The children who wait.
- Marsha Traugot
In the past, before 1960 AD, only healthy, energetic white infants could be adopted. The unhealthy and handicraft children were thought of as damaged goods. But now, a five and half-year-old black girl 'Tammy' who is suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome has been freed for adoption. She is very attractive and her social worker is searching for one or two parents of any race or colour. There has been a great change in the field of the adoption system because of the Civil Rights moments, birth control, Social Science Research, black rights movements, changing social values and norms and harsh economic reality. Because of the civil rights movement, the attitude of the American people towards negro children changed. Due to birth control and legalised abortion, fewer unwanted babies were born. Even unmarried woman could keep their babies with them because of changing social values.
The number of homeless children is increasing day by day. If such children were left in foster for a long time, they would suffer from learning disabilities, pseudo-mental retardation, mental illness, criminality and much other abnormal behaviour. But the government does not care about these children. Putting a child in foster care is very expensive and cruel. So, the system of adoption should be changed. Even social workers should change their attitude. These social workers must adopt even the unable and handicapped children. Proper information must be given to adoptive parents. The social worker must meet their children frequently. They should open child care centres and hold meetings. The writer hopes that 'Tammy' gets a warm hospitality family.
