Adoption and the Internet

Posted by provplace on February 5th, 2014

The Internet has changed the way we do countless things, from reading the news to watching television. It has revolutionized many processes and allows us to access information on a level not seen before. This is also the case for adoption, which has seen tremendous use of the Internet for research and communication.

A study by the Donaldson Adoption Institute found that using the Internet for adoption-related purposes was greatly beneficial. With the ability to access unprecedented amounts of information on subjects such as placing a child for adoption, the cost of adoption, the difference between international and domestic adoption and much more, the Internet has become invaluable. There are countless websites dedicated to informing potential adoptive couples about the adoption process and what parents can expect. The Internet, with its many websites and services, is helping make adoption less complex, worrisome, and difficult to understand for those who want to get involved.

Social media has allowed some birth parents to stay in touch with their children, and see how they are doing. It allows for a level of connectivity not seen between child and parent before the Internet. Even without intruding, family members can get a sense of how their birth family is doing. Of course, this only works if there is an established agreement between families on how much contact the adopted child and their birth parents will have.

Events such as National Adoption Day have gained much more attention on the Internet than elsewhere, too. The Internet and social media have allowed the unofficial holiday to get its name and word out to people through sites such as Facebook and Twitter, spreading their cause across the world and encouraging adoption in November. Like any other cause, sharing on Facebook will eventually garner a good deal of attention.

While not everything about the Internet is great for adoption – the same study found some imposter sites – the pros have certainly made it a valuable tool and resource. Because of this, it is best those searching for adoption information make sure to read from sites and services that are trusted. There is quite a lot of good information out there, but there are always people looking to take advantage of others.

The widespread usage of the Internet will make things like online adoption more feasible in the future. For now, research seems to be its main use, but the growing use of services and events like National Adoption Day will make the Internet the premier service for all adoption-related matters.

About Providence Place

Providence Place of San Antonio, Texas is a nonprofit organization offering domestic, international, older child and embryo adoption services, vocational training for adults with disabilities and working with other nonprofit organizations in the San Antonio area. To learn more about the work they do or to schedule a tour of their 25-acre campus, visit their website ProvPlace.org or contact them today.