ladybmw1218

For reform efforts, it's always good to be able to present existing legislation to be used as a model. My state has two specific statutes I think are pretty good compared to other states, though we need much more work done in this area.

Any of you reformers have decent laws on your books we can use when lobbying our state legislators about adoption ethics and issues?

Here's mine

Code of Alabama :Section 26-10A-36

It shall be unlawful for any person or persons, organizations, corporation, partnership, hospital, association, or any agency to advertise verbally, through print, electronic media, or otherwise that they will:

(1) Adopt children or assist in the adoption of children in violation of this chapter;

In other states I have seen adoption agency billboards and TV commercials as well as classified ads from couples looking to adopt. That's all illegal here.

Section 26-10A-31 gives access to limited adoption records

(g) Notwithstanding subsection (f) of this section, the State Department of Human Resources or the licensed investigating agency appointed by the court pursuant to Section 26-10A-19(b) and (c), shall furnish, upon request, to the petitioners, natural parents or an adoptee 19 years of age or older, nonidentifying information which shall be limited to the following:

(1) Health and medical histories of the adoptee's natural parents;

(2) The health and medical history of the adoptee;

(3) The adoptee's general family background, including ancestral information, without name references or geographical designations;

(4) Physical descriptions;

(5) The length of time the adoptee was in the care and custody of one other than the petitioner; and

(6) Circumstances under which the child comes to be placed for adoption.

(h) Notwithstanding subsection (f), if either the natural mother or the natural or presumed father have given consent in writing under oath to disclosure of identifying information as defined in subsection (d) and which is not otherwise provided in this section and in subsection (c) of Section 22-9A-12, the State Department of Human Resources or a licensed child placing agency shall release such identifying information.

I have read several answers today praising closed adoption, stating it leads to a "normal" childhood and doesn't cause "confusion" as to who the parents are.

To those that agree with this thinking, do you think kids are confused when they have multiple grandparents, and multiple siblings, and multiple friends? Do you think the millions of kids in blended families with stepparents and half siblings are living abnormal and confusing lives? Don't most kids adapt to whatever their "normal" is?

Blending first and adoptive families is really not much different than any other form of extended family, in my experience, so I am curious where these dire predictions of confusion come from.

Direct solicitations here at Yahoo Answers, as opposed to general questions about adoption, make me very uncomfortable. Not only is it unsafe from a number of standpoints, it is illegal in some states for hopeful adoptive parents to directly solicit through any media as well, so some may be breaking the law.

I also personally find it unethical.

So, should Yahoo specifically disallow and delete them? If so, what is the process for approaching the admins to add a new rule?