Is Adoption a True Act of Love?

World renowned Motivational Speaker Les Brown was born with his twin brother, Wesley, in an abandoned building in Liberty City, a low-income section of Miami, Florida.

The twins were subsequently given up for Adoption and adopted by Mamie Brown, a 38-year-old single woman who worked as a cafeteria attendant and domestic assistant.

Both the Brown brothers have turned out to be constructive, well-rounded and upstanding members of society.

And Les calls himself “Mrs. Mamie Brown’s Baby Boy” and says that “All that I am and all that I ever hoped to be, I owe to my mother”.

Les also goes on to share the many times his mother told them he loved them and all her other children; and also gave them true love.

And yet in-spite of this great story of Adoption, it is generally viewed as a given to​ ​declare​​ that​ ​child​​ orphans​ ​ grow up​ ​with​ ​a ​substantial​ level​ of confusion and feelings of inadequacies,​ ​particularly​ ​when their​ ​ surroundings​ abound with ​their counterparts, children who have​ ​biological​ ​ parents, rather​ ​than​ ​ Adopted ones like​ ​themselves, expert opinion suggests.

And they add that, as noble as the​ idea​ ​of adoption might seem,​ it ​ is​ ​ regarded as one​ ​ of the​ ​ most complicated​ ​processes​ ​of acquiring a family for​ the individual​ or individuals​ ​ who intend to adopt​ ​and subsequently,​ the potential adoptee.

Adoption experts​ ​and vulnerable children scholars confirm​ ​that​ ​ this process​ ​ entails a procedure whereby​ ​an individual​ ​assumes​ ​the parental role ​of​ ​another, usually​ ​a​ minor,​​ from​ ​that​ ​person’s​ ​biological​ ​or​ ​legal​ ​parent or parents.​ ​More often than not,​ all​ ​rights​ and​ ​responsibilities ​are permanently​ ​transferred, along​ ​ with​ ​filiation,​ from​ ​ the​ biological​ parent​ ​or​ parents to the adoptees.

Unlike​ ​ guardianship or other systems designed​ ​ for​ ​the​ ​care​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ young,​ ​ experts​ ​ are of the view that, adoption​ ​is intended​ ​to​ effect​ a​ ​permanent​ ​change in​ status of the parties involved.​ This transformation requires societal recognition, either legal or​ ​religious​ sanction.

“Both​ ​ biological​ ​ parents​ ​ must​ ​ consent​ ​ to​ ​the​ ​ child​ ​being​ ​ adopted,”​ ​says​​ Kirstine Stewart,​ ​senior​ ​ social​ worker​ at​​ Impilo​ ​Adoption​ ​Agency​ ​&​ ​Child​ ​Protection Services, a Gauteng-based non-profit organization in South Africa.​ ​

Stewart further states that biological​ ​ parents legally​ ​have​ ​60​ ​days​ ​to​ confirm​ ​their decision while the​ child is kept at​ a place of​ safety​ ​during this time.​ ​

Legislation dictates that Social​ Workers​​ are required to​ ​ inform adoptive parents​ about​ ​the outcome of their efforts to adopt children​ ​only​ after​ ​the​ ​60-day​ ​mark.​ ​ When the results are positive, the​ children​ ​are consequently placed with​ the​ ​new​ ​parents within approximately​ three​ months.

Global​ research further notes that, historically,​ ​some​ ​ societies​ ​have​​ passed specific laws​ ​governing Adoption;​ ​and where others have attempted​ ​to​ ​achieve adoption through less​ ​formal​ ​means,​ ​notably​ ​via​ ​contracts​ that​ specified inheritance rights and​ parental​ responsibilities​ ​without​ any accompanying transfer of​ filiation. For example, the Code​ ​ of​ ​ Hammurabi, a​ ​ well-preserved​ Babylonian code​ ​of​ law of​ ancient Mesopotamia,​ dating back​ to​about 1754​ ​ BC​ states:​ “arising in the 20th​ century, modern​ ​systems of​ adoption​ tend to​ be​ ​governed by comprehensive statutes​ ​ and​ ​ regulations.”

These​​ legal records​ show​ that​ the modern form of​ ​adoption​ emerged in the United​ ​ States,​ ​although these form of​ ​this ​ practice​ ​appeared​ ​throughout​ ​history.

The​ ​ South African Government Gazette has mandated the Child​ Care​ ​Act​ ​ of​ 1983 in which “a child may​ ​be adopted by a​ married couple​ ​in a joint​ ​adoption;​ ​ a ​person​​ who​ has​ married​ ​the​ parent ​of​ a ​child​ can adopt​ the child,​ with​ the​ ​biological​ parent’s​ consent;​ ​ a ​single​ ​person​ can​ ​adopt​ a child.” ​ This​ is called the​ ​adoption​ of​ ​a stepchild.

Furthermore,​ ​any child may be adopted​ ​provided that​ ​he/she​ ​ is under​ the​ age​ of 18 years and has​ ​been abandoned or​ orphaned.​ If​ ​the​ child’s​ ​parents​ ​are​ still​ alive, both​ parents​ ​should give ​consent. Writing from the United States of America, another non-profit organization Gift of Life, which is based in Florida, proclaims that:

“Due consideration​ ​to​ ​cultural​ differences in​ ​placements​ ​– including​ ​language and​ religion,​ however cross-cultural​ ​placements​ are not outlawed. The age of​ the​ ​adoptive​ parent/s​ will​ be taken into​ ​consideration. Adoption may​ take place via social​ workers​ ​ – ​ ​usually​ ​at ​private​ adoption agencies​ ​ – ​​ or​ ​ via​ ​non-profit government​ organizations. In​ ​non-abandonment​ ​adoptions,​ the birth​ ​mother​ has​ ​ 60​ ​days​ ​ from​ ​the​ ​ time​ ​ of​ ​ the birth in which​ she may change​​ her mind​ about​ ​putting​ ​her​ ​child​ up for​ ​adoption.”

Most of​ the adoptions in​ ​ South Africa​ ​stem​ from​ abandoned babies.​ ​ In​ ​these cases​ ​ it​ ​might​ take​​ up​ ​to​ eight months​ ​ before the child can​ ​ be released​ from​ a ​place of​ safety​ ​whilst​ ​Social​ ​Workers​ attempt​ ​to​ ​trace the biological​ ​parents.

Eloise​ ​ Loots,​ executive​ social worker​ ​at​ ​Procare​ ​ – ​ ​a ​ ​national​ ​ adoption​ ​ agency has the view that:​ ​”Applicants must​ also​ be realistic:​ ​ if​ ​ you’re​ ​adopting at a ​late​ age,​ ​will​ ​ you​ ​ be able​ ​to​ ​manage​ a teenager when​ you’re​ ​in your 70s?” Loots​, who is in her 40’s adopted​ ​her​ son​ ​17​ ​years​ ​ ago.

Focusing on criminal offences, Ruth​ ​dos​ Santos​ of​ The​ ​Adoption​ Companion,​ a ​national​ adoption information service​ has a positive inclination towards criminal offenders,​ ​ “A​ ​ person​ ​with​ ​ a ​ ​ criminal​ ​ record​​ can​ ​ adopt, depending​ ​on​ ​ the​ nature of​ ​ their​ ​crime.​ ​ For​ ​ example,​ ​ a ​ person​ ​ who​ ​ has​ ​ a ​ ​drunk-driving​ ​ charge​ ​ three​ ​ to five​ ​ years​ ​ before​ ​adopting​ ​ can​ ​ be​ ​ considered​ ​ if​ ​ there’s​ ​ no​ ​ repeat​ ​ offense​ ​ and​ ​ the Social​ ​ Worker determines the​ person​ ​is​ ​rehabilitated.”​ ​ Dos Santos​ further advises​ ​ that you should first​ find out​ as​ much as possible​ ​about​ ​ Adoption.​ ​ “Meet​ others​ who’ve adopted,​ ​join​ Facebook​ adoption​ groups​ and​ ask​ ​questions,”​ ​she says.​ ​ Talking​ to others will​ also help you​ to​ find an agency​ or​ private​ Social​ Worker.

“It’s​ a child-centred​ ​approach​ ​ – ​ ​ we’re​ ​not​ ​searching​ ​for​ ​babies​ for​ ​parents,​ ​ we’re searching​ ​for​ ​suitable​ adoptive parents​​ for​ ​adoptable​ ​ children,”​ ​ ​Steward reiterates.

The experts​​ further explain​ that after​ making the​​ call​, ​some agencies​ allow parents to visit​ the child​ ​for a few​ ​days before he​ or​ ​she​ is​ legally​ ​placed​ in​ their​ care. As​ revealed by​ ​Scielo​ ​South Africa,​ ​ “Others​ who don’t​ have​ that system​​ tell the new​ ​parents about the child​ and the​ ​routine before you​ can take​ ​him​ ​or​ ​her​ ​home.”

The​ ​ Social​ ​ Worker​ files​ ​ all​ ​ the​ ​ documentation​ ​ with​ ​the​ ​Children’s​ ​ Court​ ​ in​ ​ your​ ​ area​ ​ and the​ ​adoptive parents​ go to​ ​court to​ sign​ the​ ​application​ form to​ have the adoption order​ ​granted.​ ​ The​ ​ order​ stipulates that the surname​ ​of​ ​the​ adoptive parents​ can​ be given​ to​ the​ ​child but​ this doesn’t​ officially​ happen​ until​ ​Home Affairs changes the child’s surname in​ the​ ​population​ ​register.​ ​ The adoption order is sent​ to​​ the registrar​ of adoptions​ ​ in​ ​ Pretoria​, South Africa to​ be​ ​registered​ and​ is​ posted​ to the parents. When the​ ​adoption order is registered,​ the​ child is​ ​officially​ ​ yours​ ​ – ​ ​ in​ ​ terms​ ​ of the law​ it’s​ ​as​ if​ ​the child were​ born to you.​ ​ You​ now​ apply to​ ​ Home​ Affairs​ for​ ​the official​ ​name​ ​change​ ​and​ ​new​ ​birth​ ​certificate.​ ​This​ ​could​ ​take​ ​four​ ​to​ ​18​ ​ months.”

In an​​ unfortunate​ ​turn​ ​ of​ ​events,​ ​ is​ the​ ​case​​ of​ ​ GT​ ​v ​ CT​ ​ [2015]​ ​ 3 ​ ​ALL​ ​ SA​ ​ 631​ ​ (GJ).

“Two​ ​ children​ ​ had​ ​ been​ ​ legally​ ​ adopted​ ​ by​ ​ their​​ stepfather​ ​ while​ ​ the​ ​ Child​ ​ Care Act​ ​ was​ ​ in​ ​ operation.​ ​ After​ ​ the​ ​ implementation​ ​of​ ​ the​ ​ Children’s​ ​ Act​ ​ 38​ ​ of​ ​ 2005, however,​ ​ he​ ​ applied​ ​ for​ ​ these​ ​ adoption​ ​orders to​​ be​ ​ rescinded.​ ​ The​ court was faced​ ​ with a situation​ where the​ application​ ​had​ ​ been​ ​ brought​ ​ in contravention of​ the​ maximum two-year-period as prescribed​ by​ ​the​ Children’s​ ​ Act.​ ​ Although​ it was​​ argued​ ​that non-compliance with​ ​ this statutory​ requirement​ prevented the court from adjudicating this​ matter, Mokgoatlheng​ focused on the​ best interests of the​ child,​ ​ considered​ the​ legality​ of​ the​ ​adoption orders, and ultimately concluded​ that the supremacy​ of​ the best​ ​interests​ of​ the​ child​ meant that he​ was not precluded from hearing the​ application.​ ​ In​ ​the​ end​ he ordered​ the rescission of the​ adoption orders.​ ​ The​ judgment cannot​ be supported.”

Themba​ ​ Skosana​ and Sandra​ Ferreira​ two​ ​academics​ ​ from​ the University​ of​ South​ ​ Africa, who​ ​compiled the​ case​ ​ study,​ concluded that​, ​had​ ​there​ been​ a statutory requirement​ for the​ ​counseling​ ​ of​ ​ the​ parents​ by the adoptions​ ​social​ ​ worker​ ​ facilitating​ ​ the​ ​ adoptions before​ ​ they​ ​were​ ​ granted,​ ​ the​ ​ adoption​ ​ might​ ​ never​ have​ ​happened in​ the​ first​ place.

“Unfortunately​ at​ the​​ time there was no​ such​ ​requirement. The​ impression left​ ​ by this judgment​ is​ that​ there​ ​was some​ ​kind of​ collusion or​ scheming against​ the​ ​stepfather when​ the​ adoptions​ were granted and​ that​​ the court looked​ for​ a way​ ​to​ ​”right this wrong”.​ ​ Even if​ this​ was​ so and​ it​ ​was​ ​true​​ that the adoptions had been​ ​”forged​ ​on an unsound legal and moral foundation” and had been​ ​”engineered​ ​by the first​ respondent with the​ ​connivance of​ ​ the​ ​second respondent and​ the​ ​compliance​ of​ the applicant”​ it​ ​ has no​ ​ bearing​ ​on the​ ​ matter,​ as​ the mindset of​ ​ the​ ​parties,​ ​ or the​ driving​ force​ ​behind​ the applications,​ is​ not relevant​ or a  factor for​ ​the​ rescission​ of​ an adoption​ ​ order.​ The requirements​ for the rescission of​ an​ adoption​ ​order​ are objective and not​ in any way influenced​ by​​ the​​ purpose or reason​ for​ the​ ​application,”​ Skosana and Ferreira found.

Indeed, it would be fair to argue that Adoption is a true act of love.