Rehoming of Adopted Children

Parents have the legal responsibility to protect and care for their children. However, recent media reports have illuminated a practice involving unregulated custody transfers of adopted children. Commonly referred to as 'rehoming,' this practice involves parents who turn to the internet or other unregulated networks to find a new home for their child. These media reports found instances in which adopted children were placed in dangerous situations where they were harmed by the adults who received them. This book examines the reasons adoptive families consider unregulated child custody transfers, and services that exist to support these families before they take such an action; what is known about the prevalence of these transfers; and actions selected states and federal agencies have taken to address such transfers.