Anne (John) Coppola's Blog – June 2015 Archive (4)

It is hard turning 18 — moving out, getting a job, going to college, etc. Now, imagine someone who has to go through all that without the support of his or her family. Youth who aged out of the foster care system have to do all these by themselves, and because of this they face many unique challenges that their peers in the general population don’t. For these youth, turning 18 doesn’t just mean living independently; it also means losing the emotional and financial support that they can count…

Intercountry adoption is a process that recognizes an individual or couple as the legal and permanent parent(s) of a child who is a national of a different country. The requirements necessary to begin the process of international adoption can vary from country to country. Each country sets its own rules, timelines and requirements surrounding adoption, and there are also rules that vary within the United States for each state. Most countries require that a parent travel to bring the child…

There are actually alternatives to adoption if we really think outside the box, especially for teenage moms who have to give up their babies for various reasons. We need to understand that of the nearly 500,000 teenage girls who become parents each year, approximately 40 percent are under age 18; more than three-fourths are unmarried; and the majority do not have the resources in place to provide for themselves or their children. To read the full article go to my blog…

There are advantages and disadvantages to both closed and open adoptions, and everyone’s experience will vary as they go through this process. The American Pregnancy Association’s website actually has a very comprehensive list of the pros and cons of each type, and I’ve compiled them in this article. I hope this article is helpful for those who are planning to adopt, or are planning to give up their child for adoption. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of both types of…