National Adoption Month in November is a natural time for prospective parents to start investigating options. Today, an increasing number of the 140,000 annual U.S. adoptions begin online, whether the parents find children overseas, from foster care or directly from a birth mother. For example, the National Adoption Center has placed 515 children with special needs through its site.
But there are risks. A
botched Internet adoption of 10-month-old St. Louis twins made headlines
this year and opened eyes to the potential for online adoption fraud. If
you're interested in adopting, learn as much as you can about the process
up front. About.com's adoption resources page
(adoption.about.com ) is an excellent place to start. The site has detailed information on navigating what can be a complicated process: selecting an agency and a lawyer, assessing costs and finding the right child. Click on the "Adopting Parents Center" link for a detailed overview.
Once you're
armed with information, navigate the following sites for adoption options.
But be mindful of the personal data you reveal on message boards or
adoptive parent registries. Scam artists will have more difficulty finding
you if you avoid posting your last name, home telephone number or address
in a public space.
Adoption.com This adoption clearinghouse is best for profiles of adoptable children, parents seeking birth mothers, and national listings of lawyers and agencies.
Adopt.org The National Adoption Center's site lists profiles of 2,000 kids with special needs who are waiting for supportive homes.
AdoptionOnline.com A fee-based site that connects prospective parents with birth mothers. A three-month membership can cost up to $175.
TheAdoptionGuide.com This site run by a concerned mother tracks complaints and legal investigations of adoption agencies, providing a resource for avoiding adoption fraud.
By Contributing Editor Rula Razek
My Web: Julie Chen
Movers, shakers and their bookmarks
When she isn't manning the news desk on CBS' Early Show, Chen, 31, lives the life of a tech-savvy single woman, armed with a BlackBerry e-mail device and trusty laptop. She's renovating an apartment in her native New York, trying to stay fit and sane through exercise, and constantly keeping up with world events. For help, she turns to the Web:
Chen uses atomica.com to get more out of her online journeys. She downloaded Atomica onto her laptop, and now when she surfs it gives her more information about any word she highlights, from anywhere on the Web. "I practice Pilates. But I wanted to try something more relaxing, so I clicked on 'yoga.' Atomica gave me background on it and also helped me find yoga classes. It's great for someone like me who travels a lot."
When she shops online, the comparison pricing site mysimon
.com is her first stop. "I used it to buy a train for my nephew."
As she spruces up her apartment in Manhattan, Chen relies on homestore.com for decorating advice. "They give you tons of ideas."
by Michele Hatty
The news anchor for CBS' Early Show found yoga classes online.
Adoption.com This adoption clearinghouse is best for profiles of adoptable children, parents seeking birth mothers, and national listings of lawyers and agencies.