Those people in North Carolina who have participated in the adoption process know just how complex it can be (particularly in international cases). Yet most might assume those complexities arise from administrative tasks; the children involved no doubt simply want to be in a family that loves them.
Yet entering into a new home and family situation can be a traumatic experience for a child (no matter their age). Such a drastic change (combined with the issues that led to their removal from their biological parents’ custody) can lead to tensions in their new households. The hope is that the love offered to them by their new families will help overcome these problems. Yet the trauma they experience may often spill over into their new situations.
Family devastated by adopted son’s abuse of siblings
The case of an Indiana couple who chose to take three Chinese children into their home (as detailed in the Indianapolis Star) illustrates this. Two of the children began demonstrating alarming behavior, after which the couple discovered that the third had been sexually assaulting them. A subsequent investigation revealed that the teen (who the couple is now seeking to have returned to China) experienced extreme sexual abuse while at the Chinese orphanage he lived in prior to his adoption. The couple is now suing the agency that arranged the adoption for not disclosing (or discovering) his history of abuse.
Navigating through the international adoption experience
This case demonstrates how important it is that those seeking international adoptions ensure that all due diligence occurs on their behalf. A number of different elements require review and analysis in order to guarantee that an international adoption results in a good, rewarding experience for all those involved. Having reliable legal resources at one’s disposal during the process may help make this happen.
