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New Adoptions Ban Must Be Ended Soon
Given current conditions in Haiti, it makes sense to halt adoptions there temporarily. But if adoptions remain on hold indefinitely, "We will see the creation of a new generation of victims from this disaster," said Craig Juntunen, founder of the Both Ends Burning campaign. "As Haiti is rebuilt, the moratorium on adoptions should be lifted as soon as possible."
Every effort should be made to reunite separated children in Haiti with their biological parents. But when those efforts come up short, international adoption must be considered as the best option. It would be wonderful if other families in Haiti would adopt them, but is that a realistic expectation given the situation there?
International adoption is not an orphan's last resort, as some organizations have described it; the last resort is institutionalized care. Far too many orphaned children are wasting away their childhoods in substandard group homes. Studies show that children in even the best institutions run higher risks of death, disease and damaged intellectual and emotional capabilities.
"International adoption works – my family and I are proof of that," said Juntunen, who with his wife Kathi adopted three children from Haiti in 2006. "Now I am leading a campaign to call attention to the need for reforming the current system. The mission of the campaign is to bring more orphaned and abandoned children into families where they are loved and enabled to reach their full potential."
