Adoption not always the best

To the editor:
The crisis in Haiti has prompted many Canadians to consider adoption in the aftermath of the earthquake. While this desire to help is admirable, adoption may not always be the best way to assist, nor is it always in the best interest of the children. Not every unaccompanied child is an orphan, and not every orphan is without family. Many have aunts, uncles or grandparents who could take them in. Efforts should first be made to find these people and help them care for the children. Options for other kinds of in-country care also exist. SOS Children's Villages has been offering 'family-based care' in its facilities for 60 years now as an alternative to traditional orphanages. This allows children to be raised in a surrogate family within their own community and culture. And, for a child with no other local prospects, international adoption can transform their lives. Canadians who wish to help orphaned children in Haiti or elsewhere can do so in many ways. With World Orphan Week (Feb. 8 to 14) upon us, there is no better time to attend to this. Learn more. Raise awareness. Press governments for better care options. Insist that the interests of the child come first. Challenge the Canadian Government to ensure there is a child and youth development component in our longer term aid strategy for Haiti. Support charities and organizations with a good track record of serving children-at-risk. We would want nothing less for them if they were our own children.
Boyd McBride
National director, SOS Children's Villages Canada, Ottawa