©InfoThe idea that vulnerable children need adopting is often raised in the media following a major disaster.
Take a vote among students.
After a disaster, is it a good idea to take vulnerable children out of an emergency zone to a new country and give them a new home in an orphanage or with a family?
Allow voting options "yes", "no" and "maybe".
Show students the following guidelines. They are the broad principles in use by humanitarian agencies when considering arranging adoption of children in emergencies:
- Unaccompanied or separated children must not be adopted in haste at the height of an emergency.
- Most separated children have other family members willing and able to care for them in the immediate aftermath. There is no need to rush a decision. Careful consideration must be given to each child's best future interests.
- Adoption is the last resort. It should be considered only after sustained efforts to trace family members have proven fruitless.
- Any adoption must be shown to be in the child’s best interests and be carried out according to national and international law.
- Priority is given to adoption by relatives, wherever they live.
- If no relatives are able to adopt, preference is given to adoption within the child's community or at least within their own culture.
- The views of the child should be taken into account in all adoption procedures. The child should be counselled and helped to understand the consequences of adoption. If their consent is required, it must be given freely.
Talk to students about the guidelines. What surprised students?
Discuss the feelings and motivations of someone wanting to adopt a child in the aftermath of a disaster. Are students aware of any attempts by groups or individuals to adopt children during emergencies? How well do their plans seem to fit the guidelines? What about historic adoptions they may have heard of – such as the sending of British children to Australia? How many of the modern guidelines would they breach?
Take the vote again. Compare results. if some students changed their views, ask them to say what were the main influences.
Credits
This resource was written by PJ White and produced in February 2010.