Abstract
The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, designed to protect the best interests of the child in intercountry adoption,
has been signed by 83 nations. We evaluate both the strengths and the weaknesses of the Convention in achieving this purpose
and also in protecting a second vulnerable population, birth families. A case study example of the United States’ implementation
of the Hague requirements reveals several weaknesses with respect to non-Convention countries as sending nations, financial
oversight, and oversight of foreign collaborators. International birth families, especially birth mothers giving consent to
an adoption, are often vulnerable because of a lack of power and resources, as well as different cultural understandings of
the nature of family and adoption. We conclude that in order to protect vulnerable children and birth families, individual
sending and receiving countries need to supplement the Hague Convention with specific, contextually appropriate laws and regulations.
has been signed by 83 nations. We evaluate both the strengths and the weaknesses of the Convention in achieving this purpose
and also in protecting a second vulnerable population, birth families. A case study example of the United States’ implementation
of the Hague requirements reveals several weaknesses with respect to non-Convention countries as sending nations, financial
oversight, and oversight of foreign collaborators. International birth families, especially birth mothers giving consent to
an adoption, are often vulnerable because of a lack of power and resources, as well as different cultural understandings of
the nature of family and adoption. We conclude that in order to protect vulnerable children and birth families, individual
sending and receiving countries need to supplement the Hague Convention with specific, contextually appropriate laws and regulations.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-14
- DOI 10.1007/s10826-011-9508-6
- Authors
- Karen Smith Rotabi, School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 842027, USA
- Judith L. Gibbons, Department of Psychology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA
- Journal Journal of Child and Family Studies
- Online ISSN 1573-2843
- Print ISSN 1062-1024