Why Does it Cost More to Adopt a Caucasian Infant?

Question

than any other race

Answer 1

Straight answer: Society values the elusive healthy white infant above all others. For many a'parents, accepting anything outside those parameters is accepting "less." And yes, some agencies do post "price lists" whereby you can see exactly how much less valued an African American infant is. It's sad, archaic and stupid, and I would never accuse anyone here of racism. But societally, we do value one color over another. To deny that is to deny that racism exists in the US, and that would be naiive at best.

Answer 2

Many agencies have different fees for adopting Caucasian vs. African American babies.

And some states automatically designate AA children in the foster care system "special needs" simply because of their race, thus giving the AA kids a subsidy that doesn't apply to Caucasian kids.

So yes, in many cases, it is less expensive to adopt a black child than a white child in America.

It is perfectly legal.

It is not, IMO, ethical.

I seriously don't mean to turn this into a soapbox issue, but... for the people who weren't aware of these practices... please. Please. Just stop a moment and think about this: can you possibly see why so many of us want adoption reform?

It's NOT just adoptees and biological parents that these yucky practices affect, either! YOU--adoptive parents--get taken advantage of, too--they KNOW so many adoptive parents are willing to pay more for a Caucasian infant, so (ta da) they charge more!

And yes, I think this is definitely about racism. Whether it's an agency BEING racist, or an agency reacting to racism already present in the American population, or a mixture of both... that would be hard to judge, and probably is different in each agency's case.

Re: administrative costs... it often takes caseworkers MORE time to place an AA child, so if the differences in races were based on the cost of the adoption, it should cost more to adopt an AA child, not less.

Answer 3

It does? We adopted a Caucasian infant from the US, and it actually didn't cost us much at all in relation to other families I know who have adopted minority children or from other countries. We met a birth family who was making an adoption plan for their child, started proceeding with a private adoption and the state stepped in. Sadly, they tried to stop the adoption, with one state caseworker telling me to my face that "he is a white Caucasian infant and that makes him a hot commodity". After she got every verbal assault I could throw at her that day, our bio family went to court to have the state removed from the situation so that we could proceed with the private adoption. As we started to continue, our attorney recommended that we use an adoption agency to do an "identified" adoption to insure that there were no further problems with the state, so it was a bit more expensive than we originally thought it would be, but it was still less than $15K for us. In fact, I think it was more like $10K - $12K. This is significantly less money than other adoptions.

Answer 4

The first answerer is incorrect. Adoption from China is not the most expensive. Adoptions from Russia, Guatemala and Vietnam are far more expensive, as its the private domestic adoption of a healthy white infant. The least expensive adoptions are from African countries, Haiti, and adoption from the US foster care system. So, it basically goes White, Latino/Asian, Black in terms of adoption costs. That should tell you that all of the fees charged aren't administrative. It can't cost more in adminstrative fees for a white child, or a latino or asian child. I don't know if its outright racism or if its the fact that caucasian parents feel more intimidated by the idea of raising an african american child, because parents feel that latino and asian are a closer "match" than black or because they feel latino and asian kids don't experience racism, but the numbers don't lie.

Answer 5

i did not know they were more expensive but there are harder to get and you wait longer if you don't want one of another race. Because that is what people want they want a child that looks like them even though they are adopted. Satistically there are more caucasians so they adopt more. Also in the black commnuinty there is a stigma GOD knows why about adopting. I am black and want to adopt and my family is not supportive at all

Answer 6

Supply and demand mostly.. However, adopting from Guatemala (a non-white country) will cost you $30k... so "white" babies are not always the most expensive

Answer 7

There wasn't any difference in cost with the agency we went through. I have heard of some agencies lowering the cost for non-caucasian babies, but have not experienced it, or witnessed it for myself.

Answer 8

I adopted 2 white toddlers and spent $35 each for the paperwork to be filed. I did the paperwork myself and didn't need a lawyer. I was a teacher with no legal skills. the state adoption agency helped me.

Answer 9

White infants are a commodity just like frozen orange juice and coffee beans.

Most adopters are white, and want their adopted children to be white, too.

Women choosing to surrender their children to adoption has gone WAY down = lack of supply.

While infertility rates and the average age of women getting married and putting off childbirth has gone UP=major demand.

Diminished availability of desired product drives up the price/value.

I disagree that this is 'racist', though. I mean is it 'racist' to marry a person of your own race?

Answer 10

There are private adoptions, state adoptions, international adoptions, Catholic charity adoptions - and any of them could have white or black babies. They would all cost differently for different levels of service. You can generalize to say that white babies are more expensive, and I wouldn't disagree with you. My birthmother put me up for adoption with a private lawyer and was very involved in the process of choosing my adoptive parents. I am white. I am sure my parents paid more for me than for my brother, who was a state adoption. He is not exactly white but probably has some latin roots - we don't know what he is, ethnically speaking, bc he hasn't searched. But my parents put their names on several different lists from what I understand, and waited years for any children to come through. I don't know if you can get a black baby faster and cheaper - it sounds like there is a lot of research you would have to do to find out the truth.