Is there really ANY DOUBT that children are a commodity?

To get around the legalities of this, they are charging for the "service" of making an adoption plan available between the first parents and the adoptive parents. I had one adoption agency person once tell me that the reason the fees are higher on caucasian babies is that they are forced to go through more paperwork (BS in my book).

It's such a shame that children are treated as if they're commodities. I think there should be a limit on what fees are, and that only in the cases of disabled children, children with higher risks of not being adopted. This kind of extortion for children should be illegal. The outragious fees quoted are way beyond the costs of everything. Our private adoption, homestudy included, was less than $1000, including filing fees, attorney, and everything.

In my heart, the costs were minimal, but the ability to be able to adopt a child has been one of the biggest blessings in my life, along with my step and biological sons, and my family. The goal was to provide a better home for our son, and for all 4 of us to be the best parents he could ever have, in an open adoption situation. I actually felt guilty for it being illegal to provide some pretty maternity clothes and stuff for our son's first mom. Our state wouldn't allow it, although I cheated and made sure she had a medically necessary prepaid cell phone in case she needed it. Without that, he would have been born without help.

It's illegal to sell human beings. Calling it a fee for the "service" of making an adoption plan is complete bunk. It's baby selling. Is there less paperwork involved in adoption through foster care? There's probably a lot MORE paperwork and yet, foster adoption is a fraction of the cost. What a load to say there's more paperwork involved in adopting a caucasian baby.

The site link catstostrangers provided is ridiculous. The $5-7k fee for medical is a joke. If mom is unmarried, she's probably covered by medi-cal or medicaide. Do you think these folks are actually reimbursing these agencies for the medical costs? I seriously doubt it! And the saddest of all, the natural parents either don't get ANY money or receive some ridiculously low amount (a few hundred dollars)

I have a deep compassion for the grief couples experience when they discover they can't have children. But adoption will not replace or eliminate the loss of not being able to have a child.

I support adoption for children who are parent-less and in need of a home. Or for children whose parents are unable or unwilling to parent them. However, I've seen so many adopters who have 2 or 3 or 4 children and decide they want more (but are now too old, or have had several miscarriage, or had all boys and want a girl, etc.)

Adoption for profit. Take out the profit and we'd loose much of the corruption. ETA: AND we'd probably loose the "available market" that currently exists in many countries.

Yeah, turns the stomach, doesn't it?

ETA: Years ago when we were starting to research adoption, I asked the question about why AA babies "cost less". I was told there was some government grant that subsidized some of the costs. I don't know if that was true or not, but seeing as how the "discount" goes across many adoption agencies, that must be a *lot* of federal grant money!

Is this for real?? I would be so VERY offended if I found out I was listed on this site before I was born. Honestly reading it made me think of when we were reading the classifieds when we were looking for our new hunting dog. That's just sick. Oh WOW is all I can really say and I hope that site and organization get shut down ASAP. I wish I new what I could do to help that whole operation get shut down.

I do think that a classified type listing for babies is wrong. What I think is worse is that adopting a black child is half the price of a white child.

Add...My son is an adopted special needs black child from the foster care system. I am not saying a person who would adopt a newborn black child is wrong, not at all. It's the Adoption agencies that I have a problem with.

They get around it because they can call it an adoption "service" fee. This is one of many sights such as this. Pimping comes to mind - line up expectant mothers and have them parade around in front of the customers to choose one. Chances are these mothers have no idea how they're being portrayed for their babies.

Sob.

<wrings hands>

repeat offenders. This makes me want to hurt somebody.

"This will be the Birth Parents third Adoption and they are very committed to the adoption plan."

OMG...These look like ads you'd see on kijiji.

Gross.

ETA: Casttostrangers, that was friggin' awful. Maybe one of the most horrendous websites I've seen.

Ugh.

Heres another

http://apathoftheheart.blogspot.com/

Just as vile

Proud of you that you can see it from an ethical perspective.