| Description |
1 online resource (213 pages) |
| Contents |
Cover; After Adoption; Title Page; Copyright Page; Table of Contents; Illustrations; Acknowledgements; 1 Adoption in context: Social change and openness; Adoption: the pace and nature of change; Adoption practice: openness and secrecy in adoptionarrangements; The changing role of adoption: difference, identity and 'telling'; Identity issues in context; The current debate: openness, contact and adoption; Conclusion: the debate about contact and new challenges; Summary; 2 Openness in adoptionEssential for children's well-being?; The practice of open adoption and arrangements for contact |
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Adoption and identity: the need for information and contactFurther research: the impact of contact on birthand adoptive parents; Further research: the impact of contact on children; Conclusion: how much do we know about the benefits of continuing contact?; Summary; 3 Policy, law and opennessin adoption; Policy issues: openness and access to information; Policy issues: post-adoption contact; Judicial intervention in contact arrangements; Conclusion: policy development and judicial restraint; Summary; 4 The study Research issues, methods and sample characteristics; The study in context |
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Ethical and methodological considerationsGaining access to adopters, children and birth relatives after adoption; Research instruments and data collection; Talking to the children; Children's characteristics and placements; Children's legal and 'looked-after' status; Birth parents' attitudes to adoption and post-adoption contact; Direct contact: variability, frequency and arrangements; Conclusion: trials, tribulations and rewards; Summary; 5 Preparation and planning for direct contact; Agencies, professional practice and contact; Preparation for direct contact |
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Adoptive parents' attitudes towards contactMeeting birth relatives involved in direct contact; Planning for contact; Contact planning was agency led: adopters agreed with the plan and felt involved; Contact planning was agency led: adopters agreed with the plan although they were not involved; Planning was initiated by the adopters; Contact planning was led by the agency or other professionals: adopters accepted the plan but remained hostile to its implementation; Frequency of contact arrangements; Agency involvement in post-adoption contact arrangements |
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Conclusion: agencies and planning for direct contactSummary; 6 Adoptive parents Perspectives on adoption and direct contact; Adoptive parents and adoption; Opposition to adoption: birth families and contact; Managing arrangements for contact: a complicated business; Direct contact: losses and gains; Adoptive parents' perceptions: advantages of direct contact; Adoptive parents' perceptions: comfort and satisfaction with direct contact; Ownership, control and direct contact; Conclusion; Summary; 7 Birth relatives and direct contact; Introduction: birth relatives, adoption and contact |
| Summary |
Few children nowadays are placed for adoption with no form of contact planned with birth relatives and it has become common professional practice to advocate direct rather than indirect contact. Practice has outstripped evidence in this respect and not enough is known about how contact arrangements actually work out, particularly for older children adopted from state care. Such children have often experienced neglect, and sometimes abuse, and have frequently been adopted without parental agreement. Based on research with a large number of adoptive parents, children and birth relatives,> |
| Notes |
Print version record |
| Subject |
Adopted children -- Family relationships
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Birthparents.
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Adoptive parents.
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Adoption -- Law and legislation.
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Adoption -- Law and legislation -- United States
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Adopted children -- Family relationships
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Adoption -- Law and legislation
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Adoptive parents
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Birthparents
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United States
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| Author |
Smith, Carole
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| ISBN |
9781135260705 |
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1135260702 |
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