The adoption system is outdated. This mom is changing that.

Stand Together
15 Nov 202306:49
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe video script highlights the outdated and expensive U.S. adoption system, which often deters families from providing a loving home to children. Erin Quick, a social entrepreneur and adoptive mother, aims to modernize the process through her tech platform, PairTree. By eliminating middlemen and offering free resources, PairTree seeks to connect families with adoption professionals, enabling a more transparent, ethical, and affordable journey towards adoption.

Takeaways
  • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 There are nearly two million families waiting to adopt a child, indicating a significant demand for adoption services.
  • 📚 The adoption industry is described as archaic, suggesting that it is outdated and in need of modernization.
  • 💰 The adoption process is noted as being confusing and expensive, with typical fees for private adoption in the U.S. ranging from $50,000 to $60,000.
  • 🕰 The average timeframe for private adoption is 12 to 24 months, indicating a lengthy and potentially frustrating process.
  • 🌐 Erin Quick, a two-time adoptive mother, is working to modernize the adoption system in the U.S. through technology.
  • 🚫 The script mentions Georgia Tann, who is considered the pioneer of negative practices in adoption, including closed adoptions and expensive middlemen.
  • 🛠️ Erin has built a tech platform that consolidates the adoption process, aiming to cut out middlemen and provide free education and resources.
  • 💡 The platform's goal is to connect adopting families and expectant parents with adoption professionals and services needed for a healthy private adoption.
  • 💼 The platform offers a more affordable and transparent approach to adoption, potentially making it more accessible to a wider range of families.
  • 👶 The emphasis on open adoption suggests a preference for maintaining connections between the child, the adoptive family, and the birth family.
  • 🔗 PairTree, the platform mentioned, is collaborating with existing agencies and expanding through HR companies to provide adoption benefits in the workplace.
Q & A

  • What is the current situation of the adoption system in the U.S. according to the transcript?

    -The adoption system in the U.S. is described as archaic and outdated, making it difficult for families to adopt children and provide them with a loving home. There are nearly two million families waiting to adopt, but many are kept from this opportunity due to the system's inefficiencies.

  • Who is Erin Quick and what is her mission?

    -Erin Quick is a two-time adoptive mother and a social entrepreneur who is on a mission to modernize the adoption process in the U.S. She aims to make the process less confusing, less expensive, and more ethical.

  • What are the typical fees and timeframe associated with private adoption in the United States today?

    -The typical fees for private adoption in the United States range from $50,000 to $60,000, and the typical timeframe to adopt an infant is 12 to 24 months.

  • What is the role of PairTree in the adoption process?

    -PairTree is a tech platform that consolidates every element of the adoption process into one place. It cuts out expensive industry middlemen and provides free education, research, and access to ethical adoption professionals, empowering families to control their own adoption journey.

  • Why is the adoption industry described as having become an industry?

    -The adoption industry is described as having become an industry because of the high fees and the involvement of middlemen, which have turned it into a business rather than focusing on the welfare of the children and the families involved.

  • Who was Georgia Tann and what is her connection to the adoption industry?

    -Georgia Tann was the operator of a children's home who kidnapped over 5,000 children. She is considered the pioneer of many negative practices in adoption, such as closed adoptions, expensive middlemen, and false birth certificates, some of which still persist today.

  • What is the significance of open adoption in the context of the script?

    -Open adoption is presented as an ideal relationship structure in the script, allowing for ongoing contact between the birth and adoptive families, and ensuring the child knows their birth parent.

  • How does PairTree aim to make adoption more affordable and transparent?

    -PairTree aims to make adoption more affordable by cutting costs and offering complete transparency on adoption progress. They collaborate with existing agencies looking to modernize their approach and expand their reach through HR companies to provide adoption benefits in the workplace.

  • What is the emotional weight of adoption as described in the script?

    -The emotional weight of adoption is described as always being complex due to the deep emotional connections and life-changing decisions involved. However, the script suggests that the process of adoption does not need to be as complex as it has been traditionally.

  • How does PairTree empower expectant mothers in the adoption process?

    -PairTree empowers expectant mothers by allowing them to review profiles and pictures of potential adoptive families, and to initiate contact when they feel comfortable, which gives them control over choosing the family for their child.

  • What is the goal of PairTree and the families involved in the adoption process as described in the script?

    -The goal of PairTree and the families involved is to connect adopting families and expectant parents to the adoption professionals and services they need to navigate private adoption healthily. They aim to provide a loving home for children and to bring about positive, lasting change in the adoption industry.

Outlines
00:00
👶 The Struggles of Modern Adoption

This paragraph introduces the challenges faced by prospective parents in the outdated U.S. adoption system. Erin Quick, a two-time adoptive mother and social entrepreneur, is highlighted for her efforts to modernize the process. The current system is criticized for being confusing, expensive, and impersonal, with a focus on the industry rather than the children. The high costs and long wait times are emphasized, along with the historical influence of Georgia Tann, who implemented harmful practices that still impact the system today. Erin's solution involves a tech platform that consolidates the adoption process, eliminates middlemen, and provides free resources to families.

05:01
🌐 PairTree: Revolutionizing Adoption Through Technology

The second paragraph delves into the specifics of PairTree, a platform aimed at connecting families with adoption professionals and services in a more affordable and transparent manner. It discusses the concept of open adoption and the benefits of maintaining contact between all parties involved. The platform's user-friendly approach allows expectant parents to view profiles and pictures of prospective families and initiate contact when comfortable. PairTree's mission is to facilitate adoptions at a fraction of the traditional cost and to collaborate with agencies and HR companies to expand adoption benefits. The emotional weight of adoption is acknowledged, but the paragraph emphasizes the potential for PairTree to simplify the process and empower all parties in the journey.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Adoption
Adoption is the legal process through which a person becomes the child of someone who is not their biological parent. In the video's context, it is the central theme, focusing on the desire of families to adopt and the challenges they face within an outdated system. The script mentions 'nearly two million families waiting to adopt a child,' highlighting the scale of the issue.
💡Adoptive Mother
An adoptive mother is a woman who has legally adopted a child and assumes the parental role. Erin Quick is introduced as a 'two-time adoptive mother,' emphasizing her personal experience with the adoption process and her motivation to reform it.
💡Social Entrepreneur
A social entrepreneur is someone who creates initiatives to solve social problems, typically through innovative approaches. Erin is described as a 'social entrepreneur' who is 'on a mission to modernize adoption in the U.S.,' indicating her role in addressing systemic issues in the adoption industry.
💡Archaic
The term 'archaic' refers to something that is outdated or old-fashioned. The script uses this term to describe the 'adoption industry,' suggesting that its practices are no longer effective or appropriate for current societal needs.
💡Ethical Adoption
Ethical adoption implies a process that respects the rights and well-being of all parties involved, including the child, the adoptive family, and the birth parents. The script discusses the difficulty of achieving 'a happy, safe, ethical adoption,' pointing to the need for reform in the industry.
💡Technology
Technology in this context refers to the use of modern digital tools and platforms to facilitate and improve processes. The script suggests that 'the internet has the power to transform adoption,' indicating a belief in the potential of technology to streamline and modernize the adoption process.
💡Georgia Tann
Georgia Tann was a notorious figure in the history of adoption, known for her illegal activities in kidnapping children for adoption. The script mentions her as the 'pioneer of most of the bad things that exist in adoption,' drawing a connection between past practices and current issues.
💡Closed Adoptions
Closed adoptions are those where there is no contact or exchange of identifying information between the adoptive family and the birth parents. The script criticizes this practice as an 'outdated' method that contributes to the problems in the adoption system.
💡PairTree
PairTree is a tech platform mentioned in the script that aims to modernize the adoption process. It is described as a service that 'brings every element of the adoption process into one place,' offering a more accessible and transparent approach to adoption.
💡Open Adoption
Open adoption refers to a type of adoption where there is an ongoing relationship and communication between the adoptive family and the birth parents. The script highlights the preference for 'open adoption' as an 'ideal relationship structure,' suggesting a more progressive and inclusive approach to family building.
💡Transparency
Transparency in this context means clear and open communication about the adoption process and costs. The script praises PairTree for 'offering complete transparency on their adoption progress,' which is a key aspect of their mission to improve the adoption experience.
Highlights

Nearly two million families are waiting to adopt a child, but an outdated adoption system is hindering the process.

The adoption industry is described as archaic, making ethical adoptions difficult.

Erin Quick, a two-time adoptive mother, aims to modernize adoption in the U.S. through technology.

The adoption process is confusing and expensive, with typical fees ranging from $50,000 to $60,000.

The timeframe to privately adopt is 12 to 24 months, which Erin Quick's platform aims to shorten.

Georgia Tann's practices, including closed adoptions and expensive middlemen, still influence the adoption industry.

Erin's tech platform aims to cut out industry middlemen and provide free education and research for ethical adoptions.

Adoption can be a transformative experience, as one woman left her marriage due to domestic violence and found fulfillment through adoption.

PairTree is a platform that helps families navigate the adoption process more affordably and transparently.

PairTree collaborates with existing agencies to modernize the adoption process.

The platform offers a more realistic and affordable adoption option, making it accessible to more families.

Open adoption is presented as the ideal relationship structure, allowing for ongoing contact between the child and the birth family.

PairTree empowers birth mothers by allowing them to choose the family they feel comfortable with.

The emotional weight of adoption is acknowledged as complex, but the process can be simplified through technology.

PairTree is expanding its reach through HR companies to provide adoption benefits in the workplace.

The platform allows families to personalize their adoption journey, including sending audio recordings for the baby to learn their voices.

PairTree's mission is to create positive, lasting change in the adoption industry, recognizing the importance and impact of their work.

Transcripts

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Adoption ReformFamily BuildingTech InnovationEthical AdoptionParental DesireIndustry CritiqueSocial EntrepreneurAdoption CostsOpen AdoptionAdoption Process