as follows: the cost of a domestic public agency adoption zero to $2,500. A domestic private agency adoption: $4,00 to $30,000+ Domestic independent adoption: $8,000 to $30,000+ Inter country private agency or independent adoption: $7,000 to $25,000. Then
there was an estimation of specific adoption costs. These are a general range all depending on the type of adoption, the state the adoption occurred, whether there's a sliding scale fee depending on income, the country of origin of a foreign born child, the amount of subsidy available for adoption of special needs, tax credits available for reimbursement of adoption expenses, employer adoption benefits, and finally State reimbursement for non-recurring expenses for the adoption of a child with special needs.

Domestic Adoption Costs

	Low	High
Agency fees
Application fee	$100	$500
Home study and preparation services	$700	$2,500
Post-placement supervision	$200	$1,500
Parent physical (each parent)	$35	$150
Psychiatric evaluation (each parent; if required)	$250	$400
Attorney fees
Document preparation	$500	$2,000
Petition and court representation to finalize placement	$2,500	$12,000
Advertising	$500	$5,000
Birth parent expenses (Amount and type of expenses allowable for payment usually restricted by state law and subject to review by the court.
Medical expenses (prenatal, birth/delivery, postnatal for mother; perinatal care for child)	$0 (insurance)	$10,000 - $20,000 (depending on difficulty of the delivery, etc.)
Living expenses (rent, food, clothing, transportation, etc)	$500	$12,000
Legal representation	$500	$1,500
Counseling	$500	$2,000

There is also the cost of foreign adoption, where most of the expenses are paid out of pocket by the family adopting. These fees include: travel expenses, foreign agency placement fees, foreign attorney legal and placement fees, foster and medical care, use of translation and escort services, foreign court filing fee and document fees (birth certificate and adoption decree), the required "donation" to orphanage or agency and passport office fees. Thankfully, there are resources to help lower the cost of adoption. Things like a federal tax cut which is $5,000 for each child and $6,000 for children with special needs. A state tax cut for adopting domestic in that state. Adoption from the US public foster care system which allows parents who adopt for foster care to have the fees be minimum or even waived. Many of the children are eligible for federal or state-funded payments for meeting the child's needs. Some children even qualify for SSI to help pay for their medical needs. Adoption subsidy which is for children with special needs to help pay for their needs. These have to be negotiated before the adoption is finalized. Non-recurring adoption expense reimbursement. This is to pay for expenses after the adoption of a child with special needs has been finalized. This cannot exceed $2,000 and helps pay for travel costs, attorney expenses, home study fees, etc. Employer benefits, adoption loans, and finally adoption cancellation insurance which pays for expenses paid by prospective parents after the birth parent backed down from the adoption.

responce to new bill in Kentucky would prevent gay and lesbian adoption.

Reading this makes me mad and scared. Mad at the fact that people aren't allowing gay and lesbian couples to adopt. Also mad at the fact that this is how they target certain groups without making it seem as if they're prejudice. I never realized so many states already had laws like this put in place. It makes me sad to think of all the children that could go to good, loving homes of unmarried gay, lesbian, or straight couples; but sadly can't because of a law. I don't think people think of everyone when these laws are put into effect. Really shouldn't it be about the children and weather they are happy and their needs are meet rather than the thoughts that putting a child with and unmarried couple is wrong? It makes me scared to think that Maine could be next in making one of these laws.

detor article....new bill in Kentucky would prevent gay and lesbian adoption

I just read an article about a new bill in Kentucky that would prevent unmarried couples from adopting of fostering. There are apparently similar laws in Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, and Utah. People are saying that the law is an attack towards gays and lesbians. However lawmakers are saying that the law would also prevent unmarried heterosexual couples from adopting. The law however wouldn't remove children already in homes with an unmarried couple.