Technology Helping to Streamline US Adoptions
Boy or girl? (CC)
For millions of people around the world who cannot, for whatever reason, have biological children, adoption services seem like an easy enough way to have a family. Indeed, many couples who can have children also choose to adopt, in order to give a child a chance at a life they otherwise might not have had. Despite these laudable aims, the adoption process is usually long and tedious, and many years may pass by the time an adoption is finalized.
That may soon change, however, thanks to a new cooperative effort between Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) and the Web site ParentFinder.com, run by Florida-based adoption services company CAIRS Solutions LLC.
CAIRS publicity states that its agreement with CCUSA “will establish ParentFinder.com as the largest network of waiting adoptive families” in the US, and will also streamline the adoption process for both the agencies and families involved. In particular, waiting parents will be able to be notified whenever there is a potential “match” to criteria they define, even if the child and parents are in different areas of the country. CCUSA will likewise work with ParentFinder.com to coordinate adoptions matched through the site, whether local or long-distance.
“I’m an adoptive dad of two great boys,” said CAIRS CEO Mark Livings, adding that while he was lucky to find those two matches, he understands many others are not as fortunate.
Currently, adoptions in the US rely on a hodgepodge of different matching services run by both private and public organizations. Adding to the complexity are state adoption laws that make interstate adoptions a complicated legal matter for prospective parents.
No immediate timetable was given for rollout of the agreement between CAIRS and CCUSA.
It remains to be seen whether similar matching techniques could be extended to the foster care system. According to data released by the US Department of Health and Human Services, 392,075 children spent all or part of the year between October 2009 and September 2010 in foster care programs across all 50 states and Washington DC. The data further indicate that only 12.8% of those children were adopted during the same time period.
Share your thoughts: In light of this promising development, what other roles do you think technology will play in child welfare in the coming years?
Luke can be reached at luke.jensen1981(at)gmail.com
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