Rehoming of adopted children : current legislation and implications for practice

In 2013, an investigative report by Reuters uncovered a startling practice now known as private adoption rehoming, also sometimes referred to as rehoming or unregulated custody transfer adopted of children. This practice involves adoptive parents seeking new families for their adopted children without the help or involvement of adoption professionals. Because these new families are not vetted (no background checks, home studies, etc.), the practice can result with children ending up in unsafe and potentially abusive homes. While some states have taken measures to address this problem, many have not. Even in those states who have passed rehoming legislation, the majority are punitive not preventative, meaning adopted children are still at risk of being rehomed. This paper provides an overview of the practice of rehoming and the status of legislation regarding the practice. Profiles of each state present information that is important to understand and consider when making decisions about rehoming legislation. Implications for practice and general policy recommendations are presented.