Category: Adoptee support provided by adoptees

Why Hague Convention States must take responsibility for  post adoption costs

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption policy, adoption reform, Adoptive Country, Advocacy, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Financials of intercountry adoption, Hague Special Commission, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Lived experience leadership, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Costs, Post Adoption Support, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, State responsibilities in adoption, Therapy, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle argues Hague States must address post-adoption costs, regulating services, ensuring accountability, and preventing exploitation of adoptees.

Emaye Adoptees Home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Activism, Adoptee Support, Australia, Complexities in Adoption, Ethiopia, France, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Peer support, Post Adoption Support, Return to Birth Country, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, Therapy, Transracial AdoptionLeave a comment

Beti Skehill, Ethiopian adoptee raised in Australia, returns to her homeland and shares about the wonderful support from Emaye Adoptees Home.

Adoptee Advocacy

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee Activism, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, adoption reform, Advocacy, Australia, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Lived experience leadership, Peer Support, Politics of Adoption, Transracial AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle's reflection on turning pain into purpose through adoptee advocacy—healing, empowerment, and transforming systems with collective lived experience.

Abandoned: its meaning and context

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Names, Adoptee Search Service Orgs, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption questions, Birth family trauma, Birth mother choices, Birth Parents Searching, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Ethiopia, Exploring adoptive parent journey, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Grief and Loss, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Andrea Kay helps us uncover the truth beyond the label 'abandoned' with DNA searching—bringing hope and rediscovery to Ethiopian adoptees and their families.

What rights should intercountry adoptees have?

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Discharge Annulment, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Deportation of Adoptees, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Hague Special Commission, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Lived experience leadership, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sexual Abuse in Adoption, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Lynelle writes about the rights that are to be enshrined in law and practice to create a system that upholds justice, transparency and dignity for every adoptee

Racial Abuse & Hatred

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Anger, adoptee in prison, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoptive parents, Alcohol and drug addiction, Antiracism Education, Australia, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, incarcerated adoptee, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Peer Support, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sri Lanka, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Jonti, adopted from Sri Lanka to Australia shares about racial hatred and abuse and how it impacts.

The importance of engaging adoptees in the design and ownership of post adoption support services

On By lynellelongIn Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Professionals, Australia, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Lived experience leadership, New Zealand, Post Adoption Support, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Transracial AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle shares on the importance of engaging adoptees in the design and ownership of post adoption support services, presented at the Hague forum in Nov 2024

The demand for adoptee peer support is strong

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptee vulnerability, Difficult discussions in adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Lived experience leadership, Peer Support, Post Adoption Support, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle shares about the global demand of peer support for intercountry adoptees, recognising the wealth of expertise within the community.

Letter to Adoptee Youth

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, adoptee in prison, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Professionals, Australia, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, incarcerated adoptee, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sri Lanka, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Jonti reflects, looking back over what has shaped his life as an adoptee and how he's ended up incarcerated, in prison, for a serious crime.

What do I want from my adoptive parents?

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, adoption reform, Adoptive parents, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Australia, Belgium, China, China, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Denmark, Difficult discussions in adoption, France, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, India, Is adoption the best option, Italy, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Norway, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UN Joint Statement Illegal Adoption, Uncategorized, USALeave a comment

Lynelle shares what she would have wanted from her adoptive parents in response to the fraud and human rights abuses in her adoption.

Returning Home to Greece

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Book, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Complexities in Adoption, Forced separation, Greece, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, USALeave a comment

Mary Cardaras shares her thoughts about returning to birth country Greece having been raised and adopted into the USA.

Tips and Suggestions for Returning to Birth Country

On By lynellelongIn Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, China, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hong Kong, Importance of Connections to Origins, India, Iran, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, New Zealand, Norway, Origins Search, Peer Support, Return to Birth Country, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Transracial Adoption, UK, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

ICAVs newest Perspective Paper offering global tips and suggestions for those considering returning for the first time to their birth country.

Returning To Reclaim

On By Guest BloggerIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Complexities in Adoption, Ethiopia, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Racial Mirrors, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Marta shares the complexities of returning to Ethiopia, meeting bio family, and provides tips and suggestions for other adoptees who might be facing the same.

Reflections on Returning Home Part 2

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Activism, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, China, China, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Emma shares her reflections as a Chinese intercountry adoptee having lived in China as a MSW student at NYU Shanghai.

USA Virtual Fair

On By lynellelongIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Activism, Adoptee Search Service Orgs, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, China, Citizenship in Adoption, Colombia, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Ethiopia, Greece, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Lived experience leadership, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Racial Mirrors, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

Lynelle shares the recording of the USA Virtual Fair held on 1 June 2024 showcasing 20 intercountry adoptee led organisation who provide support to adoptees.

The Pain is Bearable

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, South Korea, The Netherlands, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Soorien shares about the bearable pain of grief and loss she lives with as a Korean intercountry adoptee raised in the Netherlands.

Searching in Intercountry Adoption by Adoptee Experts Webinar

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee Search Service Orgs, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Professionals, Australia, Belgium, Colombia, Diversity in Adoption, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Haiti, Impacts to Biological Families, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Search and Reunion in Adoption, South Korea, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Trauma in Adoption, USA1 Comment

ICAVs newest webinar and perspective paper on searching in intercountry adoption bringing you experiences of intercountry adoptees from around the world.

Navigating Disability and Rare Medical Conditions as an Intercountry Adoptee

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption and Disability, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Australia, China, Complexities in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Iran, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Special Medical Conditions, Sri Lanka, Suicide, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

What complex issues do intercountry adoptees living with disability and or a rare disease navigate? We have created a resource to help educate on this topic.

Adoptee Artists

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoptive Country, Birth Country, Diversity in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Art is an incredibly powerful tool to convey the complexities of lived experience in adoption. Here is a compilation of the artwork presented at ICAV.

Bolivian Adoptee Anthology Book Review

On By lynellelongIn Abandonment and Rejection, Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Book, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, DNA Searching, France, Gratitude in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Italy, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Norway, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Lynelle provides a review of the Bolivian adoptee anthology Communal Histories of Displacement and Adoption by the Network of Bolivian Adoptees