I always find myself surprised and infuriated by peoples assumption about my position on adoption. So many people, when they find out I am anti adoption automatically jump to the conclusion that I 1) think children should stay in abusive situations 2)think that DNA is more important than love
I do think family is important, I do think genetics is important, really important actually, but I don’t think its more important than security and nurture. The assumption is always made that I don’t know that children get abused and this drives me crazy. The reason my siblings and I ended up in care in the first place was because of physical abuse and neglect.
So I know abuse happens and I know it has adverse effects on children. I still live with the damage that abuse did to me and I probably always will. I don’t think we should have been left with my mother in the state she was, at the point we were taken away. but the thing is I think if the right sort of intervention happens before that point a lot more families could be kept together.
My mother had very little education and was very probably had undiagnosed untreated schizophrenia and postnatal depression. If she had support with her mental health. if she had access to education, if my father hadn’t been sent in prison things may have been really different.
At the point we were taken in to care my mother was 25 ands had six kids under 11 to look after on her own, that would put a strain on any woman. How much more stressful is that going to be for a woman with no support, with serious mental health issues who is living is extreme poverty?
I think financial support, mental health support, education and community support would cut down on the abuse of children massively and mean that lots of children didn’t have to be separated from their families.
However, I also know that with the best will in the world sometimes it just wont work, sometimes children do need to be separated from their families and I don’t think that they shouldn’t be. Children need to be safe and secure and nurtured and away from abuse. But there are many many ways of dealing with that situation without bringing adoption in to it.
I understand that my actual position on adoption is going to piss people off because people want to believe that adoption is a win/win/win situation for everyone, because people think that middle class white women deserve children no matter what, because people think that our western society is so wonderful that all children should be bought up here. But seriously? Why make dumb assumptions about things I don’t believe. There is no space to have a discussion about this if people insist on setting up straw men.
March 1, 2010 at 1:21 am
I’m a little confused by this. You say that you do realize, even with early intervention and assistance that some children need to be separated from their families. What do you think should happen to them? Do you advocate for institutionalization instead of adoption? I feel like you just state you’re against adoption but don’t state what you are for.
March 1, 2010 at 1:44 am
Annie, I’ve written lots about the alternatives on other posts. You could read through the blog and then come back if you still have questions?
in a nutshell though I advocate for family preservation first and foremost, then kinship care, then long term guardianship. Children should always stay in their communities and countries
March 8, 2010 at 10:23 am
Yes I wonder how it would have been if your mother had received support. Also from extended family, good health care for her mental illness. It must have been really hell for all of you as a family.
I agree that all measures should be taken to help keep a family together first. I’m very sorry for your huge loss, not only a mother, an entire family.