Websites featuring children waiting for adoption A cross-country review

With the growth in the number of children in government systems who are in need of adoptive families, the USA, Canada and the Russian Federation have implemented national internet-based photolisting programmes. In their examination of these website programmes, Madelyn Freundlich, Sarah Gerstenzang and Meredith Holtan found similarities but also unique features that may reflect social and cultural factors, level of government support and length of operational time. Differences are noted in the ways that featured children are presented and how families may search and access information on the websites. The implications of these differences are discussed as a basis for better understanding of current practice in the photolisting of children and the issues that may need to be considered in defining best practice in this area.