Overseas Adoption - natural disaster orphans?

[Trillian]

I know your heart is in the right place to want to do this, but there is a dire need of people willing to become foster carers for Australian kids too, if all the red tape prevents you from doing this

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Yep, we've been to the foster seminar and started getting all our ducks in a row - just waiting on our house to be built and then we're full speed ahead. I previously didn't feel I could take on a child above school age, which meant giving up work, but the last couple of years of thinking and maturing and hearing dreadful stories of abuse have changed me. So hopefully by this time next year we'll be foster parents!

[Nelle]

There's an adoption, Permanent care and foster care area on the forums Keike, that might be a good place to chat too. xo

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

You mean just like the one we're in now Nelle? :P

[Nelle]

No, the other one. *blush* I was on my phone and assumed this was in News maybe? Sorry! Hahaha.

[HotI]

I previously didn't feel I could take on a child above school age, which meant giving up work

I think they prefer one parent to be home for at least a year whatever the age of the child.

[onthefly]

oh, very ninja

I'm a bit uncomfortable with the idea of adopting crisis orphans - there's just too much moral hazard, you know?
It is extremely difficult to adopt in Aus though, I sure most potentials probably give up.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

I phrased that sentence wrong Kate, what I meant was a child that doesn't go to school requires a foster parent at home, whereas a child that goes to school - which is strongly encouraged by the department as it provides a sense of stability - does not require a foster parent to be always at home ITMS. I wanted a baby or toddler, which meant I had to give up work as per the dept's policies, but I don't have to for a school age child.

While I understand what you're saying M, I don't really feel like there's a moral dilemma - I want to adopt/foster a child, and bring them into a stable environment. If they are currently living in an environment where relatives are tempted to sell them for financial gain, wouldn't that environment be pretty toxic? Of course, I suppose there's always the issue of children being kidnapped and sold, which of course I don't want any part of. But I think even when going through slow, expensive, legitimate channels, that danger still exists, and that would be a risk we'd have to be aware of. Which is pretty much the same as long term fostering or permanent care - there's always the possibility that the parents may pop up again and want their child back.

WRT adopting in Australia, as early as 5 years ago it wasn't an option for us, being JW's. This may have changed now, and I'm researching it. But I know quite a few couples who had to adopt internationally because they weren't allowed an Australian child while they were practicing JW's