Reece's Rainbow- International adoption of children with disabilities

[DennyDifferent]

Reece's Rainbow is an American charity that raises money to help people adopt children with Down Syndrome and other disabilties from Eastern Europe and other areas of the world. In some of the countries the children will age out at 9 and end up in adult "asylums" reading about this has really affected me. My husband and I have wanted to adopt a child with DS for a long time.

Could anyone tell me is it possible to adopt a child from abroad who has a disability such as Down's and may have related health issues such as a heart condition? I know some people on here have adopted from abroad and it could be said that all adopted children have additional needs of one sort or another but I guess Downs is a more visible and "obvious".

Really struggling to find anything on Google, so even just some help with how to phrase my search to help me find some info on my own would be ace!

xxx

[Devora]

When you look at profiles for children you may want to adopt, the initial information you get is pretty much restricted to their ethnicity and medical condition. That, age, and a smattering of the usual cliches: "would benefit from being the youngest or only child in the family", "would benefit from an energetic family", "a lovely child who needs firm boundaries".

[Italiangreyhound]

definitelynotaweirdstalker I don't think DennyDifferent was reducing these children to ...to an ethnicity and a medical condition

She was posting on specific part of mumsnet, dedicated to adoption, and she was mentioning two factors because she had been discussing adoption from overseas of children with some sort of disability or specific difficulty. I am generally very hot on confidentiality but in this case I think it was a very innocent comment, it was kind of amazing having discussed overseas adoption and medical conditions etc to find these children. I can say this because I have looked on be my parent a lot and seen relatively few children who would fit these specific criteria.

But, of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

[DennyDifferent]

I think you have misunderstood my intentions in posting definitelynotastalker. I'm glad Kew, Devora and Italian that you have understood what I meant.

[DennyDifferent]

and of course it could be you did understand my intentions Definitelynotastalker but you still don't agree with the sentiment. in which case fair enough, adoption is an emotive topic and we're all entitled to our opinions.

[definitelynotaweirdstalker]

yes that second one. but the post's gone now anyway so thanks for sorting that out :)

I don't think people are as clear about privacy here as they should be in fact but that is a different post.

good luck op

[DennyDifferent]

[Kewcumber]

I don't think people are as clear about privacy here as they should be in fact but that is a different post.

I look forward to that post where you tell us about the errors of our ways. I can point you in the direction of actual photos of DS if you need some fuel.

[definitelynotaweirdstalker]

well I might get round to it one day so do feel free to hold your breath. :)

[Kewcumber]

Yes I'd read that thread. I have been recognised twice in RL through MN posts. It doesn't particularly bother me.

In my very humble opinion you're not going to get very far on the adoption board never having posted before (in that name) and lecturing people on how/what they should be posting. Particularly when the information posted was already in the public domain.

My experience of regular adoption posters are that those who have a need to keep information off the internet do keep their information very closely guarded and when there is an occasional slip or someone new is giving away too much information, people do tend to be quite helpful in pointing it out. So it's not like its a board where generally people are giving away more than they should except when they mean to.

I've not seen a regular name change in order to waggle a finger at anyone yet - but I don't feel strongly enough to engage in a slanging match about it, it was actually the use of we bizarrely that irritated me. From someone who has never posted on here before (in that guise).

But, of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion. as Italian said. But in the absence of a posting history, some opinions are more persuasive than others.

[Italiangreyhound]

I have mentioned to a few people that the information they are revealing is quite specific. Usually I do it by pm and sometimes on the thread. I say they can ask to have a post removed if they are worried by reporting it in case they do not know this, as I did not know it until I was told by someone. I feel until your child is placed you are probably less worried about confidentiality (huge generalisation) but because we had treatment with donor eggs first I was already quite keen to keep my secret identity, secret!

I would want someone to do the same for me if I let something slip accidentally! In fact when I called my son the fictitious name 'Cassius' about three people did inform me. If I had genuinely slipped and written his own name I would be very grateful. As Kew says that information (in the post below) was already on the web.