How old is too old to adopt a baby?

[MyLittleBears]

Just a bit of history (personal) for those Native American laws ICWA for native kids in foster care.  First, I do NOT agree with just sweeping in and removing kids from a stable foster home, etc.

 

The basis behind the law from the early 70s I believe is that there was a time in history where Native American kids were being removed from their parents and adopted out to white homes to "civilize" the kids.  Not all of these cases were due to abuse/neglect either. 

 

My MIL was taken from her family and sent to an Indian catholic boarding school with her siblings but yet couldn't have contact with her siblings at school.  They didn't want the kids to use their native language, dress, names, etc.  She was there for many years only rarely seeing her parents or 10 siblings.

 

The IDEA behind the law is to keep Native kids in Native foster/adoptive homes if at all possible which is a good thing but in reality, often the kids get stuck in a messed up system where there aren't enough appropriate Native homes so the law can prevent them from finding stability in a non native home.

 

My friend did adopt an Eskimo girl.  Her and her dh are white but the tribe gave their blessing on the adoption with a few stipulations that the girl be allowed to keep her native tribal membership and a few other things.  It can be done, but it isn't always easy.

 

 

I guess I can understand this and the abuses of the past are WRONG.  But it seems to me that reform should be in order because I can't image nowadays anyone even thinking of these kids as uncivilized. I agree to, that there are far to many instances of CPS getting carried away and removing kids without their being any abuse or neglect in the home. I guess the problem is, that because of the law, these poor little ones remain in limbo and the loving family they have been an learned to trust with can be discriminated again because they aren't native. Somehow that does not seem right.  And I image it may even discourage many from pursuing an adoption via foster care. 

 

Thanks for the encouragement Ottakee. I has given me a lot to think about!