New Directions in Adoption Our Mission At New Directions in Adoption our mission is to protect the rights of children and families. When a child is truly an orphan and has no adult relative willing and able to care for her, then it makes sense to provide for her care in other ways. Even then, the best situation for the child should be found, not the most moneyed, infertile, gay or deceptively friendly person. Creating "orphans" on purpose is a cruel practice. It causes suffering for parents, grandparents and siblings and of course for the "orphaned" child. We believe that when a family is in a vulnerable position, it is best to help the family stay together. This may be done through education and services and by changing government policy that discriminates against single, less affluent, and minority parents. Announcing! "SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE ADOPTION EXPERIENCE V, An Educational Conference About Realities: The Lifelong Effects of Adoption and the Need for Family Preservation" September 15-16, 2006 New York City Fordham University, Lincoln Center Campus For more information, click on Conference Speakers and Registration . Special Event ©2006 Celeste Billhartz   A one-woman show of powerful images, narratives and music about the "unwed mothers" of past generations who were forced to surrender their babies to adoption. by Celeste Billhartz. Click on Mothers Project Concert to learn more!" The Mothers Project is just one of many presentations at the Family Preservation Conference that you won't want to miss.

Paying parents or family members in order to obtain a child is unethical - even when that payment is a promise of being a "hero", a "saint" or "doing the right thing" by "giving" their own son or daughter to someone who really wants a baby.

Allowing an impoverished family in Cambodia to believe their child will be "better off" in America to get them to take a baby to an orphanage and drop her off is wrong. A child may suffer terribly when removed from her family and culture and the family left behind will suffer as well.

Creating "orphans" via sperm and egg "donation" is also exploitative. A child has a right to her family. And many "donors" are left to wonder about their offspring.

Many people speak of the "ethics" of adoption and of various child creation techniques. The word "unethical" may be tossed around in a way that hides the truth - that great suffering may result from infertility "cures" that separate and deny true family.

Pregnant and Need Help?

If you need help with unexpected pregnancy and are considering adoption vs "parenting" as your options, A Mother's Song provides information about the consequences of separating a mother and her newborn baby and helpful ideas for keeping and nurturing your child. An "unplanned" pregnancy does not mean an "unwanted" son or daughter.

"Considering Adoption" Pamphlet that every mother or father considering adoption for their baby should read carefully.

If you are a parent or grandparent dealing with malicious or false reports of abuse and being investigated by child protective services, don't delay - look for family rights and children's rights groups for your state on the web. Call them and join their groups and email lists.

If you are an adopted person or a natural family member who is looking for support you may find the "like minded" links at the left to be helpful.

If you want to learn more about adoption and the adoption industry, keep reading. Many in the adoption industry claim that "things have changed" but have things changed? There is intense solicitation for babies for adoption. Recent news articles suggest there are more babies being taken for adoption in the United States than there were in times past. The promises of "open" adoption are being used to lure in unsuspecting moms, dads and grandparents. Adoption agencies and attorneys are raising their fees and expanding their business.

You have found this website. Browse freely. You may also find other websites like this listing of articles on adoption and the US child protection system helpful.

Adoption Studies and Statistics

Considering the psychological complexity of adoption, there are relatively few studies and even fewer good statistics collected. Should there be statistics comparing the outcomes for family and child when the child is separated from her family for adoption vs. being raised in her own family?

If a small child is permitted to play in the street and the street is not extremely busy, the child may have a low probability of being hit by a car. But if he is hit by a car, there is a high probably he will be hurt seriously. For this reason most parents do not allow a child to play in the street, even if it is a side-street.

When a child is raised by unrelated persons there is a higher probability of abuse. When a newborn child is separated from her mother at birth, she misses out on the security of her own mother and may experience serious problems as a result - even later as an adult. There is a higher probability the child's mother may find the loss of her child so painful that she commits suicide. Yet, to obtain babies to supply their clients, adoption "professionals" tell pregnant moms to focus on the positive and ignore the "negative". Mothers, fathers and grandparents may all be told not to seriously consider the outcome for themselves and their child. They are not encouraged to seriously consider other options besides adoption. Some parents are pushed toward "open adoption" in an effort to get them to surrender parental rights.

Would people who focus so much on the positive and refuse to look at the "negative" also allow a small child to play in the street?

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Adoption issues make great topics for debate.