Intercountry Adoption: Privilege, Rights and Social Justice

Abstract

Intercountry adoption needs to be understood in parts - the individual child, the needs of adoptive parents, the legality of its processes, and perceived red tape. It is promoted as a welfare solution for individual children that focuses on the best interests of children, but functionally meets a demand for other people's children as a way of forming families for the may potential adopters. It is practised across multiple sectors of law, welfare, public policy and child placement. All disciplines need a place at the dialogical table to develop approaches informed by values that include social justice principles.

Keywords: Intercountry adoption, rights of the child, social justice, family formation