Experts warn of security risks to America's kids as photos show those up for adoption

Though we've made progress, "there's inactive a agelong mode to go," accidental experts, erstwhile it comes to the adoption process — including protecting the information of young radical who are successful foster attraction and awaiting permanent, loving families.

Selfless Love Foundation’s National Think Tank is simply a corporate unit of change-makers aiming to amended the foster attraction adoption process successful this country. The yearly conference, which took spot successful October, brings unneurotic young radical who person experienced foster care, arsenic good arsenic kid payment leaders and policymakers from implicit 30 states. 

The National Think Tank is simply a strategical program to power national argumentation and state-level enactment to alteration the foster attraction adoption process to champion service children.

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On the heels of the October 2025 Think Tank, pb researchers from Chapin Hall astatine the University of Chicago volition make a roadworthy representation and actionable adjacent steps for each state.

For National Adoption Month successful November, I spoke with Ashley Brown, laminitis and CEO of Selfless Love. She and her hubby started their nonprofit 10 years ago, successful 2015 — and she has said her ain adoption arsenic an babe "changed the trajectory" of her life. She's been connected "America's Newsroom" respective times. Read connected for her thoughtful answers to immoderate important questions!

Q: How is the U.S. taking attraction of foster attraction children and encouraging adoption? 

Ashley Brown: As a nation, we’ve made progress, but there’s inactive a agelong mode to go. Many radical would beryllium amazed to larn that successful astir states, photos of children disposable for adoption are posted publically online. 

While that attack to adoption recruitment whitethorn person made consciousness earlier the internet's improvement — it tin besides enactment young radical astatine risk. 

In Florida, Selfless Love Foundation worked alongside younker to assistance walk a instrumentality that protects children’s images from nationalist view. It besides gives children aged 12 and up a accidental successful the photos and accusation shared connected adoption sites.

An full time of the National Think Tank was dedicated to this circumstantial issue. We besides looked astatine adoption recruitment and post-adoption enactment for families, arsenic the extremity is not conscionable kid placement — but permanency.

"There is nary national instrumentality and precise constricted authorities laws that adjacent admit young people's close to take however they’re represented successful adoption recruitment," said Ashley Brown, laminitis of Selfless Love Foundation.  (iStock)

Q: What are the biggest obstacles to making much progress?

Brown: One of the biggest obstacles to advancement is the deficiency of a national argumentation to support children’s privateness and to springiness them a dependable successful however they’re represented. 

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Each authorities is near to marque its ain decisions, and young radical deficiency factual rights and protections crossed the board. They are the experts — and they indispensable beryllium included successful the decisions that impact them most.

Q: What probe oregon lessons from the National Think Tank could foster important progress?

Brown: What truly stood retired was however small extortion determination is for children successful the adoption process. There is nary national instrumentality and precise constricted authorities laws that adjacent admit young people's close to take however they’re represented successful adoption recruitment. 

"Rights, recruitment and post-adoption enactment are connected. We can’t hole 1 without strengthening the others."

That spread highlights however acold we person to spell and wherever we should start. 

It besides reminds america that rights, recruitment and post-adoption enactment are connected. We can’t hole 1 without strengthening the others.

"The astir contiguous and achievable measurement is to enactment authorities that gives younker the close to take however they’re represented successful adoption recruitment," said Ashley Brown (not pictured).  (iStock)

Q: What tin authorities legislatures bash successful the adjacent 12 months to impact change?

Brown: The astir contiguous and achievable measurement is to enactment authorities that gives younker the close to take however they’re represented successful adoption recruitment, protecting their privacy, dignity and safety. 

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Researchers from Chapin Hall volition hole a study connected the cardinal findings from the National Think Tank, which volition assistance authorities and national leaders amended recognize the value of younker rights successful adoption.

Leaders from much than 30 states precocious gathered astatine Selfless Love Foundation’s National Think Tank to tackle immoderate of the biggest challenges that beryllium successful the foster attraction and adoption process. (iStock)

Q: How tin Americans champion assistance children who are successful foster attraction oregon aging retired of the system?

Brown: One taxable we heard implicit and implicit astatine the National Think Tank was the powerfulness of community. Kids successful foster attraction and those who person aged retired of the strategy request to cognize they person enactment and that radical care.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, Selfless Love Foundation is capable to connection this National Think Tank astatine nary cost, including scholarships to screen youth’s question and accommodations. 

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The champion mode radical tin assistance is by allowing much young radical to be events similar this, wherever their voices are heard, their experiences are valued — and they are portion of transforming the system. 

With nary nationalist modular successful place, we permission a susceptible radical of children without wide protections. 

We already admit a child’s close to take adoption. 

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Extending that rule to however they are portrayed is simply a substance of argumentation alignment and fairness. To help, and to larn more, anyone tin sojourn selflesslovefoundation.org.