Category: Origins Search

Racism in Intercountry Adoption

On By lynellelongIn Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoptive Country, Antiracism Education, Birth Country, colourblindness in adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Suicide, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

ICAV brings you our newest Perspective Paper on Racism, our lived experience as intercountry and transracial adoptees.

Participating in The Colour of Difference: Long Term Outcomes

On By lynellelongIn Abandonment and Rejection, Abuse in Adoption, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Birthdays, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Attachment, Adoption Book, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Australia, Birth Country, Complexities in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Eating Disorder and Adoption, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, ICAV Beginnings, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Older Age Adoptions, Origins Search, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Suicide, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle shares how participating in PARCs book project to produce The Colour of Difference changed her life and began the adoptee network InterCountry Adoptee Voices.

Voices Against Illegal Adoptions Speak at the United Nations

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Adoptive Country, Birth Country, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Family Preservation, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, 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, Racism in Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UN Joint Statement Illegal Adoption, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

Lynelle represents Voices Against Illegal Adoption (VAIA) to the United Nations Committees who drafted a joint statement about illegal intercountry adoptions.

What Would My Utopia in Intercountry Adoption Be?

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Activism, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Adoptive Country, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Alternatives to Adoption, Birth Country, colourblindness in adoption, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Family Preservation, Illegal Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Racism in Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle shares at the CHIP webinar Feb 2022 on what her utopia of intercountry adoption would be, if anything were possible, listing the changes necessary.

My Adoption Day Is An Anniversary of Loss

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Attachment, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Forced separation, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Mary shares how Adoption Day anniversary can trigger feelings of grief and loss that pervade her life; coming to terms with it, making the most of life now.

Toxicity and Grief

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Complexities in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Philippines, Racial Mirrors, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

by Dan R Moen, adopted from the Philippines to the USA. Part three of this series focuses on toxicity and its impact with grief. The black vine-like shapes represent toxicity and how it manifests itself within and around all of us. It’s depicted as an uncontrollable beast and has completely engulfed an individual. It grows …

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Relinquishment, Adoption and Grief

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Complexities in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, India, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Sense of Belonging, The Netherlands, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Bina shares about the loss that goes unrecognised in adoption during November Adoption Awareness Month and highlights the necessity of support for grieving.

Governments Finally Recognising Illicit and Illegal Intercountry Adoption Practices

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Adoptive Country, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Birth Country, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Family Preservation, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UN Joint Statement Illegal Adoption, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?1 Comment

This is one common scenario, it doesn't cover children overtly stolen from hospitals and many other ways I'm an adoptee remaining hopeful I’m very excited and feeling hopeful after hearing Belgium’s recent news, that their Minister has announced his intention to ask Parliament to suspend all adoptions for the next 2 years as a result …

Continue reading Governments Finally Recognising Illicit and Illegal Intercountry Adoption Practices

Lifelong Impacts of Identity Loss

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Citizenship in Adoption, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Family Preservation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Hague Special Commission, Illicit Adoption, 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, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle shares about the impact of identity loss in intercountry adoption, including the views of other adoptees to help build a more in-depth understanding.

We Need To Talk About Adoptee Suicide, Now

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Colombia, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Forced separation, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Suicide, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA2 Comments

Lina shares part 2 of her discussion into adoptee suicide - something we must talk about if we are going to provide a more supportive space.

The Aloneness of Motherloss

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Complexities in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Motherloss, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Mila Konomos articulates the aloneness of mother loss, the grief and loss an adoptee lives due to being separated at birth.

Peruvian Adoptee Returns to Birth Country

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee Search Service Orgs, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Professionals, Complexities in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Key Themes in Search and Reunion, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Peru, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UKLeave a comment

Milagros Forrester shares with ICAV about her return trips to Peru and how it impacted her search for identity and belonging.

Lived Experience Suggestions for Responses to Illicit Adoptions

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoption Agencies, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Family Preservation, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Transracial AdoptionLeave a comment

ICAVs newest Perspective Paper: How Authorities and Bodies could Respond to Illicit Adoptions

Identity, Lost & Found

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoptive parents, Beauty in Diversity, Colombia, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Family Preservation, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Peer Support, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA2 Comments

Abby reflects on reclaiming her Latina identity after growing up in a white Jewish family, highlighting the impact of adoption practices on self-worth and cultural connection.

When Pain and Loss is Too Much

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Attachment, Australia, Complexities in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, India, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption1 Comment

Indian adoptee Pooja shares the challenges of her complex life being adopted to Australia.

Degrees of Being Trafficked in Intercountry Adoption

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Adoptive Country, Australia, Birth Country, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, India, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?2 Comments

Lynelle writes critically about the lack of formal support for adoptees who have been trafficked via intercountry adoption.

The Power of Peer Support

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoptive Country, Birth Country, Complexities in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, ICAV Beginnings, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Racial Mirrors, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle writes critically about the power of peer support in intercountry adoption.

Vulnerable children are not blank slates

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, China, China, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Family Preservation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Trauma in Adoption, USA5 Comments

Lynelle critically examines the gains from including adult intercountry adoptees in policy discussions and shares Joey's story, a male Chinese adoptee.