Tag: International adoption

Adoption is a lifelong process

On By lynellelongIn Abandonment and Rejection, Abuse in Adoption, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Intimate Relationships, Adoptee Support, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Attachment, adoption conversations, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoption questions, adoptive family dialogue, adoptive parent reflection, Aloneness, Isolation, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Finding biological mother, Importance of Connections to Origins, Intercultural struggles, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Peer support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, Suicide, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle presents that adoptees need informed, compassionate and lifelong support as they navigate identity, belonging and the complexities of living between two worlds.

Belonging: The Lifelong Question Many Adoptees Cannot Answer

On By lynellelongIn Abandonment and Rejection, Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee Anger, adoptee emotional burden, Adoptee Intimate Relationships, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, adoption and silence, Adoption Attachment, Adoption Conversations, adoption conversations, adoption estrangement, Adoption questions, adoptive family dialogue, adoptive parent defensiveness, Alcohol and drug addiction, Aloneness, Isolation, Citizenship in Adoption, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, first family separation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Intercultural struggles, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Peer support, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Return to Birth Country, Searching but no reunion in adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sexual Abuse in Adoption, Survival mechanisms, Therapy, Third Culture Kid (TCK), Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle discusses why so many intercountry adoptees struggle to feel they belong? A powerful personal reflection on identity, family, race, loss and finding belonging.

Child of their Time, Film Review

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee Anger, adoptee emotional burden, Adoptee vulnerability, adoption and silence, adoption conversations, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoption questions, adoptive family dialogue, adoptive parent defensiveness, adoptive parent reflection, adoptive parent responsibility, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Aloneness, Isolation, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Finding biological mother, first family separation, Forced separation, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Indonesia, Intercultural struggles, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Motherloss, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Return to Birth Country, right to identity, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, The Netherlands, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle reviews Child of their Time, a documentary exploring estrangement, male adoptee voices, adoptive fathers, family pain, apology and the need for support.

Adoptee Fear of Being Alone

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, adoptee emotional burden, adoptee in prison, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, adoption conversations, Adoption questions, Aloneness, Isolation, Australia, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, first family separation, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Peer support, Post Adoption Support, Sense of Belonging, Sri Lanka, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

A Sri Lankan adoptee Jonti reflects on abandonment trauma, the fear of losing family, and healing through therapy, peer support and community connection.

Beyond Adoption: Human Rights, Family Separation and Accountability

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoptee vulnerability, adoption accountability, adoption and power imbalance, adoption and silence, adoption conversations, Adoption policy, Adoption questions, adoption reform, adoptive parent defensiveness, adoptive parent reflection, adoptive parent responsibility, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Advocacy, Alternatives to Adoption, China, Citizenship in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Family Preservation, Finding biological mother, first family separation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, human rights abuses in adoption, identity restoration, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, intercountry adoption investigation, Is adoption the best option, legal identity erasure, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, reparative justice in adoption, Return to Birth Country, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, State responsibilities in adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC, UN Joint Statement Illegal AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle calls for a new child and family rights system that preserves identity, family, culture, truth, belonging and accountability for all families.

Beyond Investigations: What Needs to Happen After?

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, adoption accountability, adoption and power imbalance, Adoption Conversations, adoption conversations, Adoption policy, adoption reform, adoptive parent reflection, Advocacy, Alternatives to Adoption, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, human rights abuses in adoption, identity restoration, Illegal Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, intercountry adoption investigation, Is adoption the best option, Justice Routes, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, reparative justice in adoption, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, State responsibilities in adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC, UN Joint Statement Illegal AdoptionLeave a comment

Investigations are only the beginning. Lynelle discusses real solutions to address past illicit adoptions and prevent future human rights violations.

Responses to Sweden’s 2025 Adoption Reckoning

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Activism, adoption and power imbalance, Adoption policy, Adoption questions, adoption reform, Adoption Research, Adoptive Country, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, intercountry adoption investigation, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Politics of Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, State responsibilities in adoption, Sweden, UN Joint Statement Illegal AdoptionLeave a comment

Sweden’s 2025 Adoption Commission report sparks adoptee, parent and agency responses on apology, support, reform, reparations and accountability.

Conversations Across Adoption – Part 6

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee Anger, adoptee emotional burden, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, adoption accountability, adoption and power imbalance, adoption and silence, Adoption Attachment, adoption conversations, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption estrangement, Adoption policy, Adoption questions, adoption reform, adoptive family dialogue, adoptive parent defensiveness, adoptive parent reflection, adoptive parent responsibility, Advocacy, Alternatives to Adoption, Birth family trauma, Birth Parents Searching, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Family Preservation, Finding biological mother, First family responsibility, first family separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, human rights abuses in adoption, identity restoration, Illegal Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Justice Routes, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Lived experience leadership, Motherloss, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, reparative justice in adoption, Return to Birth Country, Return to Birth Country, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, State responsibilities in adoption, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRCLeave a comment

Adoptee Lynelle and adoptive parent Kristin reflect on truth, accountability, grief, and whether honesty can create deeper connection within adoption.

Conversations Across Adoption – Part 5

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee Anger, adoptee emotional burden, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, adoption accountability, adoption conversations, Adoption questions, adoption reform, adoptive family dialogue, adoptive parent reflection, adoptive parent responsibility, Adoptive parents, Alternatives to Adoption, Birth mother choices, Birth Parents Searching, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Exploring adoptive parent journey, Finding biological mother, First family responsibility, first family separation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, human rights abuses in adoption, identity restoration, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, legal identity erasure, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Costs, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Return to Birth Country, reunion trauma, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, State responsibilities in adoption, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Adoptee Lynelle and adoptive parent Kristin reflect on reunion, first families, identity, grief, and the responsibilities created through adoption.

Conversations Across Adoption – Part 4

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee Anger, adoptee emotional burden, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, adoption and silence, Adoption Conversations, adoption conversations, Adoption questions, adoption reform, adoptive family dialogue, adoptive parent reflection, Adoptive parents, Citizenship in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Finding biological mother, Generational trauma, Grief and Loss, identity restoration, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, intercountry adoption investigation, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not ready for Reunion, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, State responsibilities in adoption, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Adoptee Lynelle and adoptive parent Kristin explore power, identity, records access, citizenship, reunion, and the lifelong impacts of adoption.

Conversations Across Adoption – Part 3

On By lynellelongIn Adjustment and Transition, adoptee emotional burden, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, adoption accountability, adoption and power imbalance, adoption and silence, adoption conversations, Adoption Conversations, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption estrangement, Adoption questions, adoptive family dialogue, adoptive parent defensiveness, adoptive parent reflection, Adoptive parents, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Exploring adoptive parent journey, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, human rights abuses in 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, Post Adoption Support, Racism in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, right to identity, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, State responsibilities in adoption, Survival mechanisms, Transracial AdoptionLeave a comment

Adoptee Lynelle and adoptive parent Kristin explore silence, emotional protection, loyalty, and why difficult adoption conversations often break down.

Conversations Across Adoption – Part 2

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, adoption accountability, adoption and power imbalance, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoption questions, adoption reform, adoptive family dialogue, adoptive parent reflection, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Exploring adoptive parent journey, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Rights in Adoption, South Korea, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Intercountry adoptee Lynelle and adoptive parent Kristin reflect on grief, silence, accountability, and honesty in adoption during a time of global reckoning.

Growing Up Between Worlds as a Transracial Adoptee and Third Culture Kid

On By Guest BloggerIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptees Educate, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Nepal, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Third Culture Kid (TCK), Third Culture Kid Identity, Transracial Adoption, UK3 Comments

Rachel, a Nepalese transracial intercountry adoptee and Third Culture Kid reflects on race, belonging, identity, privilege, and growing up between cultures and worlds.

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.

Adoption Across a Lifetime: Why Reform Must Move Beyond the Child-Centric Lens

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Activism, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoption policy, Adoption questions, adoption reform, Advocacy, Alternatives to Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Family Preservation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, human rights abuses in adoption, identity restoration, Importance of Connections to Origins, intercountry adoption investigation, Intercultural struggles, Is adoption the best option, Justice Routes, legal identity erasure, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, reparative justice in adoption, Return to Birth Country, Return to Birth Country, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, State responsibilities in adoption, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRCLeave a comment

Lynelle's opening keynote on intercountry adoption, exploring identity, lifelong impacts, and the urgent need to reform systems beyond a child-centric lens.

Rethinking “harm” in intercountry adoption

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoption policy, adoption reform, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, human rights abuses in adoption, identity restoration, Illegal Adoption, intercountry adoption investigation, Justice Routes, Legal Action taken by Adoptees, legal identity erasure, Legal routes for illegal adoption, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, reparative justice in adoption, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, State responsibilities in adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRCLeave a comment

Explores the emotional harm of intercountry adoption, where wrongdoing is acknowledged but justice remains out of reach for adoptees.

Finding My Bangladeshi Mother

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoption questions, Bangladesh, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Finding biological mother, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sweden, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Sofia shares her journey from Bangladesh to Sweden and the profound moment DNA testing confirmed her biological mother is alive.

Restoring Identity for Intercountry Adoptees

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoption Discharge Annulment, Adoption policy, adoption reform, adoption reversal, Adoptive Country, Advocacy, Birth Country, Citizenship in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, human rights abuses in adoption, identity restoration, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Justice Routes, Legal Action taken by Adoptees, legal identity erasure, Legal routes for illegal adoption, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, reparative justice in adoption, Return to Birth Country, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, State responsibilities in adoption, Transracial Adoption, UN Joint Statement Illegal AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle calls on States to restore identity, nationality, records, family ties, and allow adoption reversal where chosen as a matter of justice.

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.

Crying out your name

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Artists, Adoptee vulnerability, Birth Parents Searching, Canada, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Haiti, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UncategorizedLeave a comment

A poignant song by Haitian adoptee, Sabine, in Quebec exploring separation, identity, two families, and enduring love between mother and child across distance.

From Silence to Self: An Adoptee’s Song

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artwork, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption questions, Adoptive parents, Belgium, Complexities in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Grief and Loss for adoptive parents, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Motherloss, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, VietnamLeave a comment

Cao shares a song written across decades, exploring search, grief, identity, and healing after loss, silence, and self-acceptance.

Australia’s History and Silence on Illicit and Illegal Intercountry Adoptions: A Record of Inaction

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoption Agencies, Adoption questions, adoption reform, Adoptive Country, Advocacy, Australia, Birth Parents Searching, Chile, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Ethiopia, Forced separation, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, intercountry adoption investigation, Is adoption the best option, Justice Routes, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Romania, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC, VietnamLeave a comment

Australia’s silence on illicit and illegal intercountry adoptions and ICAV’s 20-year fight for truth, justice, and recognition of adoptee rights continues

Intercountry adoptees taking legal action and reclaiming our rights

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Discharge Annulment, Adoption policy, Adoption questions, adoption reform, Adoptive parents, Advocacy, Australia, Belgium, Birth Parents Searching, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Citizenship in Adoption, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Denmark, Deportation of Adoptees, Difficult discussions in adoption, Ethiopia, Forced separation, France, Generational trauma, Germany, Gratitude in Adoption, Guatemala, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, India, intercountry adoption investigation, Is adoption the best option, Italy, Justice Routes, Korea, Legal Action taken by Adoptees, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, New Zealand, Norway, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC, UK, UN Joint Statement Illegal Adoption, USA, Vietnam, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

Intercountry adoptees worldwide are taking legal action to expose illegal adoptions, demand truth, and push for justice, accountability, and human rights reform.