Adoption Of Babies Born Abroad Rising
November 30, 1999
American couples seeking to adopt are increasingly turning their eyes abroad, according to a report from the National Council for Adoption. The council, a private group that advocates adoptions, based its report on a survey of the states and data from the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
- In 1996, more than 17 percent of children adopted by American parents were born abroad.
- The number of children adopted from other countries in 1996 amounted to about 11,000 -- up from 6,500 in 1992.
- The number of foreign adoptions has more than doubled this decade, the group reports.
- Yet between 1992 and 1996, the number of domestic infant adoptions fell by 11 percent.
One reason for the increase is that adopting a child from another country can often be less complicated than adopting one born here.
Source: Laura Meckler (Associated Press), "Americans Adopting More Foreign-Born Children," Washington Post, November 25, 1999.
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