Given its permanency, it is essential that there be more than one level of gatekeeping involved before it is determined that a child is available for adoption. For example, this determination should not be made at the sole discretion of orphanage staff, but should also include the active engagement of social workers external to the orphanage and judicial authorities. This is to ensure that children and their families are not being coerced and that the possibility of reunification or placement within reliable kinship care has not been overlooked.

Domestic adoption enables children to remain connected to their cultural ties. However, domestic adoption has not yet been legally recognized or made available as an option in certain parts of the world. Some countries are seeing a surge in domestic adoption through local promotion from government leaders and church leaders, and financial legal costs are being removed. When domestic adoption is not possible, intercountry adoption provides children with the opportunity to have a permanent family.

For all children, permanency planning—a process to ensure stability, continuity, and a sense of belonging to a family—is an important part of assessing family care options.

RESOURCES

The Way Forward Project Report

The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption

INSPIRATIONAL EXAMPLES

Ugandans Adopt Campaign